How can I align text in columns using Console.WriteLine?

Question

I have a sort of column display, but the end two column\'s seem to not be aligning correctly. This is the code I have at the moment:

Console.WriteLine(\"Cust         


        

Answer 1

There're several NuGet packages which can help with formatting. In some cases the capabilities of string.Format are enough, but you may want to auto-size columns based on content, at least.

ConsoleTableExt

ConsoleTableExt is a simple library which allows formatting tables, including tables without grid lines. (A more popular package ConsoleTables doesn't seem to support borderless tables.) Here's an example of formatting a list of objects with columns sized based on their content:

ConsoleTableBuilder
    .From(orders
        .Select(o => new object[] {
            o.CustomerName,
            o.Sales,
            o.Fee,
            o.Value70,
            o.Value30
        })
        .ToList())
    .WithColumn(
        "Customer",
        "Sales",
        "Fee",
        "70% value",
        "30% value")
    .WithFormat(ConsoleTableBuilderFormat.Minimal)
    .WithOptions(new ConsoleTableBuilderOption { DividerString = "" })
    .ExportAndWriteLine();

CsConsoleFormat

If you need more features than that, any console formatting can be achieved with CsConsoleFormat.† For example, here's formatting of a list of objects as a grid with fixed column width of 10, like in the other answers using string.Format:

ConsoleRenderer.RenderDocument(
    new Document { Color = ConsoleColor.Gray }
        .AddChildren(
            new Grid { Stroke = LineThickness.None }
                .AddColumns(10, 10, 10, 10, 10)
                .AddChildren(
                    new Div("Customer"),
                    new Div("Sales"),
                    new Div("Fee"),
                    new Div("70% value"),
                    new Div("30% value"),
                    orders.Select(o => new object[] {
                        new Div().AddChildren(o.CustomerName),
                        new Div().AddChildren(o.Sales),
                        new Div().AddChildren(o.Fee),
                        new Div().AddChildren(o.Value70),
                        new Div().AddChildren(o.Value30)
                    })
                )
        ));

It may look more complicated than pure string.Format, but now it can be customized. For example:

• If you want to auto-size columns based on content, replace AddColumns(10, 10, 10, 10, 10) with AddColumns(-1, -1, -1, -1, -1) (-1 is a shortcut to GridLength.Auto, you have more sizing options, including percentage of console window's width).

• If you want to align number columns to the right, add { Align = Right } to a cell's initializer.

• If you want to color a column, add { Color = Yellow } to a cell's initializer.

• You can change border styles and more.

_{† CsConsoleFormat was developed by me.}