15.3.3.2 Asterisk-Fill Fields
To print an asterisk (
*
) before the first digit of a number, you
must start the field with two asterisks.
DECLARE STRING CONSTANT FM = "**##.##"
PRINT USING FM, 1.2
PRINT USING FM, 27.95
PRINT USING FM, 107
PRINT USING FM, 1007.5
END
Output
***1.20
**27.95
*107.00
1007.50
Note that the asterisks reserve two places as well as cause
asterisk fill.
To specify a negative number in an asterisk-fill field, you
must place a trailing minus sign in the field. The trailing
minus sign must be the last character in the format string.
DECLARE STRING CONSTANT FM = "**##.##-"
PRINT USING FM, 27.95
PRINT USING FM, -107
PRINT USING FM, -1007.5
END
Output
**27.95
*107.00-
1007.50-
If you try to print a negative number in an asterisk-fill field
that does not include a trailing minus sign, BASIC signals
``PRINT USING format error'' (ERR=116).
You cannot specify both asterisk-fill and zero-fill for the
same numeric field.