# std::basic_format_arg<Context>::handle

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< cpp‎ | utility‎ | format‎ | basic format arg

Defined in header `<format>` |  |
template< class Context > class basic_format_arg<Context>::handle; |  | (since C++20)

A type-erased wrapper that allows formatting an object of a user-defined type.

`handle` objects are typically created by std::make_format_args and accessed through std::visit_format_arg or the `visit` member functions of std::basic_format_arg (since C++26).

### Data members

A typical implementation of `handle` is TriviallyCopyable and only stores two non-static data members:

- a const void* pointer to the object to be formatted, and
- a void (*)( std::basic_format_parse_context <Context::char_type>&, Context&, const void*) function pointer to the function performing needed operations in the `format` member function (see below).

### Member functions

format (C++20) | formats the referenced object with the given contexts (public member function)

## std::basic_format_arg<Context>::handle::format

void format( std::basic_format_parse_context <Context::char_type>& parse_ctx, Context& format_ctx ) const; |  | (since C++20)

Let

- `T` be the type of the formatting argument,
- `TD` be std::remove_const_t <T>,
- `TQ` be const TD if const TD satisfies `__formattable_with` <Context> or `TD` otherwise, and
- `ref` be a reference to the formatting argument.

Equivalent to: typename Context::template formatter_type<TD> f;
parse_ctx.advance_to(f.parse(parse_ctx));
format_ctx.advance_to(f.format(const_cast<TQ&>(static_cast<const TD&>(ref)), format_ctx));

### Notes

A `handle` has reference semantics for the formatted argument and does not extend its lifetime. It is the programmer's responsibility to ensure that the argument outlives the `handle`. Usually, a `handle` is only used within formatting functions.

### See also

basic_format_arg (C++20) | class template that provides access to a formatting argument for user-defined formatters (class template)
make_format_argsmake_wformat_args (C++20)(C++20) | creates a type-erased object referencing all formatting arguments, convertible to `format_args` (function template)

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