std::setw

 

C++

Language

Standard library headers

Concepts

Utilities library

Strings library

Containers library

Algorithms library

Iterators library

Numerics library

Input/output library

Localizations library

Regular expressions library (C++11)

Atomic operations library (C++11)

Thread support library (C++11)

 

Input/output library

I/O manipulators

C-style I/O

Buffers

basic_streambuf

basic_filebuf

basic_stringbuf

strstreambuf (deprecated)

Streams

Abstractions

ios_base

basic_ios

basic_istream

basic_ostream

basic_iostream

File I/O

basic_ifstream

basic_ofstream

basic_fstream

String I/O

basic_istringstream

basic_ostringstream

basic_stringstream

Array I/O

istrstream (deprecated)

ostrstream (deprecated)

strstream (deprecated)

Types

streamoff

streamsize

fpos

Error category interface

iostream_category (C++11)

io_errc (C++11)

 

Input/output manipulators

Floating-point formatting
showpointnoshowpoint setprecision	fixedscientifichexfloatdefaultfloat (C++11)(C++11)
Integer formatting
setbase showbasenoshowbase	dechexoct
Boolean formatting
boolalphanoboolalpha
Field width and fill control
setfill setw	internalleftright
Other formatting
showposnoshowpos	uppercasenouppercase
Whitespace processing
ws ends	skipwsnoskipws
Output flushing
flush endl	unitbufnounitbuf
Status flags manipulation
resetiosflags	setiosflags
Time and money I/O
get_money (C++11) get_time (C++11)	put_money (C++11) put_time (C++11)

 

Defined in header <iomanip>
/*unspecified*/ setw( int n );

When used in an expression out << setw(n) or in >> setw(n), sets the width parameter of the stream out or in to exactly n.

Parameters

n

-

new value for width

Return value

Returns an object of unspecified type such that if str is the name of an output stream of type std::basic_ostream<CharT, Traits> or std::basic_istream<CharT, Traits>, then the expression str << setw(n) or str >> setw(n) behaves as if the following code was executed:

str.width(n);

Notes

The width property of the stream will be reset to zero (meaning "unspecified") if any of the following functions are called:

• Input

• operator>>(basic_istream&, basic_string&)
• operator>>(basic_ostream&, char*)

• Output

• Overloads 1-7 of basic_ostream::operator<<() (at Stage 3 of num_put::put())
• operator<<(basic_ostream&, char) and operator<<(basic_ostream&, char*)
• operator<<(basic_ostream&, basic_string&)
• std::put_money (inside money_put::put())
• std::quoted (when used with an output stream)

The exact effects this modifier has on the input and output vary between the individual I/O functions and are described at each operator<< and operator>> overload page individually.

Example

Run this code

#include <sstream>
#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
 
int main()
{
    std::cout << "no setw:" << 42 << '\n'
              << "setw(6):" << std::setw(6) << 42 << '\n'
              << "setw(6), several elements: " << 89 << std::setw(6) << 12 << 34 << '\n';
    std::istringstream is("hello, world");
    char arr[10];
    is >> std::setw(6) >> arr;
    std::cout << "Input from \"" << is.str() << "\" with setw(6) gave \""
              << arr << "\"\n";
}

Output:

no setw:42
setw(6):    42
setw(6), several elements: 89    1234
Input from "hello, world" with setw(6) gave "hello"

See also

width	manages field width (public member function of std::ios_base)
setfill	changes the fill character (function template)