Binaryworld - FormatValue - Format a value in a column of given width ... [ VB.net -> String ]

Enum FormatColumnAlignment
  Left
  Center
  Right
End Enum

' format a value in a column of given width and with specified alignment
' using the specified pad character

Function FormatValue(ByVal value As String, ByVal width As Integer, _
  ByVal alignment As FormatColumnAlignment, Optional ByVal padchar As Char = _
  " "c) As String
  Function FormatValue(ByVal value As Object, ByVal width As Integer, _
    ByVal alignment As FormatColumnAlignment, Optional ByVal padchar As _
    Char = " "c) As String
  Dim val As String = value.ToString
  Dim len As Integer = val.Length

  Select Case alignment
    Case FormatColumnAlignment.Left
      If len < width Then
        val = val.PadRight(width, padchar)
      ElseIf len > width Then
        val = val.Substring(0, width)
      End If
    Case FormatColumnAlignment.Center
      If len < width Then
        Dim charnum As Integer = len + (width - len) \ 2
        val = val.PadLeft(charnum, padchar).PadRight(width, padchar)
      ElseIf len > width Then
        val = val.Substring((len - width) \ 2, width)
      End If
    Case FormatColumnAlignment.Right
      If len < width Then
        val = val.PadLeft(width, padchar)
      ElseIf len > width Then
        val = val.Substring(len - width)
      End If
  End Select
  Return val
End Function