You can design your own format patterns for numbers by following the rules specified by the following BNF diagram:The notation used in the preceding diagram is explained in the following table:pattern := subpattern{;subpattern} subpattern := {prefix}integer{.fraction}{suffix} prefix := '\\u0000'..'\\uFFFD' - specialCharacters suffix := '\\u0000'..'\\uFFFD' - specialCharacters integer := '#'* '0'* '0' fraction := '0'* '#'*In the preceding BNF diagram, the first subpattern specifies the format for positive numbers. The second subpattern, which is optional, specifies the format for negative numbers.
Notation Description X*0 or more instances of X (X | Y)either X or Y X..Yany character from X up to Y, inclusive S - Tcharacters in S, except those in T {X}X is optional Although not noted in the BNF diagram, a comma may appear within the integer portion.
Within the subpatterns, you specify formatting with special symbols. These symbols are described in the following table:
Symbol Description 0 a digit # a digit, zero shows as absent . placeholder for decimal separator , placeholder for grouping separator E separates mantissa and exponent for exponential formats ; separates formats - default negative prefix % multiply by 100 and show as percentage ? multiply by 1000 and show as per mille ¤ currency sign; replaced by currency symbol; if doubled, replaced by international currency symbol; if present in a pattern, the monetary decimal separator is used instead of the decimal separator X any other characters can be used in the prefix or suffix ' used to quote special characters in a prefix or suffix