diff --git a/src/factory/StandardField.cpp b/src/factory/StandardField.cpp
index 57e695fe..4bfc7f35 100644
--- a/src/factory/StandardField.cpp
+++ b/src/factory/StandardField.cpp
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ StandardField::StandardField()
                   ->add("limitLow", pvDouble)
                   ->add("limitHigh", pvDouble)
                   ->add("description", pvString)
-                  ->add("precision", pvInt)
-                  ->add("form", enumerated())
+                  ->add("format", pvString)
                   ->add("units", pvString)
                   ->createStructure())
 
diff --git a/src/property/pv/display.h b/src/property/pv/display.h
index 2c2bca24..391a2e45 100644
--- a/src/property/pv/display.h
+++ b/src/property/pv/display.h
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ class epicsShareClass Display {
      * Constructor
      */
     Display()
-    :low(0.0),high(0.0) {}
+    : description(std::string("")),format(std::string("")),units(std::string("")),
+        low(0.0),high(0.0) {}
     //default constructors and destructor are OK
     /**
      * Get the current value of limitLow.
@@ -74,6 +75,17 @@ class epicsShareClass Display {
      * @param value The value.
      */
     void setDescription(std::string const & value) {description = value;}
+    /**
+     * Get the current value of format.
+     * @return The current value.
+     */
+    std::string getFormat() const {return format;}
+    /**
+     * Set format to a new value.
+     * @param value The value.
+     * The rules for a valid syntax has not been specified.
+     */
+    void setFormat(std::string const & value) {format = value;}
     /**
      * Get the current value of units.
      * @return The current value.
@@ -86,6 +98,7 @@ class epicsShareClass Display {
     void setUnits(std::string const & value) {units = value;}
 private:
     std::string description;
+    std::string format;
     std::string units;
     double low;
     double high;
diff --git a/src/property/pv/pvDisplay.h b/src/property/pv/pvDisplay.h
index dcd8ba3e..968ee452 100644
--- a/src/property/pv/pvDisplay.h
+++ b/src/property/pv/pvDisplay.h
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ class epicsShareClass PVDisplay {
     static std::string noDisplayFound;
     static std::string notAttached;
     PVStringPtr pvDescription;
+    PVStringPtr pvFormat;
     PVStringPtr pvUnits;
     PVDoublePtr pvLow;
     PVDoublePtr pvHigh;
diff --git a/src/property/pvDisplay.cpp b/src/property/pvDisplay.cpp
index 7f6cce0b..12052627 100644
--- a/src/property/pvDisplay.cpp
+++ b/src/property/pvDisplay.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ bool PVDisplay::attach(PVFieldPtr const & pvField)
     PVStructurePtr pvStructure = static_pointer_cast<PVStructure>(pvField);
     pvDescription = pvStructure->getSubField<PVString>("description");
     if(pvDescription.get()==NULL) return false;
+    pvFormat = pvStructure->getSubField<PVString>("format");
+    if(pvFormat.get()==NULL) {
+        detach();
+        return false;
+    }
     pvUnits = pvStructure->getSubField<PVString>("units");
     if(pvUnits.get()==NULL) {
         detach();
@@ -50,6 +55,7 @@ bool PVDisplay::attach(PVFieldPtr const & pvField)
 void PVDisplay::detach()
 {
     pvDescription.reset();
+    pvFormat.reset();
     pvUnits.reset();
     pvLow.reset();
     pvHigh.reset();
@@ -66,6 +72,7 @@ void PVDisplay::get(Display & display) const
         throw std::logic_error(notAttached);
     }
     display.setDescription(pvDescription->get());
+    display.setFormat(pvFormat->get());
     display.setUnits(pvUnits->get());
     display.setLow(pvLow->get());
     display.setHigh(pvHigh->get());
@@ -76,7 +83,7 @@ bool PVDisplay::set(Display const & display)
     if(pvDescription.get()==NULL) {
         throw std::logic_error(notAttached);
     }
-    if(pvDescription->isImmutable()) return false;
+    if(pvDescription->isImmutable() || pvFormat->isImmutable()) return false;
     if(pvUnits->isImmutable() || pvLow->isImmutable() || pvHigh->isImmutable())
     {
          return false;
@@ -89,6 +96,11 @@ bool PVDisplay::set(Display const & display)
         pvDescription->put(display.getDescription());
         returnValue = true;
     }
+    if(current.getFormat()!=display.getFormat())
+    {
+        pvFormat->put(display.getFormat());
+        returnValue = true;
+    }
     if(current.getUnits()!=display.getUnits())
     {
         pvUnits->put(display.getUnits());
diff --git a/testApp/property/testProperty.cpp b/testApp/property/testProperty.cpp
index 949662cc..fd74d7df 100644
--- a/testApp/property/testProperty.cpp
+++ b/testApp/property/testProperty.cpp
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ static void testDisplay()
     dy.setLow(-10.0);
     dy.setHigh(-1.0);
     dy.setDescription(string("testDescription"));
+    dy.setFormat(string("%f10.0"));
     dy.setUnits(string("volts"));
     result = pvDisplay.set(dy);
     testOk1(result);
@@ -179,6 +180,7 @@ static void testDisplay()
     testOk1(dy.getLow()==display.getLow());
     testOk1(dy.getHigh()==display.getHigh());
     testOk1(dy.getDescription().compare(display.getDescription())==0);
+    testOk1(dy.getFormat().compare(display.getFormat())==0);
     testOk1(dy.getUnits().compare(display.getUnits())==0);
     double low = display.getLow();
     double high = display.getHigh();
@@ -215,7 +217,7 @@ static void testEnumerated()
 
 MAIN(testProperty)
 {
-    testPlan(26);
+    testPlan(27);
     testDiag("Tests property");
     fieldCreate = getFieldCreate();
     pvDataCreate = getPVDataCreate();
diff --git a/testApp/pv/testPVData.cpp b/testApp/pv/testPVData.cpp
index b532f0bd..7625924c 100644
--- a/testApp/pv/testPVData.cpp
+++ b/testApp/pv/testPVData.cpp
@@ -224,6 +224,10 @@ static void testPVScalarWithProperties(
             string("display.description"));
         testOk1(desc.get()!=0);
         desc->put(string("this is a description"));
+        PVStringPtr format = pvStructure->getSubField<PVString>(
+            string("display.format"));
+        testOk1(format.get()!=0);
+        format->put(string("f10.2"));
         PVStringPtr units = pvStructure->getSubField<PVString>(
             string("display.units"));
         testOk1(units.get()!=0);
@@ -736,7 +740,7 @@ static void testSubField()
 
 MAIN(testPVData)
 {
-    testPlan(261);
+    testPlan(271);
     try{
         fieldCreate = getFieldCreate();
         pvDataCreate = getPVDataCreate();