jbe/bsw@0: --[[--
jbe/bsw@0: text =                 -- a string
jbe/bsw@0: format.string(
jbe/bsw@0:   value,               -- any value where tostring(value) gives a reasonable result
jbe/bsw@0:   {
jbe/bsw@0:     nil_as = nil_text  -- text to be returned for a nil value
jbe/bsw@0:   }
jbe/bsw@0: )
jbe/bsw@0: 
jbe/bsw@0: Formats a value as a text by calling tostring(...), unless the value is nil, in which case the text returned is chosen by the 'nil_as' option.
jbe/bsw@0: 
jbe/bsw@0: --]]--
jbe/bsw@0: 
jbe/bsw@0: function format.string(str, options)
jbe/bsw@0:   local options = options or {}
jbe/bsw@0:   if str == nil then
jbe/bsw@0:     return options.nil_as or ""
jbe/bsw@0:   else
jbe/bsw@0:     return tostring(str)
jbe/bsw@0:   end
jbe/bsw@0: end