# Reformatting the text output

If you want to reformat the output so it looks different you can use templates.

## Predefined output formats

To get Visual Studio compatible output you can use --template=vs:

    cppcheck --template=vs samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c

This output will look like this:

    Checking samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c ...
    samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c(6): error: Array 'a[2]' accessed at index 2, which is out of bounds.

To get gcc compatible output you can use --template=gcc:

    cppcheck --template=gcc samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c

The output will look like this:

    Checking samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c ...
    samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c:6:6: warning: Array 'a[2]' accessed at index 2, which is out of bounds. [arrayIndexOutOfBounds]
    a[2] = 0;
      ^

## User defined output format (single line)

You can write your own pattern. For instance, to get warning messages that are formatted like old gcc such format can be used:

    cppcheck --template="{file}:{line}: {severity}: {message}" samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c

The output will look like this:

    Checking samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c ...
    samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c:6: error: Array 'a[2]' accessed at index 2, which is out of bounds.

A comma separated format:

    cppcheck --template="{file},{line},{severity},{id},{message}" samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c

The output will look like this:

    Checking samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c ...
    samples/arrayIndexOutOfBounds/bad.c,6,error,arrayIndexOutOfBounds,Array 'a[2]' accessed at index 2, which is out of bounds.

## User defined output format (multi line)

Many warnings have multiple locations. Example code:

    void f(int *p)
    {
        *p = 3;       // line 3
    }

    int main()
    {
        int *p = 0;   // line 8
        f(p);         // line 9
        return 0;
    }

There is a possible null pointer dereference at line 3. Cppcheck can show how it came to that conclusion by showing extra location information. You need to use both --template and --template-location at the command line.

Example command:

    cppcheck --template="{file}:{line}: {severity}: {message}\n{code}" --template-location="{file}:{line}: note: {info}\n{code}" multiline.c

The output from Cppcheck is:

    Checking multiline.c ...
    multiline.c:3: warning: Possible null pointer dereference: p
        *p = 3;
         ^
    multiline.c:8: note: Assignment 'p=0', assigned value is 0
        int *p = 0;
                 ^
    multiline.c:9: note: Calling function 'f', 1st argument 'p' value is 0
        f(p);
          ^
    multiline.c:3: note: Null pointer dereference
        *p = 3;
         ^

The first line in the warning is formatted by the --template format.

The other lines in the warning are formatted by the --template-location format.

### Format specifiers for --template

The available specifiers for --template are:

**{file}**

File name

**{line}**

Line number

**{column}**

Column number

**{callstack}**

Write all locations. Each location is written in [{file}:{line}] format and the locations are separated by ->. For instance it might look like: [multiline.c:8] -> [multiline.c:9] -> [multiline.c:3]

**{inconclusive:text}**

If warning is inconclusive then the given text is written. The given text can be any arbitrary text that does not contain }. Example: {inconclusive:inconclusive,}

**{severity}**

error/warning/style/performance/portability/information

**{message}**

The warning message

**{id}**

Warning id

**{code}**

The real code.

**\t**

Tab

**\n**

Newline

**\r**

Carriage return

### Format specifiers for --template-location

The available specifiers for `--template-location` are:

**{file}**

File name

**{line}**

Line number

**{column}**

Column number

**{info}**

Information message about current location

**{code}**

The real code.

**\t**

Tab

**\t**

Newline

**\r**

Carriage return