Many of the file formats I have to work with are so-called fixed-format records, where every line in the file is a record, and every field in a record takes up a specific amount of space.
For example, one of my older Python programs contains the following to create a fixed-format text record for a batch of new students: new = file("new.dat", "w") if not new: print "Error. Could not open file new.dat for writing." raw_input("Press Return To Exit.") sys.exit(1) for s in freshmen: new.write(s.ssn.ljust(9)) new.write(s.id.ljust(10)) new.write(s.last[:16].ljust(16)) new.write(s.first[:11].ljust(11)) new.write(' '.ljust(10)) # Phone Number new.write(' '.ljust(1254)) # Empty 'filler' space. new.write('2813 ') new.write(s.major.ljust(5)) # Etc... Luckily, the output format has not changed yet, so issues with maintaining the above haven't arisen. However, I'd like something better. Is there already a good module for working with fixed format records available? I couldn't find one. If not, please suggest how I might improve the above code. -- Neil Cerutti When "yearn" was sung, the performers ounded like they were in a state of yearning. --Music Lit Essay -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list