function Format( const fmt: KOLString; params: array of const): KOLString;
var
   ElsArray, El: PPtrUInt;
   I : Integer;
   P : PPtrUInt;
begin
 Setlength(Result,1024);
 ElsArray := nil;
 if High( params ) >= 0 then
   GetMem( ElsArray, (High( params ) + 1) * sizeof( Pointer ) );
 El := ElsArray;
 for I := 0 to High( params ) do
 begin
   P := @params[ I ];
   P := Pointer( P^ );
   El^ := PtrUInt( P );
   Inc( El );
 end;
 wvsprintf( PKOLChar(Result), PKOLChar( fmt ), Pointer( ElsArray ) );
 if ElsArray <> nil then
    FreeMem( ElsArray );
end;

// format function that also works in freepascal. Ansi and Unicode
// only handles string types and integer types
function Format(Format: KolString; const Args: array of const): KolString;
type
 TVAList = array[0..$FFFF] of Pointer;
var
 VA: TVAList;
 StrI, I, Size: Integer;
 Strings: array[0..High(VA)] of KolString;
begin
 Result :='';
 If length(Args) > 0 then
 begin
   StrI := 0;
   Size := Length(Format) *SizeOf(KolChar);
   SetLength(Result,1024);
   for I := 0 to Length(Args) - 1 do
     with Args[I] do
         case VType of
         vtInteger:
           begin
             VA[I] := Pointer(VInteger);
             Inc(Size, SizeOf(TVarRec));
           end;
         vtPChar,
         vtAnsiString:
           begin
             Strings[StrI] := VPChar + #0;
             VA[I] := @Strings[StrI][1];
             Inc(Size, Length(Strings[StrI]) * 2 - 2 {null-terminator});
             Inc(StrI);
           end;
         vtPWideChar,
         vtWideString:
           begin
             VA[I] := VPWideChar;
             Inc(Size, Length(VPWideChar) * 2);
           end;
          else
            // eat unknowns silently
             Result :='';
         end;
   end;
 if length(Result) > 0 then
    SetLength(Result, wvsprintf(@Result[1], PKolChar(Format), @VA));
end;

// format function that also works for Freepascal.
// limited, but easy to extend.
function Format(Format: KolString; const Args: array of const): KolString;
type
 TVAList = array[0..$FFFF] of Pointer;
var
 VA: TVAList;
 StrI, I: Integer;
 Strings: array[0..High(VA)] of KolString;
begin
 Result :='';
 If length(Args) > 0 then
 begin
   StrI := 0;
   SetLength(Result,1024);
   for I := 0 to Length(Args) - 1 do
     with Args[I] do
       case VType of
         vtInteger: VA[I] := Pointer(VInteger);
         vtPChar,
         vtAnsiString:
           begin
             Strings[StrI] := VPChar + #0;
             VA[I] := @Strings[StrI][1];
             Inc(StrI);
           end;
         vtPWideChar,
         vtWideString:VA[I] := VPWideChar;
          else
            // eat unknowns silently
             Result :='';
       end;
   end;
 if length(Result) > 0 then
    SetLength(Result, wvsprintf(PKolChar(Result), PKolChar(Format), @VA));
end;

// only handles string types and integer types
function Format2(Format: KolString; const Args: array of const): KolString;
type
 TVAList = array[0..$FFFF] of Pointer;
var
 VA: TVAList;
 I: Integer;
begin
 Result :='';
 If length(Args) > 0 then
 begin
   SetLength(Result,1024); // this is documented maximum
   for I := 0 to Length(Args) - 1 do
     with Args[I] do
         case VType of
         vtInteger:VA[I] := Pointer(VInteger);
         vtPChar,
         vtAnsiString:VA[I] := VPChar;
         vtPWideChar,
         vtWideString:VA[I] := VPWideChar;
          else
            // eat unknowns silently
             Result :='';
         end;
   end;
 if length(Result) > 0 then
    SetLength(Result, wvsprintf(PKolChar(Result), PKolChar(Format), @VA));
end;