ICU-9622 Update documentation for MessageFormat and skeletons (#361)

diff --git a/icu4c/source/i18n/unicode/msgfmt.h b/icu4c/source/i18n/unicode/msgfmt.h
index a56383517fb8ec63c4bd9ff7ddaf3cfd686b4c99..8e1bf9b45f9184c17cf31187081c02a91671c3a7 100644 (file)
--- a/icu4c/source/i18n/unicode/msgfmt.h
+++ b/icu4c/source/i18n/unicode/msgfmt.h
@@ -69,9 +69,8 @@ class NumberFormat;
  * if the pattern has named arguments (see {@link #usesNamedArguments()}).
  *
  * <p>An argument might not specify any format type. In this case,
- * a Number value is formatted with a default (for the locale) NumberFormat,
- * a Date value is formatted with a default (for the locale) DateFormat,
- * and for any other value its toString() value is used.
+ * a numeric value is formatted with a default (for the locale) NumberFormat,
+ * and a date/time value is formatted with a default (for the locale) DateFormat.
  *
  * <p>An argument might specify a "simple" type for which the specified
  * Format object is created, cached and used.
@@ -243,6 +242,19 @@ class NumberFormat;
  * </table>
  * <p>
  *
+ * <h4>Argument formatting</h4>
+ *
+ * <p>Arguments are formatted according to their type, using the default
+ * ICU formatters for those types, unless otherwise specified.</p>
+ *
+ * <p>There are also several ways to control the formatting.</p>
+ *
+ * <p>We recommend you use default styles, predefined style values, skeletons,
+ * or preformatted values, but not pattern strings or custom format objects.</p>
+ *
+ * <p>For more details, see the
+ * <a href="http://userguide.icu-project.org/formatparse/messages">ICU User Guide</a>.</p>
+ *
  * <h4>Usage Information</h4>
  *
  * <p>Here are some examples of usage:
@@ -260,11 +272,11 @@ class NumberFormat;
  *
  *     UnicodeString result;
  *     MessageFormat::format(
- *          "At {1,time} on {1,date}, there was {2} on planet {0,number}.",
+ *          "At {1,time,::jmm} on {1,date,::dMMMM}, there was {2} on planet {0,number}.",
  *          arguments, 3, result, success );
  *
  *     cout << "result: " << result << endl;
- *     //<output>: At 4:34:20 PM on 23-Mar-98, there was a disturbance
+ *     //<output>: At 4:34 PM on March 23, there was a disturbance
  *     //             in the Force on planet 7.
  * \endcode
  * </pre>

diff --git a/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/MessageFormat.java b/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/MessageFormat.java
index 9767dd6bd9b7800af7d2335b1b3ad70f341d70f3..add6aad18082dd684013473da28c6eed3cb63980 100644 (file)
--- a/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/MessageFormat.java
+++ b/icu4j/main/classes/core/src/com/ibm/icu/text/MessageFormat.java
@@ -259,6 +259,28 @@ import com.ibm.icu.util.ULocale.Category;
  * The JDK MessageFormat does create and use a ChoiceFormat object
  * (<code>new ChoiceFormat(argStyleText)</code>).
  * The JDK does not support plural and select arguments at all.
+
+ * <p>Both the ICU and the JDK <code>MessageFormat</code> can control the argument
+ * formats by using <code>argStyle</code>. But the JDK <code>MessageFormat</code> only
+ * supports predefined formats and number / date / time pattern strings (which would need
+ * to be localized).<br>
+ * ICU supports everything the JDK does, and also number / date / time <b>skeletons</b> using the
+ * <code>::</code> prefix (which automatically yield output appropriate for the
+ * <code>MessageFormat</code> locale).</p>
+ *
+ * <h4>Argument formatting</h4>
+ *
+ * <p>Arguments are formatted according to their type, using the default
+ * ICU formatters for those types, unless otherwise specified.
+ * For unknown types, <code>MessageFormat</code> will call <code>toString()</code>.</p>
+ *
+ * <p>There are also several ways to control the formatting.</p>
+ *
+ * <p>We recommend you use default styles, predefined style values, skeletons,
+ * or preformatted values, but not pattern strings or custom format objects.</p>
+ *
+ * <p>For more details, see the
+ * <a href="http://userguide.icu-project.org/formatparse/messages">ICU User Guide</a>.</p>
  *
  * <h4>Usage Information</h4>
  *
@@ -272,10 +294,10 @@ import com.ibm.icu.util.ULocale.Category;
  * };
  *
  * String result = MessageFormat.format(
- *     "At {1,time} on {1,date}, there was {2} on planet {0,number,integer}.",
+ *     "At {1,time,::jmm} on {1,date,::dMMMM}, there was {2} on planet {0,number,integer}.",
  *     arguments);
  *
- * <em>output</em>: At 12:30 PM on Jul 3, 2053, there was a disturbance
+ * <em>output</em>: At 4:34 PM on March 23, there was a disturbance
  *           in the Force on planet 7.
  *
  * </pre>