MySQL FORMAT() function

Syntax of MySQL FORMAT() Function

The FORMAT() function in MySQL is a strong tool for formatting numeric information in various ways. This function accepts a number and a format string as input and returns a formatted string. The MySQL FORMAT() function has the following syntax:

Here, The numeric_value input is the number to be formatted, and the format_string parameter is a string that describes how the number should be formatted.

Let's look at an example to see how the FORMAT() method can be utilized:

The numeric_value parameter in this example is 12345.6789, and the format_string parameter is '###,###.##'. Because the format string indicates that the number should be formatted with commas separating thousands and rounded to two decimal places, the final formatted string will be '12,345.68'.

Overall, MySQL's FORMAT() function is a valuable tool for formatting numeric values in various ways, and its clear syntax makes it simple to use in SQL queries.

Parameters of MySQL FORMAT() Function

The MySQL FORMAT() method is used for formatting numeric numbers according to a pattern.

It takes two arguments: a number to format and a string specifying how to format the number.

The MySQL FORMAT() function takes two parameters: numeric_value, and format_string. The numeric_value input is the number to be formatted, and the format_string parameter is a string that describes how the number should be formatted. The format_string parameter can contain many placeholders, each representing a different formatting choice. For example, the %d placeholder represents a decimal value, but the %f placeholder represents a floating-point number. Other placeholders can be used to define the number of decimal places, to separate thousands with commas, and to utilize a currency symbol.

MySQL's FORMAT() function is a vital tool for formatting numeric numbers, with many adjustable parameters to meet your specific needs.

Return Value of MySQL FORMAT() Function

MySQL's FORMAT() function is useful for formatting numbers and other data types to your specifications. When you call this function, it returns a formatted string that displays the original number with the number of decimal places you specify, using commas as thousands of separators.

For example, if you have a number such as 1234567.89, you can use the FORMAT() method to return a string such as "1,234,567.89". This is very handy when working with financial or other numerical data requiring precise formatting.

To use the FORMAT() function, you must give two parameters: the number to be formatted and the number of decimal places to be used. The following SQL query, for example, would format the number 1234567.89 with two decimal places:

The string "1,234,567.89" would be the result of this query.

Overall, the FORMAT() method is useful for formatting numbers in various ways to match your requirements.

Exceptions of MySQL FORMAT() Function

The MySQL FORMAT() function is useful for formatting numeric numbers, such as inserting commas or rounding decimal places. However, it has constraints and exceptions, just like any other function.

The FORMAT() function works solely with numeric numbers, a significant limitation. You will get an error if you try to use it with non-numeric values. As a result, you must ensure that the values you supply to the function are numeric.

Another distinction is that the FORMAT() method only accepts values from the DECIMAL and NUMERIC data types. Therefore, you may obtain unexpected results or errors using values outside of this range.

Finally, the FORMAT() method does not affect the underlying value of the column or variable. It only formats the result for display. As a result, if you need to calculate or compare the formatted numbers, you must utilize the original numeric value.

Overall, MySQL's FORMAT() function is a handy tool for formatting numeric values, but it's crucial to remember these exceptions.

How does the MySQL FORMAT() Function Work?

The MySQL FORMAT() function is a powerful tool that can format numeric values in a way that is easy to read and understand. It takes a numeric value as its first argument, then two extra arguments specifying the desired number of decimal places and the character used to represent the decimal point.

Assume you have a numeric value of 1234.5678 and wish to format it with two decimal places and a comma as the decimal point. You might use the syntax shown below:

The result would be "1,234.57," with a comma separating the thousands and a period as the decimal point.

The FORMAT() method is quite useful in various circumstances. For example, you could use it to present financial statistics or other numerical numbers to your users in a clear and easy-to-read format.

Examples

Suppose we have a table called "sales_data" with the following data:

If we want to format the "Total Sales" column to display with two decimal places and commas as thousands of separators, we may use the following query:

Output:

As you can see, the FORMAT() function formatted the "Total Sales" column in the desired manner.

The FORMAT() method allows you to provide various formatting options, such as using currency symbols or negative numbers, defining the number of decimal places, and utilizing commas as thousands of separators. Working with financial data can be beneficial.

By utilizing this function, you can make your data more readable and easy to interpret.

See Also

Please read about other queries, functions, and clauses used in MySQL like:

• DATE()
• TIME()
• TIMESTAMP()
• SELECT
• GROUP BY
• WHERE
• COUNT()
• SUM()
• AVERAGE()
• MIN()
• MAX()