On 11/27/2011 05:30 PM, Guillaume Kielwasser wrote: > Thanks Pádraig for your instructive input! > >> Hmm, I wonder would it be worth augmenting `column -t` from util-linux >> to add a --border option and also detect number cols and auto right align? >> I guess a --header option would be useful too. > > I have to admit I missed the '-t' option of column over the years! > But for me printing tables is a bit distant from column's primary > function, ie formating its input into multiple columns. > > Refering to the adage "Each program should do one thing well. No more, no > less." [0], > I would dedicate a program to print tables. > > [0] http://www.gnu.org/s/coreutils/manual/coreutils.html > > >> $ python -m prettytable >> +-----------+------+------------+-----------------+ >> | City name | Area | Population | Annual Rainfall | >> +-----------+------+------------+-----------------+ >> | Adelaide | 1295 | 1158259 | 600.5 | >> | Brisbane | 5905 | 1857594 | 1146.4 | >> | Darwin | 112 | 120900 | 1714.7 | >> | Hobart | 1357 | 205556 | 619.5 | >> | Sydney | 2058 | 4336374 | 1214.8 | >> | Melbourne | 1566 | 3806092 | 646.9 | >> | Perth | 5386 | 1554769 | 869.4 | >> +-----------+------+------------+-----------------+ > > This is really nice :) However relying on such module could be hazardous, > as it could not be part of your system. > > >> Note both util-linux and coreutils use a multi-byte aware alignment module¹, > > Thanks, indeed will be useful! > > >> This also notes other possible formatting options. >> http://cxc.harvard.edu/contrib/asciitable/ > > yeah, a little bit far from the tableize perspective, but could be an > evolution.
I also notice the FreeBSD `rs` command which overlaps quite a bit: http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=rs&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+8.2-RELEASE&arch=default&format=html cheers, Pádraig.
