Align columns in a text file

Question

I am a Python noobie and I\'m stuck on something I know is going to be simple...

I have a plain text file that contains user login data:

dtrapani  HCPD-E         


        

Answer 1

#!/usr/bin/env python
import sys
inputfile = '''dtrapani HCPD-EPD-3687 Mon 05/13/2013 9:47:01.72
dlibby HCPD-COS-4611 Mon 05/13/2013 9:49:34.55
lmurdoch HCPD-SDDEB-3736 Mon 05/13/2013 9:50:38.48
lpatrick HCPD-WIN7-015 Mon 05/13/2013 9:57:44.57
mlay HCPD-WAR-3744 Mon 05/13/2013 10:00:07.94
eyoung HCPD-NLCC-0645 Mon 05/13/2013 10:03:01.83'''.split('\n')
output = sys.stdout
lengths = [10,17,5,14,0]
for line in inputfile:
    line = line.split()
    for field, fieldlength in zip(line,lengths):
        output.write(field.ljust(fieldlength))
    output.write('\n')