from StringIO import StringIO
from pprint import pprint as pp
left_justified = False
debug = False

textinfile = ”’I$created$a$solution$for$a$program$I$am$writing$that
makes$columns$line$up$when$outputted$to$the$command
line.$I$am$new$to$Python,$and$am$hoping$I$might$get
some$input$on$this$topic.$In$the$text$file$that$the
program$reads,$the$fields$(columns)$are$delimited$by
‘dollar’$and$the$records$(lines)$are$delimited$by
newlines$’\\n’.$So$one$line$looks$like:$”’

“”"

Solution to problem posed at:
  http://www.kbrandt.com/2008/06/getting-command-line-output-columns-to.html

Output is the following if left-justified:

# Column-aligned output:
I created a solution for a program I am writing that
makes columns line up when outputted to the command
line. I am new to Python, and am hoping I might get
some input on this topic. In the text file that the
program reads, the fields (columns) are delimited by
‘dollar’ and the records (lines) are delimited by
newlines ‘\n’. So one line looks like:

And like this if not left-justified:

# Column-aligned output:
       I created a solution for a program I am writing that
   makes columns line up when outputted to the command
   line. I am new to Python, and am hoping I might get
    some input on this topic. In the text file that the
 program reads, the fields (columns) are delimited by
‘dollar’ and the records (lines) are delimited by
newlines ‘\n’. So one line looks like:

“”"

infile = StringIO(textinfile)

fieldsbyrecord= [line.strip().split('$') for line in infile]
if debug: print “fieldsbyrecord:”; print (fieldsbyrecord)
# pad to same number of fields per record
maxfields = max(len(record) for record in fieldsbyrecord)
fieldsbyrecord = [fields + ['']*(maxfields – len(fields))
                  for fields in fieldsbyrecord]
if debug: print “padded fieldsbyrecord:”; print (fieldsbyrecord)
# rotate
fieldsbycolumn = zip(*fieldsbyrecord)
if debug: print “fieldsbycolumn:”; print (fieldsbycolumn)
# calculate max fieldwidth per column
colwidths = [max(len(field) for field in column)
             for column in fieldsbycolumn]
if debug: print “colwidths:”; print (colwidths)
# pad fields in columns to colwidth with spaces
# (Use -width for left justification,)
fieldsbycolumn = [ ["%*s" % (-width if left_justified else width, field) for field in column]
                   for width, column in zip(colwidths, fieldsbycolumn) ]
if debug: print “padded fieldsbycolumn:”; print (fieldsbycolumn)
# rotate again
fieldsbyrecord = zip(*fieldsbycolumn)
if debug: print “padded rows and fields, fieldsbyrecord:”; print (fieldsbyrecord)
# printit
print “\n# Column-aligned output:”
for record in fieldsbyrecord:
  print ” “.join(record)

- Paddy.