Question

I am working with free marker and java. I have to output result on a txt file. Say i have to print for 3 columns as

`A     B      C`

In the similar patter. All three attributes as string.
Condition is that, if the length of string referring to A is more than 3 than it should be printed in the next line. That is if the length is 8 then first 3 character will be in first line, 4 to 6 in second and the remaining two in third. Now after that when I have to print for B, i would have to come back to the first line, but the current position for A will be line 3.

How do i do this?

Example

Hi,                          (required cursor position to print for B).
Hel
lo(current cursor position)

Answer 1

I don’t know freemarker, Here is one approach by just using String manipulation:

1. Take a StringBuilder
2. While A, B or C has any characters left
3. For A, append extract max 3 characters
4. append blank spaces till 8 characters
5. For B, append extract max 3 characters
6. append blank spaces till 8 characters
7. For C, append extract max 3 characters
8. append blank spaces till 8 characters
9. append newline

Here is code example, might not be optimized but works:

public static void main(String[] args) {
  System.out.println(formatOutput("Hello", "How are you?", "Wassup"));
}

public static String formatOutput(String textA, String textB, String textC) {
    StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder("");

    int beginIndex = 0, endIndex = 3;
    String snippet;
    while (textA.length() > 0 || textB.length() > 0 || textC.length() > 0) {
        if (textA.length() > endIndex) {
            snippet = textA.substring(beginIndex, endIndex);
            textA = textA.substring(endIndex);
        } else {
            snippet = textA.substring(beginIndex);
            textA = "";
        }
        output.append(snippet);
        for (int i = snippet.length(); i <= 8; i++)
            output.append(" ");
        ;

        if (textB.length() > endIndex) {
            snippet = textB.substring(beginIndex, endIndex);
            textB = textB.substring(endIndex);
        } else {
            snippet = textB.substring(beginIndex);
            textB = "";
        }
        output.append(snippet);
        for (int i = snippet.length(); i <= 8; i++)
            output.append(" ");


        if (textC.length() > endIndex) {
            snippet = textC.substring(beginIndex, endIndex);
            textC = textC.substring(endIndex);
        } else {
            snippet = textC.substring(beginIndex);
            textC = "";
        }
        output.append(snippet);
        for (int i = snippet.length(); i <= 3; i++)
            output.append(" ");
        output.append("\n");    
    }
    return output.toString();
}

Output:

Hel      How      Was 
lo        ar      sup 
         e y          
         ou?