# `HL7v2.Type.FT`
[🔗](https://github.com/Balneario-de-Cofrentes/hl7v2/blob/v3.10.1/lib/hl7v2/type/ft.ex#L1)

Formatted Text Data (FT) -- HL7v2 primitive data type.

Lossless storage: the value is stored and returned as a plain binary string.
The HL7 spec says FT supports embedded formatting commands (e.g., `\.sp\`
for vertical spacing), but this implementation preserves all input bytes
for round-trip fidelity. No formatting interpretation, escape processing,
or length enforcement is performed.

# `encode`

```elixir
@spec encode(binary() | nil) :: binary()
```

Encodes formatted text. Returns the string as-is, or empty string for nil.

## Examples

    iex> HL7v2.Type.FT.encode("formatted content")
    "formatted content"

    iex> HL7v2.Type.FT.encode(nil)
    ""

# `parse`

```elixir
@spec parse(binary() | nil) :: binary() | nil
```

Parses formatted text. Returns the string as-is (preserving escape sequences),
or `nil` for empty/nil input.

## Examples

    iex> HL7v2.Type.FT.parse("Line 1\\.br\\Line 2")
    "Line 1\\.br\\Line 2"

    iex> HL7v2.Type.FT.parse("")
    nil

    iex> HL7v2.Type.FT.parse(nil)
    nil

---

*Consult [api-reference.md](api-reference.md) for complete listing*