+@end example
+
+@cindex flags in format specifications
+ Immediately after the @samp{%} and before the optional width
+specifier, you can also put certain @dfn{flag characters}.
+
+ The flag @samp{+} inserts a plus sign before a positive number, so
+that it always has a sign. A space character as flag inserts a space
+before a positive number. (Otherwise, positive numbers start with the
+first digit.) These flags are useful for ensuring that positive
+numbers and negative numbers use the same number of columns. They are
+ignored except for @samp{%d}, @samp{%e}, @samp{%f}, @samp{%g}, and if
+both flags are used, @samp{+} takes precedence.
+
+ The flag @samp{#} specifies an ``alternate form'' which depends on
+the format in use. For @samp{%o}, it ensures that the result begins
+with a @samp{0}. For @samp{%x} and @samp{%X}, it prefixes the result
+with @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. For @samp{%e}, @samp{%f}, and @samp{%g},
+the @samp{#} flag means include a decimal point even if the precision
+is zero.
+
+ The flag @samp{-} causes the padding inserted by the width
+specifier, if any, to be inserted on the right rather than the left.
+The flag @samp{0} ensures that the padding consists of @samp{0}
+characters instead of spaces, inserted on the left. These flags are
+ignored for specification characters for which they do not make sense:
+@samp{%s}, @samp{%S} and @samp{%c} accept the @samp{0} flag, but still
+pad with @emph{spaces} on the left. If both @samp{-} and @samp{0} are
+present and valid, @samp{-} takes precedence.