Creating formatted output using picture strings

[ssteinerX@gmail.com]

On Feb 10, 2010, at 3:40 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:

> On 2010-02-10, ssteinerX at gmail.com <ssteinerx at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Feb 10, 2010, at 2:57 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
>> 
>>> On 2010-02-10, python at bdurham.com <python at bdurham.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> [regardning "picture" output format specifiers]
>>> 
>>>> I was thinking that there was a built-in function for this
>>>> common(?) use case
>>> 
>>> I haven't seen that paradigm since my one-and-only exposure to
>>> COBOL in a class I took back in 1979.  Is the "picture" thing
>>> commonly used in other places than COBOL?
>> 
>> Seriously?
> 
> Seriously.
> 
>> I've seen it in dozens places other than COBOL over the years
>> in everything from templating languages to report generators,
>> to built-in support in a variety of languages (dBASE II
>> anyone?).
>> 
>> Haven't you ever had to get a e.g. a phone number or social
>> security number from user input?
> 
> Nope.  I guess it's specific to certain application areas. I've
> never done any database type stuff.  I do mostly embedded,
> device drivers, networking/protocols, industrial automation,
> Unix system admin/automation, and scientific visualization.

Yah, I've hardly ever had to get SSN input from users in a device driver ;-).

That's what makes groups like this go 'round; we have all done different types of things which gives us all different perspectives.

S