A format string is a string that contains placeholders for values.
These placeholders begin with a '{', containing the index of the value, and end with a '}'.
For example the format string "Values: {1} ({2})", with the values "First" and "My second val", will produce
The format string can contain placeholders in any order and have multiple occurences.
To include spaces when setting from the command line, surround the whole string with double quotes (").

If the value index is missing, meaning the placeholder is "{}", an internal counter sets the value index.
This means that the format string "Values: {1} ({2})" is equivalent to "Values: {} ({})".
Note that this counter only counts empty placeholders, so the format string "{2} {} {}" will contain the second v

To make formatting easier, a double open curly brace ("{{") will be printed as a single open curly brace and not
If a value index is misformatted or wants a non-existing value, it will be printed as is, with the curly braces aro
If the last placeholder isn't closed, it will be treated like it was at the end of the format string.

To only print something if a variable is set, use "{?<index>} ... {?}".
For example, to only print a second value if it is set, use "{?2} Second value: {2}{?}".
If a "{?}" is found without an opener, it is printed as is.

To only print something if a variable is not set, do the same as with if, just replace every '?' with a '!'.
For example to print a fallback for a second value if it is not set, use "{?2}{2}{?}{/2}Second value fallback{/}"

There is a special variable set if an error occured during detection. You can access it with "{e}", "{error}" o
You can use ifs and not ifs with it like with an index. For example use "{?e}some text{?}", to print a text if an

To stop formatting at any point in the format string, use "{-}".
For example to print an error instead of the normal output if it occured, prefix the format string with "{?e}{e}{-

To print something with color, start a placeholder with a '#' and then the linux terminal color encoding.
"\\033[" at the start, and an 'm' at the end is automatically added, so don't do that.
A "{#}" is equivalent to a "{#0}" and resets everything to normal.
For example to print something pink and underline, use "{#4;35}...{#}".
If not in a format string, fastfetch wraps errors with "{#1;31}error{#}", so you might want to do that to if you
Information about what the numbers mean can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSI_escape_code#SGR_(Sele
Which escape codes are supported and how they look is defined by your terminal.

If a format string evaluates to an empty value, the whole line in the output will be discarded.
You can therefore use --host-format " " to disable host output.
Note that --host-format "" would evaluate as not set, and therefore use the built-in host format
This can be used to print nothing if an error occured: prefix the format string with "{?e}{-}{?}...".

Format string is also the way to go to set a fixed value - just use one without placeholders.
For example when running in headless mode, you could use "--resolution-format "Preferred".
