Formatting numbers

[NinjaTrader_JoshP]

Applies to NinjaTrader 8 and NinjaTrader 7

String formatting on numbers is very useful for creating readable output. This can be done through the use of the number object’s ToString() method.

A common practice is printing out mathematical operations with the use of the ToString() method on the double object. What usually happens is the printing of a long string containing all the decimal places existing in the double. This sometimes makes output cluttered and hard to read. Luckily, C# has a robust set of string formatting options available to make the string more comprehendible.

Here is a list of common formatting options available in the ToString() method:

double c = [COLOR=Black][FONT=&quot]10.25693[/FONT][/COLOR];
Print("No formatting: " + c.ToString());
Print("Currency formatting: " + c.ToString("C"));
Print("Exponential formatting: " + c.ToString("E"));
Print("Fixed-point formatting: " + c.ToString("F2"));
Print("General formatting: " + c.ToString("G"));
Print("Percent formatting: " + c.ToString("P0"));
Print("Formatted to 2 decimal places: " + c.ToString("N2"));
Print("Formatted to 3 decimal places: " + c.ToString("N3"));
Print("Formatted to 4 decimal places: " + c.ToString("N4"));

The corresponding output is as follows:

[FONT=&quot]No formatting: 10.25693[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Currency formatting: $10.26[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Exponential formatting: 1.025693E+001[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Fixed-point formatting: 10.26[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]General formatting: 10.25693[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Percent formatting: 1,026 %[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Formatted to 2 decimal places: 10.26[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Formatted to 3 decimal places: 10.257[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Formatted to 4 decimal places: 10.2569[/FONT]

For custom formatting you can use the following:

double phoneNumber = 9162031022;
Print("Phone number: " + phoneNumber.ToString("(###) ### - ####"));

Corresponding output:

[FONT=&quot]Phone number: (916) 203 - 1022[/FONT]

For more information on general string formatting this guide may be of use. Many other resources can be found online through a google search as well.

http://radio.weblogs.com/0106479/stories/2002/12/10/stringFormattingInC.html