Python: Evenly space output data with varying string lengths

Question

I am trying to get my output data to look like this:

-------------------------------------------------------
            Grade Report for Programs 
---------         


        

Answer 1

The answer I find easiest is just using some basic string arithmetic.

For example, say for want the aligned a variable 20 spaces ahead of left-alignment, in your case the "average" variable, you could simply do this

print(name_last_first + (' ' * (20-len(name_last_first))) + average
       + "<----" + grades)

It's just a bit lengthier, but the code is easier to interpret in my opinion.

(Note: this method only works with mono spaced fonts! But most Python output is defaulted to a MS font :-) )

Answer 2

Use string formatting with field width specifiers:

print('{:20s} {:4.1f} <--- {}'.format(name_last_first, average, grades))

This uses the str.format() method with the Format String Syntax to slot values into a template.

The first slot formats strings into a field 20 characters wide, the second slots floating point numbers into a field 4 characters wide, using 1 digit after the decimal point (leaving 1 for the decimal point itself plus 2 digits before the point).

If I were you, I'd also look at the csv module to read your data, rather than use string manipulations. You'll get list objects with separate values for each column:

import csv

print('---------------------------------------------------------')
print('\t\tGrade Report for Programs')
print('---------------------------------------------------------')

with open(file, 'r', newline='') as grade_file:
    reader = csv.reader(grade_file)
    for row in reader:
        name = row[0]
        name = ' '.join(map(str.strip, reversed(name.split(',')))
        grades = [int(g) for g in row[1:])
        average = sum(grades) / len(grades)            
        print('{:20s} {:4.1f} <--- {}'.format(name, average, ','.join(grades)))

print('---------------------------------------------------------')

Answer 3

You can use this code :

handle = open('grade.txt')
name= list()
avg = list()
scores = list()

for line in handle:
    line = line.strip()
    spos = line.find(',')
    scores.append(line[spos+1:])   
    words = line.split(',')
    words = words
    name.append(words[0])
    add = 0

    for i in range(1,len(words)):
        add = add+int(words[i])

    average = add/(len(words)-1)
    avg.append(average)

for i in range(len(avg)):
    tname = name[i].split()
    fname = tname[0]
    sname = tname[1]
    order = sname+', '+fname
    print("%-20s %-3.1f <---  %-30s " %(order,float(avg[i]),scores[i]))

The final line is for displaying it in an organized manner, you're code was lacking it only.

Answer 4

I find it simpler to use Python's builtin C-style formatting:

>>> print("%-30s %4.1f" % ("Jacobson, Mark", 19.0))
Jacobson, Mark                 19.0
>>> 

Note that a negative field width indicates that the field is to be left-justified.