From: 7stud -- <bbxx789_05ss@...>
Date: 2008-01-29T03:21:39+09:00
Subject: Re: lining up delimiter separated text

scooterm@hotmail.com wrote:
> BEFORE:
> fname ;; lname ;; age ;; sex ;;
> homer   ;; simpson ;; 33 ;; male
> maggie;; simpson ;; 03 ;; female
> bart;;simpson;;10;;male
> 
> AFTER:
> fname   ;;  lname   ;;  age ;;  sex
> homer   ;;  simpson ;;  33  ;;  male
> maggie  ;;  simpson ;;  03  ;;  female
> bart    ;;  simpson ;;  10  ;;  male
> 
> REQUEST:
> Show a really cool way to change before into after with
> ruby. Cool = fewest lines OR just plain clever.
> 
> --thanks

How about:

str =<<STR
fname ;; lname ;; age ;; sex ;;
homer   ;; simpson ;; 33 ;; male
maggie;; simpson ;; 03 ;; female
bart;;simpson;;10;;male
STR

str.each("\n") do |line|
  puts "%-8s%-4s%-8s%-4s%-4s%-4s%-8s" % line.split(/(;;)/).map {|elmt| 
elmt.strip}
end

--output:--
fname   ;;  lname   ;;  age ;;  sex
homer   ;;  simpson ;;  33  ;;  male
maggie  ;;  simpson ;;  03  ;;  female
bart    ;;  simpson ;;  10  ;;  male
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