SYNOPSIS
        int sscanf(string str, string fmt, mixed var1, mixed var2, ...)

DESCRIPTION

        Parse a string str using the format fmt. fmt can contain
        strings seperated by %d and %s. Every %d and %s corresponds to
        one of var1, var2, ... .

        The match operators in the format string have one of these
        formats:
          %[!|~][<size>[.<minmatch>]]<type>	

        <type> may be:
           d: matches any number.
           D: matches any number.
           U: matches any unsigned number.
           s: matches any string.
           %: matches the % character.
           t: matches whitespace (spaces and tab characters), but does
              not store them (the simple ' ' matches just spaces and
              can't be given a size specification).

        <size> is the expected field size, <minmatch> the demanded
        minimal match length (defaults are 0 for strings and 1 for
        numbers). Each of these both may be specified numerically, or
        as '*' - then the value of the variable at the current place
        in the argument list is used.
        Specifying ! will perform the match, but neither store the
        result nor count the match.
        Specifying ~ will perform and count the match, but not store
        the result.

        The difference between %d and %D/%U is that the latter will abort
        an immediately preceeding %s as soon as possible, whereas the
        former will attempt to make largest match to %s first.
        %D/%U will still not skip whitespace, use %.0t%D to skip optional
        whitespace.

        The number of matched arguments will be returned.

        The function sscanf is special, in that arguments are passed
        by reference automatically.

EXAMPLE
        string who, what;
        if (sscanf("throw frisbee to rover",
           "throw %s to %s", what, who) != 2)
           write("Usage: throw <what> to <who>\n");
        else
           write("You throw a "+what+" to "+who+" to get his attention.\n");

SEE ALSO
        extract(E), explode(E), regexp(E)
