1 02/12/85  format_line, fl
 2 
 3 Syntax as a command:  fl control_string {args}
 4 
 5 
 6 Syntax as an active function:  [fl control_string {args}]
 7 
 8 
 9 Function: returns a single, quoted character string that is formatted
10 from an ioa_ control string and other optional arguments.
11 
12 
13 Arguments:
14 control_string
15    is an ioa_ control string used to format the return value of the
16    active function (see "Notes" below).
17 args
18    are character strings substituted in the formatted return value
19    according to the control string.
20 
21 
22 Notes: The following ioa_ control codes are allowed (see the
23 ioa_ subroutine).  The control string is output exactly as is except
24 that certain constructs beginning with a caret (^) are expanded, which
25 may involve argument substitution or interpretation.  Unimplemented
26 constructs are output as is, but avoid them to allow for future
27 extensions.
28 
29 
30  CONTROL           ACCEPTABLE ARGUMENTS
31  ^a   ^Na          any character string
32  ^d   ^Nd          a character representation of a number, including
33                    optional exponent (315.44 or .2789e+2 or 1101b)
34  ^i   ^Ni          same as ^d
35  ^f   ^Nf          same as ^d
36  ^.Df ^N.Df        same as ^d
37  ^e   ^Ne          same as ^d
38  ^o   ^No          same as ^d
39  ^[...^            "true", "false", or an integer character string
40  ...^]             any number of any character string
41  ^(...^) or
42  ^N(...^)          an integer character string.
43  ^s  ^Ns
44 
45 
46 In addition, you can use any of the following carriage movement
47 controls:
48       ^N/      ^N|      ^N-
49       ^Nx      ^N^      ^R
50       ^B       ^t       ^Nt
51       ^N.Dt    ^/       ^|
52       ^-       ^x       ^^
53 where N is an integer count or a "v".  When you give "v", an integer
54 character string from the args is used for count.
55 
56 If you don't give optional arguments, the value returned depends on the
57 ioa_ control string that you specified.