aligning a table?

I'm having trouble aligning a table

Code:

---


/* unaligned table */

City                | x coord | y coord
---------------------+---------+---------
  Nowhere              28.80    17.60
Somewhere                5.60    79.12
 Whoknows              55.30    49.90
Elsewhere              22.22    11.11


/* aligned table */

City                | x coord | y coord
---------------------+---------+---------
Elsewhere                22.22    11.11
Nowhere                  28.80    17.60
Whoknows                55.30    49.90
Somewhere                5.60    79.12

---

The tricky part is, the file is dynamic so if i change the contents the alignment is broken:

Code:

---


/* unaligned table */

City                | x coord | y coord
---------------------+---------+---------
    city1                4.40      7.70
    city2                3.30      8.80

/* aligned table */

City                | x coord | y coord
---------------------+---------+---------
city1                    4.40      7.70
city2                    3.30      8.80

---

Here's what my code looks like for the unaligned version:

Code:

---


    printf("City                | x coord | y coord");
    printf("\n---------------+---------+---------\n");
      printf("%9s %15.2f %9.2f\n",    startptr->cityname,startptr->xcp, start-ptr>yco);

---

Just use %-9s, then? It will left justify it, using a minimum of 9 characters.

thanks. Hmm this is strange:

Code:

---


City                | x coord | y coord
---------------------+---------+---------
city1                  4.40      7.70
city2                  3.30      8.80

---

works fine

this:

Code:

---


City                | x coord | y coord
---------------------+---------+---------
Nowhere                28.80      17.60
Somewhere                5.60      79.12
Whoknows                55.30      49.90
Elsewhere                22.22      11.11

---

doesn't...

Works for me. My code:

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>

struct foo {
        char *bar;
        double v1, v2;
} baz[] = {
        {"Nowhere", 28.80, 17.60},
        {"Somewhere", 5.6, 79.12},
        {"Whoknows",55.3, 49.9},
        {"Elsewhere",22.22,11.11},
        {NULL,0,0}
};

int main(void)
{
        struct foo *quux = baz;

        while (quux->bar)
        {
                printf("%-9s %15.2f %9.2f\n", quux->bar, quux->v1, quux->v2);
                quux++;
        }
        return 0;
}

---

My output:

Code:

---

Nowhere            28.80    17.60
Somewhere            5.60    79.12
Whoknows            55.30    49.90
Elsewhere          22.22    11.11

---

yup you're right. But

Code:

---


City                | x coord | y coord
---------------------+---------+--------
Elsewhere              22.22    11.11
Sidknee                147.00    34.00
Gotham                  83.70    26.80
Somewhere                5.60    79.12
Whoknows                55.30    49.90
Trantor                  0.00      0.00
Metropolis              12.56    12.09
Smallville              16.86      5.20
Nowhere                28.80    17.60

---

no idea why it's not working. It's basically the same as above with a few more stuff added.

ok changed the min character length to 10 and it works now thanks.