Java Format String Spacing

Question

I've been looking through the forum to find an exact answer to this, but have been unable to do so. Here is my code:

String item = String.format("%-6s $%-6.2f Number in Inventory: %-3d", this.getBarcode(), this.getPrice(), this.getInventory());

The output looks like this for two items put in:

DR4423 $700.04 Number in Inventory: 24 
LD342  $1234.24 Number in Inventory: 425

The output should look like this, with an extra character space in the price for Number in Inventory to line up:

DR4423 $ 700.04 Number in Inventory: 24 
LD342  $1234.24 Number in Inventory: 425

How do I make the "Number in Inventory" line up? It looks like the first item in the example lost an empty character space as it only has 5 digits instead of 6 for the price. Thanks in advance for the help.

I need there to be exactly 6 character spaces for the price. Edits to the question to show expected output. — comfycozy
– comfycozy, Commented Dec 5, 2015 at 23:49

Ricardo van den Broek · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-06 00:02:06Z

4

I think you need to use:

String.format("%-6s $%-7.2f Number in Inventory: %-3d", this.getBarcode(), this.getPrice(), this.getInventory());

Or, if you want the space added to the front:

String.format("%-6s $%#7.2f Number in Inventory: %-3d", this.getBarcode(), this.getPrice(), this.getInventory());

Notice the %-7 instead of %-6. The period is counted as a character.

edited Dec 6, 2015 at 0:02

answered Dec 5, 2015 at 23:56

Ricardo van den Broek

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3 Comments

comfycozy Over a year ago

That worked similar to the \t, without extra spaces from the tab. Great answer, but I am looking for a space after the $ sign.

Ricardo van den Broek Over a year ago

@javanewb2.0 Try using a hash # instead of dash -. :)

comfycozy Over a year ago

The hash # did exactly what I needed. Thank you!

Pshemo · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-06 00:17:20Z

1

- in %-6.2f means you want passed number to be aligned to left, like:

|123,45|
|123,40|
|123,00|
|12,00 |
|1,00  |

If you want to align your number to right like:

|123,45|
|123,40|
|123,00|
| 12,00|
|  1,00|

then simply remove this -.

You should should also probably set minimal used length to 7 since . also takes some space which means that to produce

| 700.04|
 1234567

you need 7 characters.

So try with %-6s $%7.2f Number in Inventory: %-3d

edited Dec 6, 2015 at 0:17

answered Dec 6, 2015 at 0:02

Pshemo

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Comments

mfred · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-05 23:52:16Z

0

Inserting a \t between the price and 'Number' should work just fine in your case.

answered Dec 5, 2015 at 23:52

mfred

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1 Comment

comfycozy Over a year ago

That worked for how my expected output did read, but I missed a space. I updated it to put a space between the $ and the price when the price does not have 6 digits. This is how I am looking to format it.

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