You can design your own format patterns for numbers
by following the rules specified by the
following BNF diagram:


pattern    := subpattern{;subpattern}
subpattern := {prefix}integer{.fraction}{suffix}
prefix     := '\\u0000'..'\\uFFFD' - specialCharacters
suffix     := '\\u0000'..'\\uFFFD' - specialCharacters
integer    := '#'* '0'* '0'
fraction   := '0'* '#'*


The notation used in the preceding diagram is explained in
the following table:

<blockquote>
<table border >
  <th>Notation</th>
  <th>Description</th>
</tr>
<tr> <td><pre>X*</pre></td> <td>0 or more instances of X</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><pre>(X | Y)</pre></td> <td>either X or Y</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><pre>X..Y</pre></td> <td>any character from X up to Y, inclusive</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><pre>S - T</pre></td> <td>characters in S, except those in T</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><pre>{X}</pre></td> <td>X is optional</td> </tr>
</table >
</blockquote>

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.

<p>
Although not noted in the BNF diagram, 
a comma may appear within the integer portion.

<p>
Within the subpatterns, you specify formatting
with special symbols.  These symbols are described
in the following table: 


<blockquote>
<table border >
  <th>Symbol</th>
  <th>Description</th>
</tr>

<tr> <td>0</td> <td>a digit</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>#</td> <td>a digit, zero shows as absent</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>.</td> <td>placeholder for decimal separator</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>,</td> <td>placeholder for grouping separator</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>E</td> <td>separates mantissa and exponent for exponential formats</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>;</td> <td>separates formats</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>-</td> <td>default negative prefix</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>%</td> <td>multiply by 100 and show as percentage</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>?</td> <td>multiply by 1000 and show as per mille</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>&curren;</td> <td>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 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td>X</td> <td>any other characters can be used in the prefix or suffix</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>'</td> <td>used to quote special characters in a prefix or suffix</td> </tr>

</table >
</blockquote>