+
+(defun gnus-xmas-format (fstring &rest args)
+ "A version of `format' which preserves text properties.
+
+Required for XEmacs, where the built in `format' function strips all text
+properties from both the format string and any inserted strings.
+
+Only supports the format sequence %s, and %% for inserting
+literal % characters. A pad width and an optional - (to right pad)
+are supported for %s."
+ (let ((re "%%\\|%\\(-\\)?\\([1-9][0-9]*\\)?s")
+ (n (length args)))
+ (with-temp-buffer
+ (insert fstring)
+ (goto-char (point-min))
+ (while (re-search-forward re nil t)
+ (goto-char (match-end 0))
+ (cond
+ ((string= (match-string 0) "%%")
+ (delete-char -1))
+ (t
+ (if (null args)
+ (error 'wrong-number-of-arguments #'my-format n fstring))
+ (let* ((minlen (string-to-number (or (match-string 2) "")))
+ (arg (car args))
+ (str (if (stringp arg) arg (format "%s" arg)))
+ (lpad (null (match-string 1)))
+ (padlen (max 0 (- minlen (length str)))))
+ (replace-match "")
+ (if lpad (insert-char ?\ padlen))
+ (insert str)
+ (unless lpad (insert-char ?\ padlen))
+ (setq args (cdr args))))))
+ (buffer-string))))
+