Python - limit the number of padding 0s added to float

Question

How can I format a floating point number such that I limit the number of decimal places to a fixed length, but do not add padding zeros in the case when the number has less decimal places than asked for?

For printing with fixed precision, I would usually do the following:

print('{:.3f}'.format(123.4567)) # prints 123.457

However for number with less than 3 decimals, it adds padding zeros:

print('{:.3f}'.format(123.4)) # prints 123.400

What I would like is to have the second version keep the argument unchanged:

print('{:.3f}'.other_format(123.4)) # should print 123.4

What is a possible method to have the number printed as in the third example?

Thank you!

try using g instead of f, although, that might turn it into an exponential. — juanpa.arrivillaga
– juanpa.arrivillaga, Commented Aug 4, 2022 at 17:48
but honestly, you can also just do something like result = '{:.3f}'.format(123.4) and. if '.' in result: result = result.rstrip("0") which is not pretty but might be more reliable — juanpa.arrivillaga
– juanpa.arrivillaga, Commented Aug 4, 2022 at 17:50
I think you can just use the round function on the number prior to printing it. number = 124.4 number = number.round(1) print(number) output: 124.4 — Mouse
– Mouse, Commented Aug 4, 2022 at 17:51
@juanpa.arrivillaga Good point, but if you do print_number = number.round(3) say, won't this always work for printing a number to 3 decimal places, removing zero padding? Granted, it might be very inefficient for the task at hand — Mouse
– Mouse, Commented Aug 4, 2022 at 17:53

Karol Milewczyk · Accepted Answer · 2022-08-04 18:00:05Z

0

Just do it like this (round will cut additional zeros):

print(round(123.4, 3))

answered Aug 4, 2022 at 18:00

Karol Milewczyk

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4 Comments

Mark Ransom Over a year ago

It's not round cutting additional zeros, it's print.

Polb Over a year ago

Indeed for the example I have posted, it works fine, but I would rather not round the numbers.

Karol Milewczyk Over a year ago

From docs: Round a number to a given precision in decimal digits. The return value is an integer if ndigits is omitted or None. Otherwise the return value has the same type as the number. ndigits may be negative.

Karol Milewczyk Over a year ago

@Polb ah ok, you didn't mention it in question :)

Valerii · Accepted Answer · 2022-08-04 18:57:30Z

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It stupid but answers the question

print('{:.3f}'.format(123.4)[:-2]) # should print 123.4

answered Aug 4, 2022 at 18:57

Valerii

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1 Comment

juanpa.arrivillaga Over a year ago

you can't rely on a hard-coded number though

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