String.format not completely working?

Question

TMP = String.format("%-25s %25s", STRING1, STRING2);

Whenever I print TMP, it doesn't seem to properly print the table the way I'm looking for

For example:

STRING1 = Test1 & Test12 STRING2 = Hello

Print:
Test1           Hello
Test12           Hello

Why is that happening?

Avoid using all-capitals for variable names; in Java, that's a convention that indicates a constant. — chrylis -cautiouslyoptimistic-
– chrylis -cautiouslyoptimistic-, Commented Sep 9, 2013 at 16:33

Reimeus · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-09 16:30:06Z

2

"Test12" has 1 more character than "Test1". Try this

String.format("%-25s\t%25s", string1, string2);

answered Sep 9, 2013 at 16:30

Reimeus

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3 Comments

T.J. Crowder Over a year ago

I suspect a tab is very much not what the OP needs. Probably they were looking to put "Test1" and "Test12" in a 25-character space-padded column.

Alexander Khaos Greenstein Over a year ago

Yes, I am looking to make sure that there is a certain number of spaces allocated. This assures that each string will always start on the nth character.

Reimeus Over a year ago

@AlexanderKhaosGreenstein Then Peters solution is probably the more likely solution here

Peter Lawrey · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-09 16:36:40Z

2

Most likely your String has padded spaces already

for (String s1 : "Test1,Test12,Test123,Test1234,Test12                    ".split(",")) {
    String tmp = String.format("%-25s %25s", s1, "hello");
    System.out.println(tmp);
}

prints

Test1                                         hello
Test12                                        hello
Test123                                       hello
Test1234                                      hello
Test12                                         hello

You can trim() them before trying to format them.

String tmp = String.format("%-25s %25s", s1.trim(), s2.trim());

answered Sep 9, 2013 at 16:36

Peter Lawrey

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