Thanks for the reply Larry, but your last comment on the subject is the deal breaker!
I am in fact creating a fixed position export file to be used for import into a main-frame based accounting program. the (CHAR(160)) will most certainly cause them a problem. What about using another variable TYPE that won't truncate the trailing spaces? I can't believe that something so rudimentary is causing such grief! How'd something like this get accomplished in the past... Someone had to have needed the ability to format text in this manner... Right?! > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Right Justified Padding > From: Lawrence Lustig <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Sun, March 05, 2006 9:24 pm > To: [email protected] (RBASE-L Mailing List) > > > > > << > > What is the correct method for creating a text variable with RJS padded > spaces?? > >> > > Whenever R:Base encounters text with trailing spaces it automatically trims > the text. That's why you don't have annoying spaces when you load data from > a text field, the way you do with certain server-type databases. > > If you want the text to appear to have blank spaces at the end, pad it with > CHAR(160) which is a form of "hard" space that is not trimmed. For instance, > for to pad a variable to length 30: > > SET VAR vMyPaddedText = (.vMyText + (SFIL(CHAR(160), 30-SLEN(.vMyText)))) > > Alternatively, only the very last character needs to be a 160: > > SET VAR vMyPaddedText = (RJS(.vMyText, 29) + CHAR(160)) > > Be aware that if you pass this text to other programs, those CHAR(160) > characters won't be treated as spaces. > -- > Larry > >
