String padding problem

Question

Using the code given below the padding doesn't seem to be playing as it should, in theory the text "ADD this text" should start from column 21 in both the strings but in str2 it has a few extra spaces. On checking the length of both the strings the length turned out to be the same 20 as expected.

        string str1 = "Test".PadRight(20);
        string str2 = "Test123".PadRight(20);

        string common = "Add this text";

        MessageBox.Show(str1.Length.ToString());
        MessageBox.Show(str2.Length.ToString());

        MessageBox.Show(str1 + common + "\n" + str2 + common);

Anybody encountered this problem before? Is there something obvious I am missing.

Many Thanks.

Answer 1

Maybe your MessageBox is showing variable-pitch font?

Try setting the font to Courier New (in any relevant control), and see if it helps.

Answer 2

Change your code to:

    string str1 = "Test".PadRight(20, 'W');
    string str2 = "Test123".PadRight(20, 'I');
    string common = "Add this text";
    MessageBox.Show(str1.Length.ToString());
    MessageBox.Show(str2.Length.ToString());
    MessageBox.Show(str1 + common + "\n" + str2 + common);

That way you will see if the right number of characters are being padded correctly and you will also be able to tell if it is a font width issue as other have stated.