[Tcllib-devel] RE: Enhancement to ::textutil tcllib package

[Andreas K. <and...@Ac...>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dan Kuchler [mailto:da...@ku...]
> Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2001 2:21 PM
> To: je...@ac...
> Cc: and...@ac...
> Subject: Enhancement to ::textutil tcllib package
> 
> 
> 
> Jeff and Andreas,
>   I have a possible enhancement for the ::textutil::adjust
> procedure.
> 
> I was using it today for a project, and it met all my
> requirements except for one.  I had a requirement that
> the lines in the return string couldn't be longer than
> the '-length' specified, even if the input line was longer
> than '-length'.  I accomplished this by splitting words
> that were longer than '-length' into multiple words.
> 
> Here is an example:
> 
> package require textutil
>  
> set foo "budget code 1: 01234567890-01234567890-01234567890 \
> budget code 2: 01234567890-01234567890-01234567890 some more text here."
>  
> puts "foo: **[::textutil::adjust $foo -justify left -length 30]**"
> 
> gives:
> 
> foo: **budget code 1:
> 01234567890-01234567890-0123456
> 7890 budget code 2:
> 01234567890-01234567890-0123456
> 7890 some more text here.**
> 
> With the original behaviour this would have
> given:
> 
> foo: **budget code 1:
> 01234567890-01234567890-01234567890
> budget code 2:
> 01234567890-01234567890-01234567890
> some more text here.**
> 
> This patch/enhancement is useful when you have truly
> fixed length fields (a database, entry widgets, etc.)
> that you need to fit data into.  The existing behavior
> doesn't work because the line can be longer than the
> '-length' specified if a single word is too long.
> 
> I hardcoded this behavior but was wondering if it would
> be worthwhile adding as an option.  If you have any ideas
> what I should call this option let me know.

I would prefer this behaviour as an option. ...

My shot at its name: -strict, or -strictlength
			(for strict length requirements)
 
> If this is 'generally useful' I can submit a patch that
> implements this as a flag instead of hard codes this.
> 
> Thanks,
>   --Dan


--
	Andreas Kupries <and...@Ac...>
	Developer @ http://www.ActiveState.com