1. A plus sign ('+') means put a '+' before positive numbers while a minus sign ('-') means left justify. The documentation incorrectly states that they are interchangeable. They produce unique results that can be combined:
<?php
echo sprintf ("|%+4d|%+4d|\n", 1, -1);
echo sprintf ("|%-4d|%-4d|\n", 1, -1);
echo sprintf ("|%+-4d|%+-4d|\n", 1, -1);
?>
outputs:
| +1| -1|
|1 |-1 |
|+1 |-1 |
2. Padding with a '0' is different than padding with other characters. Zeros will only be added at the front of a number, after any sign. Other characters will be added before the sign, or after the number:
<?php
echo sprintf ("|%04d|\n", -2);
echo sprintf ("|%':4d|\n", -2);
echo sprintf ("|%-':4d|\n", -2);
echo sprintf ("|%-04d|\n", -2);
echo sprintf ("|%-'14d|\n", -2);
echo sprintf ("|%-'04d|\n", -2);
?>
outputs:
|-002|
|::-2|
|-2::|
|-2 |
|-211|
|-2 |
