UTIL_VarArgs

UTIL_VarArgs is a Variadic function UTIL provided to build a C-String similar to printf. UTIL_VarArgs is used by serverside code while VarArgs is its equivalent in the client project. The formatted result will be stored in a static buffer (1024 bytes, or 1kb) in size, and a pointer to its location will be returned. It is useful for quickly building a composite string for immediate usage, but due to its nature you may not save the pointer that is returned for later use. As soon this function is called another time, the latest result will be overwritten. Functions like strdup can be used to duplicate the output.

Usage

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Purpose: Prints a message to console
// Input  : format - See examples
// Output : a char-array that is easily used in Msg, etc.
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
char *UTIL_VarArgs( char *format, ... )
{
	va_list		argptr;
	static char		string[1024];
	
	va_start (argptr, format);
	Q_vsnprintf(string, sizeof(string), format,argptr);
	va_end (argptr);

	return string;	
}

Examples

int iCreepers = 3;

char * pFortress = "My Awesome Fortress.";
char * pOutput = UTIL_VarArgs( "There are %i creepers outside of your %s.", iCreepers, pFortress );

Msg("%s", pOutput );

//Prints: There are 3 creepers outside of your My Awesome Fortress.

//This example uses a UTIL_VarArgs to prefix a string, and then execute a console command.
void CPointDevShotCamera::DevShotThink_TakeShot( void )
{
	// Take the screenshot
	CBasePlayer *pPlayer = UTIL_GetLocalPlayerOrListenServerHost();
	if ( !pPlayer )
		return;

	engine->ClientCommand( pPlayer->edict(), UTIL_VarArgs( "devshots_screenshot \"%s\"", STRING(m_iszCameraName) ) );

	// Now take the shot next frame
	SetThink( &CPointDevShotCamera::DevShotThink_PostShot );
	SetNextThink( gpGlobals->curtime + (DEVSHOT_INTERVAL - 1) );
}

//This example gets the current map name, and appends it onto the end of a prefix string
//It's used to find per-map files, such as custom soundscapes.
const char *mapname = STRING( gpGlobals->mapname );
const char *mapSoundscapeFilename = NULL;
if ( mapname && *mapname )
{
	mapSoundscapeFilename = UTIL_VarArgs( "scripts/soundscapes_%s.txt", mapname );
}

//This example just prints the player's current eye angles when called.
CBasePlayer *pPlayer = UTIL_GetCommandClient();
if (!pPlayer)
    return;
char *pOutput = UTIL_VarArgs( "Player X: %.2f, Y: %.2f, Z: %.2f\n", pPlayer->EyeAngles().x, pPlayer->EyeAngles().y, pPlayer->EyeAngles().z );
Msg( "%s", pOutput );