asterisk (<literal>*</literal>) to use the next function argument as the
         width; or a string of the form <literal>*<parameter>n</parameter>$</literal> to
         use the <parameter>n</parameter>th function argument as the width.
        </para>

        <para>
         If the width comes from a function argument, that argument is
         consumed before the argument that is used for the format specifier's
         value.  If the width argument is negative, the result is left
         aligned (as if the <literal>-</literal> flag had been specified) within a
         field of length <function>abs</function>(<parameter>width</parameter>).
        </para>
       </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
       <term><parameter>type</parameter> (required)</term>
       <listitem>
        <para>
         The type of format conversion to use to produce the format
         specifier's output.  The following types are supported:
         <itemizedlist>
          <listitem>
           <para>
            <literal>s</literal> formats the argument value as a simple
            string.  A null value is treated as an empty string.
           </para>
          </listitem>
          <listitem>
           <para>
            <literal>I</literal> treats the argument value as an SQL
            identifier, double-quoting it if necessary.
            It is an error for the value to be null (equivalent to
            <function>quote_ident</function>).
           </para>
          </listitem>
          <listitem>
           <para>
            <literal>L</literal> quotes the argument value as an SQL literal.
            A null value is displayed as the string <literal>NULL</literal>, without
            quotes (equivalent to <function>quote_nullable</function>).
           </para>
          </listitem>
         </itemizedlist>
        </para>
       </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
     </variablelist>
    </para>

    <para>
     In addition to the format specifiers described above, the special sequence
     <literal>%%</literal> may be used to output a literal <literal>%</literal> character.
    </para>

    <para>
     Here are some examples of the basic format conversions:

<screen>
SELECT format('Hello %s', 'World');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>Hello World</computeroutput>

SELECT format('Testing %s, %s, %s, %%', 'one', 'two', 'three');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>Testing one, two, three, %</computeroutput>

SELECT format('INSERT INTO %I VALUES(%L)', 'Foo bar', E'O\'Reilly');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>INSERT INTO "Foo bar" VALUES('O''Reilly')</computeroutput>

SELECT format('INSERT INTO %I VALUES(%L)', 'locations', 'C:\Program Files');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>INSERT INTO locations VALUES('C:\Program Files')</computeroutput>
</screen>
    </para>

    <para>
     Here are examples using <parameter>width</parameter> fields
     and the <literal>-</literal> flag:

<screen>
SELECT format('|%10s|', 'foo');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>|       foo|</computeroutput>

SELECT format('|%-10s|', 'foo');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>|foo       |</computeroutput>

SELECT format('|%*s|', 10, 'foo');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>|       foo|</computeroutput>

SELECT format('|%*s|', -10, 'foo');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>|foo       |</computeroutput>

SELECT format('|%-*s|', 10, 'foo');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>|foo       |</computeroutput>

SELECT format('|%-*s|', -10, 'foo');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>|foo       |</computeroutput>
</screen>
    </para>

    <para>
     These examples show use of <parameter>position</parameter> fields:

<screen>
SELECT format('Testing %3$s, %2$s, %1$s', 'one', 'two', 'three');
<lineannotation>Result: </lineannotation><computeroutput>Testing