Thread: 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.