Writing to a text file with a fixed width between characters

[suprsnipes]

Hi,

I would like to know if it is at all possible to have a fixed alignment in terms of space between characters when writing to a text file I don't mean + " " + I am talking about for example instead of displaying the following like so;

1
10

but instead have a space in front of the 1 so that the right hand side of the column (last character) ends at the same point, like Excel for example.

Regards,
suprsnipes

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

suprsnipes, as this more C# targetted this would not be something we can directly support here, but I would suggest checking C#'s String Formatting options available - http://www.dotnetperls.com/string-format

[suprsnipes]

Hi,

Thanks for your response, I looked at the link would you care to give us a small example in relation to my first post on the subject?

Thanks,
suprsnipes

[suprsnipes]

Ok,

I found this link here, this is more specific to my problem if anyone else would like to know.

http://www.csharp-examples.net/align-string-with-spaces/

suprsnipes

[suprsnipes]

To clarify would I need to convert a double ToString for this to work?

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Yes, as you would need to use the ToString offered formatting options to realize your alignments.

[suprsnipes]

I would like some help with the following. I am having some trouble trying to format a string so that it prints to the output screen in the format I am looking for.

Here is my code;

const string format = "|TG {0,6} |TO {1,4} |PO {2,4}": 
string result = string.Format(format, net, total, price);  
Print(result);

For some reason even when trying the string format above using the File.AppendAllText() method creates the same output as the Print() function, please see sample attached, it shows a) what it looks like and b) what I am trying to achieve.

The problem seems to occur when one of the objects changes from X number of digits to another number of digits ie. 9 to 10 or 0 to -1 etc.

Is there anything I could be doing wrong? Is this normal? Should I expect the output I am looking for?

suprsnipes

[sledge]

I would like some help with the following. I am having some trouble trying to format a string so that it prints to the output screen in the format I am looking for.

Here is my code;

const string format = "|TG {0,6} |TO {1,4} |PO {2,4}": 
string result = string.Format(format, net, total, price);  
Print(result);

For some reason even when trying the string format above using the File.AppendAllText() method creates the same output as the Print() function, please see sample attached, it shows a) what it looks like and b) what I am trying to achieve.

The problem seems to occur when one of the objects changes from X number of digits to another number of digits ie. 9 to 10 or 0 to -1 etc.

Is there anything I could be doing wrong? Is this normal? Should I expect the output I am looking for?

suprsnipes

You will need some custom hacking on that. B) can't be expected with regular formatting...

[suprsnipes]

Custom hacking? Do you have any suggestions?

[sledge]

Custom hacking? Do you have any suggestions?

why do you need 2 spaces when >= 100?

why isn't 1 acceptable?

[sledge]

Custom hacking? Do you have any suggestions?

Combine the string result into the print statement...

but you'll need a condition


psuedo code:

if >= 100 
then
   your value *100
else
   do nothing
end if

Print result;

Here's a sample of my "FORMATTED" code to line up my output...

Print ( " ["+BarsInProgress+"]=" + String.Format( "{0,7}" , String.Format( "{0:####.00}" ,Close[0])) + " ," + String.Format( "{0:MM/dd HH:mm:ss}",Time[0]) +
" [ES][0]=" + String.Format( "{0:0.00}" ,Closes[0][0]) + " ," + String.Format( "{0:MM/dd HH:mm:ss}",Times[0][0]) +
" [ES1][0]=" + String.Format( "{0:0.00}" ,Closes[ES1][0]) + " ," + String.Format( "{0:MM/dd HH:mm:ss}",Times[ES1][0]) +
" Lows[ES1][0]=" + String.Format( "{0:0.00}" ,Lows[ES1][0]) + " Highs[ES1][0]=" + String.Format( "{0:0.00}" ,Highs[ES1][0])+
" ZLEMA[ES1][0]=" + String.Format( "{0:0.00}" ,Math.Round (ZLEMA(BarsArray[ES1],3)[0],2) )) ;

[suprsnipes]

Just in case the number is -100. I don't quite understand why something that seems quite simple is proving to be such a pain in the butt. All I want to do be able to do is read the Output Window print statements as easy as possible and the best way for this to happen is if the 'columns' line up with each other...surely someone has figured out a way to achieve this??

[sledge]

Just in case the number is -100. I don't quite understand why something that seems quite simple is proving to be such a pain in the butt. All I want to do be able to do is read the Output Window print statements as easy as possible and the best way for this to happen is if the 'columns' line up with each other...surely someone has figured out a way to achieve this??

I am looking in your text file in Notepad...

the A) part lines up perfect
the b) part - Your "what I want" is off centered by *100

a) what it looks like
|TG     98 |TO   41 |PO   42
|TG    101 |TO   42 |PO   42

b) what I want it to loook like
|TG      98 |TO   41 |PO   42
|TG    101 |TO   42 |PO   42

Which is strange... I wrapped in "code" tags here, and A) lines up , and B) does not.

Good grief...

[sledge]

Just in case the number is -100. I don't quite understand why something that seems quite simple is proving to be such a pain in the butt. All I want to do be able to do is read the Output Window print statements as easy as possible and the best way for this to happen is if the 'columns' line up with each other...surely someone has figured out a way to achieve this??

Here is what I see in TextPad and Notepad...

[sledge]

Just in case the number is -100. I don't quite understand why something that seems quite simple is proving to be such a pain in the butt. All I want to do be able to do is read the Output Window print statements as easy as possible and the best way for this to happen is if the 'columns' line up with each other...surely someone has figured out a way to achieve this??

Read up here (or other c# formatting information)

http://www.java2s.com/Tutorial/CSharp/0280__Development/FormatAllignment.htm