How can I left-align strings using String.format()?

Question

I'm using String.format() in Java trying to emulate the printf() control channel available in C. I understand how to specify that a string should be placed in a field which takes 20 characters, 5, 2 ... with 3 decimals, 2, etc. However, the strings are printed right-aligned in their field.

How do I left-align the strings?

Here's an example of a possible output which I would like to modify to left-align EXECUTING and CREATED in their fields.

Process PID: 25    Status: -----------       EXECUTING
Process PID: 36    Status: READY-SUSPENDED
Process PID:  4    Status: ----------------        CREATED

*note: consider '-' as an empty space

Hobnob

Answer 1

Same way as with printf -- use a - modifier in the format

Millan

And if you're using the position specifier, String.format("%1$-10s", "test") – Amesace

Can you include an example in your answer? – Saskatchewan

Answer 2

System.out.format("%-10d%-32s%-16s%-16s%-32s", obj.getId(), obj.getBname(), obj.getAname(),obj.getLanguage(),obj.getPublication());

Just add hyphen - in front of the number.

Constipate

Answer 3

Like this?

class F { 
  public static void main( String ... args ) { 
    String [] status =  { "EXECUTING", "READY-SUSPENDED", "CREATED" };
    int [] pids =  {123, 34, 1231 };
    int i = 0;
    for( String s : status ) { 
       System.out.printf("Process PID: %5d Status : %s%n", pids[i++], s);
    }  
  }
}

Output:

$java F
Process PID:   123 Status : EXECUTING
Process PID:    34 Status : READY-SUSPENDED
Process PID:  1231 Status : CREATED

Typhoeus

This isn't left justified, though. That requires the use of the '-'. – Tumult

System.out.printf("Process PID: %5d Status : %s\n", pids[i++], s); – Autarky