Question

I have some values that I want to write in a text file with the constraint that each value has to go to a particular column of each line.

For example, lets say that I have values = [a, b, c, d] and I want to write them in a line so that a is going to be written in the 10th column of the line, b on the 25th, c on the 34th, and d on the 48th column.

How would I do this in python?

Does python have something like column.insert(10, a)? It would make my life way easier.

I appreciate your hep.

Answer 1

In this case, I’d think you’d just use the padding functions with python’s string formatting syntax.

Something like "%10d%15d%9d%14d"%values will place the right-most digit of a,b,c,d on the columns you listed.

If you want to have the left-most digits placed there, then you could use: "%<15d%<9d%<14d%d"%values, and prepend 10 spaces.

EDIT: For some reason I’m having trouble with the above syntax… so I used the newstyle formatting syntax like so:

" "*9 + "{:<14}{:<9}{:<14}{}".format(*values)

This should print, for values=[20,30,403,50]:

.........                                        <-- from " "*9
         20............                          <-- {:<14}
                       30.......                 <-- {:<9}
                                403...........   <-- {:<14}
                                              50 <-- {}
----=----1----=----2----=----3----=----4----=----5    <-- guide
         20            30       403           50 <-- Actual output, all together