({{, (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm])[expr]
prints as the standard Wolfram Language two-dimensional representation of expr. }})

OpenersNotesSection(Spacer1)Details

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) generates output that gives a unique and unambiguous representation of Wolfram Language expressions, suitable for use as input. »

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) incorporates many aspects of traditional mathematical notation.

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) is the standard format type used for both input and output of Wolfram Language expressions in notebooks.

(RefLink[Graphics, paclet:ref/Graphics]) and (RefLink[Graphics3D, paclet:ref/Graphics3D]) are displayed graphically in (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]).

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) can be edited in the notebook front end.

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) uses special characters as well as ordinary keyboard characters.

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) is based on boxes.

The notebook front end contains menu items for conversion to and from (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]).

OpenersPrimaryExamplesSection(Spacer1)Examples  (15)

OpenersExampleSection0(Spacer1)Basic Examples  (2)

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) is used by default for output:

x^2+x^(-1)+Pi

x^2+x^(-1)+Pi//StandardForm

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) for graphics:

Graphics[{Red,Disk[]}]

Graphics3D[Sphere[]]

OpenersExampleSection1(Spacer1)Scope  (7)

OpenersExampleSubsection0(Spacer1)Basic Objects  (2)

(RefLink[Integer, paclet:ref/Integer]), (RefLink[Rational, paclet:ref/Rational]), (RefLink[Real, paclet:ref/Real]), and (RefLink[Complex, paclet:ref/Complex]) numbers:

Map[StandardForm,{123,1/23,1.23,1+23I}]

Arbitrary-precision (RefLink[Real, paclet:ref/Real]) and (RefLink[Complex, paclet:ref/Complex]) numbers:

StandardForm/@N[{10/3,10/3I},20]

Special constants:

StandardForm/@{I,Pi,E}

Characters and strings of characters:

StandardForm/@{"a","α","⊕"}

Control characters for strings:

StandardForm["A first line\nA second line"]

OpenersExampleSubsection1(Spacer1)Special Input Forms  (3)

Different (RefLink[Power, paclet:ref/Power]) expressions:

StandardForm/@{a^x,(a^(1/3)),Exp[x],(x^(-1))}

Special typeset expressions:

StandardForm/@{(∂_x)y[x], Integrate[y[x], x], Sum[y[k], {k, 1, n}], 
  Element[x, Reals], (x∧y)∨z}

Different list structures:

StandardForm/@{(({{a, b, c}, {d, e, f}})),(({{(({{a, b}, {c, d}})), (({{a, b}, {c, d}}))}, {(({{a, b}, {c, d}})), (({{a, b}, {c, d}}))}}))}

OpenersExampleSubsection2(Spacer1)Special Output Forms  (2)

Some objects use a special output representation:

StandardForm[ser=Series[Sin[x],{x,0,3}]]

Compare with the underlying (RefLink[FullForm, paclet:ref/FullForm]) of the expression:

FullForm[ser]

Some objects use an elided output representation:

StandardForm[i=Interpolation[{1,2,3,1}]]

StandardForm[s=SparseArray[{{1,2}->1},{5,5}]]

The elided parts are visible using (RefLink[InputForm, paclet:ref/InputForm]):

InputForm[i]

InputForm[s]

OpenersExampleSection2(Spacer1)Properties & Relations  (5)

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) affects display but not evaluation:

StandardForm[Integrate[x^n,x]]

Apply (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) to the evaluated integral:

Integrate[x^n,x]

StandardForm[%]

(RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) is two-dimensional unambiguous formatting:

StandardForm[Exp[I x/n]]

(RefLink[OutputForm, paclet:ref/OutputForm]) approximates (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]) using keyboard characters:

OutputForm[Exp[I x/n]]

(RefLink[TraditionalForm, paclet:ref/TraditionalForm]) is two-dimensional, but ambiguous formatting:

TraditionalForm[Exp[I x/n]]

(RefLink[InputForm, paclet:ref/InputForm]) and (RefLink[FullForm, paclet:ref/FullForm]) provide one-dimensional formatting:

InputForm[Exp[I x/n]]

FullForm[Exp[I x/n]]

Use (RefLink[ToString, paclet:ref/ToString]) to generate a string in (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]):

ToString[a^b,StandardForm]

The string includes two-dimensional markup:

FullForm[%]

Use (RefLink[ToExpression, paclet:ref/ToExpression]) to convert back:

ToExpression[%]

FullForm[%]

Use (RefLink[ToBoxes, paclet:ref/ToBoxes]) to get the box representation of an expression in (RefLink[StandardForm, paclet:ref/StandardForm]):

ToBoxes[x^2+y^3,StandardForm]

Use (RefLink[ToExpression, paclet:ref/ToExpression]) to convert back:

ToExpression[%]

Add formatting via (RefLink[Format, paclet:ref/Format]):

bin[x,y]//StandardForm

Format[bin[x_,y_],StandardForm]:=MatrixForm[{{x},{y}}]

bin[x,y]//StandardForm

OpenersExampleSection3(Spacer1)Neat Examples  (1)

Nested roots:

Nest[Sqrt[1+1/#]&,x,10]

Nested powers:

Nest[x^-#&,x,10]

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedFunction.png, ({{See Also}, {(RefLink[TraditionalForm, paclet:ref/TraditionalForm])  ▪  (RefLink[OutputForm, paclet:ref/OutputForm])  ▪  (RefLink[InputForm, paclet:ref/InputForm])  ▪  (RefLink[Style, paclet:ref/Style])  ▪  (RefLink[MakeExpression, paclet:ref/MakeExpression])  ▪  (RefLink[ToBoxes, paclet:ref/ToBoxes])}})}})

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedTutorial.png, ({{Tutorials}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Forms of Input and Output, paclet:tutorial/FormsOfInputAndOutput])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Reducing Expressions to Their Standard Form, paclet:tutorial/ReducingExpressionsToTheirStandardForm])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[The Interpretation of Textual Forms, paclet:tutorial/TheInterpretationOfTextualForms])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[The Representation of Textual Forms, paclet:tutorial/TheRepresentationOfTextualForms])}})}})

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedGuide.png, ({{Related Guides}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Mathematical Typesetting, paclet:guide/MathematicalTypesetting])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Cell Menu, paclet:guide/CellMenu])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Tokens Related to the Cell Menu, paclet:guide/CellTokens])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Converting between Expressions & Strings, paclet:guide/ConvertingBetweenExpressionsAndStrings])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Graphics Directives, paclet:guide/GraphicsDirectives])}})}})

({{(Spacer1), ({{(Spacer1)Related Links}, {(WebLink[DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedLinks-NKS.png(Spacer1)NKS|Online, http://www.wolframscience.com/nksonline/index/search.cgi?SearchIndex=StandardForm]) ((WebLink[A New Kind of Science, http://www.wolframscience.com/nksonline/]))}})}})