---
title: formatter
framework: appkit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Property
path: appkit/nscell/formatter
---

# formatter

The cell’s formatter object.

## Declaration

```swift
var formatter: Formatter? { get set }
```

## Discussion

Discussion A formatter handles the translation of the receiver’s contents between its onscreen representation and its object value. Cells use a formatter object to format the textual representation of their object value and to validate cell input and convert that input to an object value. When assigning a new formatter to a cell, the formatter attempts to interpret the cell’s current value. If it cannot do so, the formatter converts the current value to a string object.