# Text formatting **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [15 February 2014 12:54 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/text-formatting/69161 "2014-02-15T12:54:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![7stud2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/7/9de053/32.png) [@7stud2](https://rubytalk.org/u/7stud2)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2014 12:54 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/text-formatting/69161/1 "2014-02-15T12:54:34Z")
Hello people! I am very new to Ruby. Yesterday I bought very nice book about Ruby and immediately started learning. Now I have little problem 馃檪 The exercise is to display text like this:                 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Getting Started page 1 Chapter 2: Numbers page 9 Chapter 3: Letters page 13 but my text always looks like this:                 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Getting Started page 1 Chapter 2: Numbers page 9 Chapter 3: Letters page 13 My code is: > **路路路** > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > line\_width = 50 > str1 = 'Table of Contents' > str\_chap1 = 'Chapter 1: Getting Started' > str\_chap2 = 'Chapter 2: Numbers' > str\_chap3 = 'Chapter 3: Letters' > > str\_page1 = 'page 1' > str\_page9 = 'page 9' > str\_page13 = 'page 13' > > puts(str1.center(line\_width)) > puts'' > puts(str\_chap1.ljust(line\_width/2) + str\_page1.rjust(line\_width/2)) > puts(str\_chap2.ljust(line\_width/2) + str\_page9.rjust(line\_width/2)) > puts(str\_chap3.ljust(line\_width/2) + str\_page13.rjust(line\_width/2)) > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > What should I do to vertically align strings )'page 1', 'page 9' and > 'page 13')? > > P.S. If you know some more better way to write this, I would be happy to > see it (and to try to understand it 馃檪 ) > P.S. Sory if this is a stuped question. > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![abinoam](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/rubytalk.org/abinoam/32/1887_2.png) [@abinoam](https://rubytalk.org/u/abinoam)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2014 13:21 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/text-formatting/69161/2 "2014-02-15T13:21:46Z")
Dear "Keep Going", puts str\_chap1.ljust(line\_width) + str\_page1 puts str\_chap2.ljust(line\_width) + str\_page9 puts str\_chap3.ljust(line\_width) + str\_page13 But the total line\_width will be line\_width (50) + str\_page.size. If you want all the line to fit in the 50 chars you just need to subtract that value. The longer line is str\_page13 = 'page 13' and is 7. So, puts(str\_chap1.ljust(line\_width-7) + str\_page1) puts(str\_chap2.ljust(line\_width-7) + str\_page9) puts(str\_chap3.ljust(line\_width-7) + str\_page13) Best regards, Abinoam Jr. > **路路路** > > On Sat, Feb 15, 2014 at 9:54 AM, Keep Going \ wrote: > > > Hello people! > > I am very new to Ruby. Yesterday I bought very nice book about Ruby and > > immediately started learning. Now I have little problem 馃檪 > > The exercise is to display text like this: > > > >                 Table of Contents > > > > Chapter 1: Getting Started page 1 > > Chapter 2: Numbers page 9 > > Chapter 3: Letters page 13 > > > > but my text always looks like this: > > > >                 Table of Contents > > > > Chapter 1: Getting Started page 1 > > Chapter 2: Numbers page 9 > > Chapter 3: Letters page 13 > > > > My code is: > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > line\_width = 50 > > str1 = 'Table of Contents' > > str\_chap1 = 'Chapter 1: Getting Started' > > str\_chap2 = 'Chapter 2: Numbers' > > str\_chap3 = 'Chapter 3: Letters' > > > > str\_page1 = 'page 1' > > str\_page9 = 'page 9' > > str\_page13 = 'page 13' > > > > puts(str1.center(line\_width)) > > puts'' > > puts(str\_chap1.ljust(line\_width/2) + str\_page1.rjust(line\_width/2)) > > puts(str\_chap2.ljust(line\_width/2) + str\_page9.rjust(line\_width/2)) > > puts(str\_chap3.ljust(line\_width/2) + str\_page13.rjust(line\_width/2)) > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > What should I do to vertically align strings )'page 1', 'page 9' and > > 'page 13')? > > > > P.S. If you know some more better way to write this, I would be happy to > > see it (and to try to understand it 馃檪 ) > > P.S. Sory if this is a stuped question. > > > > -- > > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![7stud2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/7/9de053/32.png) [@7stud2](https://rubytalk.org/u/7stud2)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2014 13:32 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/text-formatting/69161/3 "2014-02-15T13:32:16Z")
Hehe, so simple and logical but I would never think about that 馃檪 Thank you dear Abinoam Jr. 馃檪 > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![7stud2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/7/9de053/32.png) [@7stud2](https://rubytalk.org/u/7stud2)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2014 14:09 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/text-formatting/69161/4 "2014-02-15T14:09:56Z")
Hmmm, I see almost everybody are using real names here so... Done & done! Now, I am using my real name 馃檪 quote: So, "Keep Going" keep going and you will do it well! Thank you 馃檪 > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![abinoam](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/rubytalk.org/abinoam/32/1887_2.png) [@abinoam](https://rubytalk.org/u/abinoam)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2014 13:42 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/text-formatting/69161/5 "2014-02-15T13:42:33Z")
You're welcome! But... Abinoam in not a nick... is my real name 馃檪 Abinoam Jr. PS: Posting from ruby-forum you are showing up as "Keep Going" 馃檪 So, "Keep Going" keep going and you will do it well! > **路路路** > > On Sat, Feb 15, 2014 at 10:32 AM, Keep Going \ wrote: > > > Hehe, so simple and logical but I would never think about that 馃檪 > > Thank you dear Abinoam Jr. 馃檪 > > > > -- > > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![abinoam](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/rubytalk.org/abinoam/32/1887_2.png) [@abinoam](https://rubytalk.org/u/abinoam)\ **Post date:** [15 February 2014 15:02 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/text-formatting/69161/6 "2014-02-15T15:02:58Z")
Correcting... Vladimir Magoc, keep going and you will do it well!!! 馃槈 Best regards, Abinoam Jr. > **路路路** > > On Sat, Feb 15, 2014 at 11:09 AM, Vladimir Magoc \ wrote: > > > Hmmm, I see almost everybody are using real names here so... > > Done & done! > > Now, I am using my real name 馃檪 > > > > quote: > > So, "Keep Going" keep going and you will do it well! > > > > Thank you 馃檪 > > > > -- > > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C).