A function to format strings or variables

[mpwbs]

Hi,

Is there a function to space out strings and etc. without impeding on a set character length. i.e. I want to spread out my table columns.

I'm currently using a lot of spaces to format it. The tab escape doesn't seem to have an effect on moving it at all.

Any help will be appreciated.

[adena.l]

 Hi mpwbs,

Have you tried using the Table Control Attributes for the size of your table? 

https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labwindows-cvi/page/cvi/uiref/cvitable_attributes.htm

If these attributes don't work for you, can you elaborate on what you mean by spreading out your table columns? Do you need the width of your columns to be a set size that is bigger than the set number of characters that can be entered?

[mpwbs]

Well, I'm not creating a table. I'm creating one by hardcoding. So, there is a header and then the data follows below.

If the one section has a character of 3 or more then all my alignment is thrown out the window. Wondered if there was a command or something that can set how far I am from the previous character. Like in C++, there is setw(). I wonder if there is something other than "%5d" so it moves it 5 spaces or spots over that would work. But, then I would need to sprintf all my strings and character which can't be done because they are fixed strings/arrays. Attached is the example:

[CVI-User]

I know two ways:

1. use a non-proportional font like Courier New and sprintf your content, this way all the columns will stay below each other
2. use a List Box Control and the formating codes available there, see InsertListItem

[SteveD123]

Just to emphasize what CVI-User says: find a reference on the printf family of functions (fprintf, sprintf etc) and fully understand all the options the standard c library gives you there.

[ElectroLund · Accepted solution]

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@mpwbs wrote:

Well, I'm not creating a table. I'm creating one by hardcoding. So, there is a header and then the data follows below.

If the one section has a character of 3 or more then all my alignment is thrown out the window. Wondered if there was a command or something that can set how far I am from the previous character. Like in C++, there is setw(). I wonder if there is something other than "%5d" so it moves it 5 spaces or spots over that would work. But, then I would need to sprintf all my strings and character which can't be done because they are fixed strings/arrays. Attached is the example:

---

I did something like this for a logging function.  This function outputs columnar formatted rows of text that are then written to file, no a MessagePopup.  But outputting to a popup should work the same.

The '-' character will left-justify the substring.

#define TIME_COL 10
sprintf(string, "%-*s", TIME_COL, TimeStr());

[mpwbs]

I'll give that a try. I'll let you know how it goes. 

Thanks!

[mpwbs]

@ElectroLund how do I format a character to a character variable like you did in your output below. I get a mismatch error when I try to do it. And if I try using a string as the character mapping. It won't move the output at all. Even if I put 100 spaces there.

[ElectroLund]

I'm not totally clear what you are seeing.  But I'm guessing you got a GPF for specifiers not matching?  In my example above, "string" is a character buffer

char string[100] = {0};

Now make sure that the elements correspond correctly.  When you use a '*' character in place of a literal width, you can then use a variable reference for width.  This is not required, you could have "hard-coded" the width.  But if you use a variable width, you must have the order correct in the specifier list!

This is a great reference.

[mpwbs]

Okay, I sorta found out why I was running into issues. It was a dumb mistake on my part. Never changed my variables after I added spaces into them. But I do understand what you were saying in the last reply. 

Thanks for the help!