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The power of the printf function, relative to the output operator,
<<, is that you can control how much space each argument value
occupies by adding a number to the print specification. The print
specification the corresponding argument value, a string, along with extra spaces, if
necessary, on the left. Similarly, eight characters using the corresponding argument value, an integer, along
with spaces, if necessary, on the left.
Consider, for example, the following printf call:
printf ("The result includes the argument values, along with the spaces required to meet the stipulated minimum number of characters:
*----- Spaces preceding first argument value start here | | *----- First argument-value characters start here | | | | *----- Spaces preceding second argument value start here | | | | | | *----- Second argument-value characters start here | | | | v v v v --- ---- box 4703
The stipulated minimum number of characters is called the field width. The spaces used to augment the space taken by the argument values are called padding characters.