Placeholders with Format Definition in the Output Text

A character string that is output in the visualization can include the placeholder % for a variable. At runtime, the placeholder is replaced by the actual value of the variable in the defined format. The data type in the format definition and of the variable must be identical. A character string can contain a maximum of one placeholder.

Character strings for output are listed in the Text property. The associated variable is listed in the Text variable property.

See also

Printing integers

%d

%i

 Printing a variable (integer data type) as a decimal number

Code: iCounter : INT := 12;

Property Text: Value: %i

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.iCounter

Output: Value: 12
%b Printing a variable (integer data type) as a binary number

Code: byCode : BYTE := 255;

Property Text: Coding: %b

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.byCode

Output: Coding: 11111111
%o Printing a variable (integer data type) as an unsigned octal number without a preceding zero

Code: byCode : BYTE := 8#377;

Property Text: Coding: %o

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.byCode

Output: Coding: 377
%x Printing a variable (integer data type with maximum 32 bits) as an unsigned hexadecimal number without a preceding “0x”

Code: dwCode : INT := 16#FFFFFFFF;

Property Text: Coding: %x

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dwCode

Output: Coding: ffffffff

%llX

%012llX

Output of a 64-bit variable (LWORD, LINT, ULINT) as a hexadecimal number.

Note: llx means “long long hexadecimal”

Code: lwCode : LWORD := 16#4FFF_3FFF_2FFF_1FFF;

Property Text: Coding: %llx

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.lwCode

Output: Coding: 4fff3fff2fff1fff
%u Printing a variable (integer data type) as an unsigned decimal number

Code: uiNumber : UINT := 1234;

Property Text: Number: %u

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.uiNumber

Output: Number: 1234

Printing floating-point numbers

Floating-point numbers have the data type REAL or LREAL.

%f In decimal form with decimal point in format 1.6

Code: rWeight : REAL := 1.123456789;

Property Text: Weight: %f

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.rWeight

Output: Weight: 1.123456
%<alignment><minimum width>.<accuracy>f

As decimal number in user-defined format

  • <alignment>: - or +, optional

    -: Left-aligned

    +: Right-aligned

  • <minimum width>: Number of places to the left of the decimal point

  • <accuracy>: Number of places to the right of the decimal point

Code: rWeight : REAL := 12.1

Property Text: Weight: %2.3f

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.rWeight

Output: Weight: 12,100
%e Printing a floating-point number (REAL or LREAL) in exponential notation of base 10

Code: rValue : REAL := 1.234567%e-003;

Property Text: Value: %E

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.rValue

Output: Value: 1.23E-6
%E  

Code: rValue : REAL := 1.234567%e-003;

Property Text: Value: %e

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.rValue

Output: Value: 1.23e-6

Printing text

%c Printing a single character in ASCII

Code: bChar := 16#41;

Property Text: Key: %c

PropertyText variable: PLC_PRG.bChar

Output: Key: A
%s Printing a character string

Code: strName := 'Paul Smith';

Property Text: Name: %s

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.strName

Output: Name: Paul Smith

Printing the percent sign

%% Printing the percent sign in a character string

Property Text: Valid until 90%%

Output: Valid until 90%
   

Code: iPercentage : INT := 80;

Property Text: Valid until %d%%.

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.iPercentage := 80;

Output: Valid until 80%

Printing the date and time

If the output text in the element property Text contains the placeholder “%t”, then a date and/or time is printed. If a variable is not specified in the property Text variable, then the system time is printed; otherwise it is the value of the variable.

The names of the days and months are displayed in English by default. If localized texts are used, then the text list System has to be supplemented. This text list is created automatically in the POUs view when the placeholder %t is used. The English terms have to be used as the ID here. The localization can be done for both the abbreviated and full names.

Time data types include LTIME, TIME, TIME_OF_DAY, TOD, DATE, DATE_AND_TIME, and DT.

Date and time formats
%t[yyyy] Years with century (4 digits)

Code: dateBy : DATE := DATE#2020-1-1;

Property Text: By the year %t[yyyy]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateBy

Output: By the year 2020
%t[yy] Years without century (00-99)

Code: dateSince : DATE := DATE#2000-1-1;

Property Text: Since: %t[yy]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateSince

Output: Since: 00
%t[y] Years without century (0-99)

Code: dateSince : DATE := DATE#2000-1-1;

Property Text: Since: %t[y]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateSince

Output: Since: 0
     
%t[MMMM] Months as a full name

Code: dateMonth : DATE := DATE#2016-1-1;

Property Text: Month: %t[MMMM]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateMonth

Output: Month: January
%t[MMM] Months as an abbreviated name

Code: dateMonth : DATE := DATE#2016-1-1;

Property Text:: Month: %t[MMM]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateMonth

Output: Month: Jan
%t[MM] Months as a number (01 – 12)

Code: dateMonth : DATE := DATE#2016-1-1;

Property Text:: Month: %t[MM]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateMonth

Output: Month: 01
%t[M] Months as a number (1 – 12)

Code: dateMonth : DATE := DATE#2016-1-1;

Property Text:: Month: %t[M]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateMonth

Output: Month: 1
     
%t[ddddd] Days of week as a number (1=Monday to 7=Sunday)

Code: iDay : INT := 7;

Property Text:: Day: %t[ddddd]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.iDay

Output: Day: 7
%t[dddd] Days of week as a full name

Code: iDay : INT := 7;

Property Text:: Day: %t[dddd]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.iDay

Output: Day: Sunday
%t[ddd] Days of week as an abbreviated name

Code: iDay : INT := 7;

Property Text:: Day: %t[ddd]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.iDay

Output: Day: Sun
%t[dd] Days in month as a number (01 – 31)

Code: iDay : INT := 1;

Property Text:: Day: %t[dd]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.iDay

Output: Day: 01
%t[d] Days in month as a number (1 – 31)

Code: iDay : INT := 1;

Property Text:: Day: %t[d]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.iDay

Output: Day: 1
%t[jjj] Days in year as a number (001-366)

Code: dateOfNoReturn : DATE := DATE#2016-09-01;

Property Text:: Day of no return: %t[jjj]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateOfNoReturn

Output: Day of no return: 245
     
%t[HH] Hours in 24-hour format (00-23)

Code: todEnd : TOD := TIME_OF_DAY#17:0:0;

Property Text: Ends at: %t[HH]:00

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.todEnd

Output: Ends at 17:00
%t[hh] Hours in 12-hour format (01-12)

Code: todEnd : TOD := TIME_OF_DAY#17:0:0;

Property Text: Ends at: %t[hh] o'clock

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.todEnd

Output: Ends at 05 o'clock
     
%t[mm] Minutes with leading zeros (00-59)

Code: tPeriod : TIME := T#5M;

Property Text: Period: %t[mm]m

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.tPeriod

Output: Period: 05m
%t[m] Minutes without leading zeros (0-59)

Code: tPeriod : TIME := T#5m;

Property Text: Period: %t[m 'm']

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.tPeriod

Output: Period: 5 m
%t[ss] Seconds with leading zeros (00-59)

Code: tPeriod : TIME := T#5m3s;

Property Text: Period: %t[mm'm'ss's']

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.tPeriod

Output: Period: 05m03s
%t[s] Seconds without leading zeros (0-59)

Code: tPeriod : TIME := T#5m3s;

Property Text: Period: %t[m'm' s's']

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.tPeriod

Output: Period: 5m 3s
%t[ms] Milliseconds without leading zeros (0-999)

Code: tPeriod : TIME := T#500ms;

Property Text: Period: %t[ms'ms']

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.tPeriod

Output: Period: 500ms
%t[us] For LTIME variables only: microsecond definition (0-999)

Code: ltPeriod :LTIME := LTIME#1000D23H44M12S34MS2US44NS;

Property Text: 'Period': %t[dd.HH.m.s.ms.us.ns]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.ltPeriod

Output: Period: 1000.23.44.12.34.2.44

Hint: Overflow is permitted in the greatest time unit of a definition.
%t[ns] For LTIME variables only: nanosecond definition (0-999)  
     
%t[t]

If the value is a time < 12h, then A is printed;

otherwise P is printed.

Code: tClosed : TOD := TOD#17:17:17.17;

Property Text: Closed at %t[hh:mm t]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.tClosed

Output: Closed at 05:17 P
%t[tt] If the value is a time < 12h, then AM is printed; otherwise PM is printed.

Code: tClosed : TOD := TOD#17:17:17.17;

Property Text: Closed at %t[hh:mm tt]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.tClosed

Output: Closed at 05:17 PM
     
%t[' '] If character strings should be printed that correspond to a format definition, then these must be represented in single straight quotation marks.  
     
The format definitions can be represented in a series.
%t[HH:mm:ss:ms] Printing the complete time

Code: dwTime : DWORD := 4294967295;

Property Text: Time: %t[HH:mm:ss:ms]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dwTime

Output: Time: 23:59:59:999
%t[yyyy-MM-dd dddd] Printing the date and day of the week

Code: dateSet : DATE := DATE#2016-02-12;

Property Text: Date: %t[yyyy-MM-dd dddd]

Property Text variable: PLC_PRG.dateSet

Output: Date: 2016-02-12 Friday

See also