Left alignment in java

lad12

could some tell me how to align a print statement like so...(the out put will be a name and number)..

name number
***** ********
***** ********
***** ********

Hobbes

probably an easier way to do it but something like

take the left 5 characters of "name" +"xxxxx" (x = space)

MrPinK

Getting the substring of name plus a string of spaces is probably the most efficent, but I like

while(name.length() < COLUMN_SIZE)
   name += " ";

seamus

The '\t' escape character works in Java to add in tab spaces.....

Karoma

\t is probably safest/cleanest. Otherwise, use one of the many libraries that emulate C's printf statement.. (Which appears to be part of 1.5 now!?)

MrPinK

Tabs only work properly if the range of lengths fit within the same tab, i.e. all lengths between 0 - 7, 8 - 15, etc.

seamus

Originally posted by MrPinK
Tabs only work properly if the range of lengths fit within the same tab, i.e. all lengths between 0 - 7, 8 - 15, etc.

I'm sure a clever individual could come up with a small method to find the longest name, and then calculate the no. of tab spaces needed to align each number correctly

MrPinK

True, but a person as clever as that would no doubt hate to have to iterate through a collection twice when once is enough

GreeBo

but presumably the items are in an array/vector/hashmap so take note of the longest when you stick em in?

Gavin

java.text.Format may be of use.