[RESOLVED] Text File Columns

Ive been trying to use the "ControlChars.Tab" to sort the strings into columns with code from this forum.

Code:

---

    Public Sub save()
        'http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=366421&highlight=listview+textfile
        Try
            Dim sw As New IO.StreamWriter("C:\StickFrameExpress\Jobs\" & Me.lblJobNumber.Text & ".txt", True)
            'header
            sw.WriteLine("Component Name, Material Type, Length, Quanitiy, Units, NOTE:")
            Dim i As Int16
            With Me.ListView1
                For i = 0 To CShort(.Items.Count - 1)
                    If .Items(i).Text <> "" Then
                        sw.WriteLine(.Items(i).Text & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & .Items(i).SubItems(1).Text & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & .Items(i).SubItems(2).Text & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & .Items(i).SubItems(3).Text & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & .Items(i).SubItems(4).Text & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & .Items(i).SubItems(5).Text)
                    End If
                Next
            End With
            sw.Close()
            Me.ListView1.Clear()
        Catch ex As Exception
        End Try
    End Sub

---

I tried using "ControlChars.Tab" multibly times but as the individual string change in size the column do not line up.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2433/txtfileeo3.jpg


Should i been working with "ControlChars.Tab" for this or something else?

cheers
toe

Change the font to a mono spaced one, Lucida or Courier come to mind.

You could also try making all of the items the same length.

Code:

---

sw.WriteLine(.Items(i).Text.PadRight(10, " "c) & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & .Items(i).SubItems(1).Text.PadRight(10, " "c) & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & _
                        ControlChars.Tab & .Items(i).SubItems(2).Text.PadRight(10, " "c)

---

thanks dbasnett

Finally I did some good today. You are welcome!