How to give fixed width in datagridview to save in text format

[raghunath]

I have a datagridview and few testbox. User types in the details into the text box and when pressed enter it adds to the datagridview. Now the question is user will be allowed to save the rows into a text file but it in not saving in a proper format ie i am getting as:

Quantity Name Rate
--------------------
12 wers 30
2323 ertd 40

there is no correct space between values. But i want it to save like this

Quantity     Name      Rate
-------------------------
12             wers        30
2323          ertd         40

This is the code i am currently using

strTemp = "DC" & id
                Using theWriter As New System.IO.StreamWriter("c:\" & strTemp & ".txt")
                    theWriter.WriteLine("--------------Billing Software--------------")
                    theWriter.WriteLine()
                    theWriter.WriteLine("Billing Date:" & System.DateTime.Now.Date & "  Time: " & System.DateTime.Now.Hour & ":" & System.DateTime.Now.Minute)
                    theWriter.WriteLine()
                    theWriter.WriteLine("---------------------------------------------")
                    theWriter.WriteLine()
                    theWriter.WriteLine("Quantity   Item/Sub Code   Description   Rate")
                    theWriter.WriteLine()
                    theWriter.WriteLine("---------------------------------------------")
                    Dim space As String = " "
                    For Each currentrow As DataGridViewRow In Me.DataGridView1.Rows
                        ' The Cells are the Columns
                        For Each currentcolumn As DataGridViewCell In currentrow.Cells
                            
                            theWriter.Write(currentcolumn.Value & "   ")
                        Next
                        theWriter.WriteLine()
                    Next
                    theWriter.WriteLine("---------------------------------------------")
                    theWriter.Close()
                End Using

Any ideas in vb.net ??? plz help me out

 

[JohnH]

To enable composite formatting with alignment use one of the WriteLine method that takes a string format and additional data parameters, for example TextWriter.WriteLine Method (String, Object[]) (System.IO)
The related help topic you'd want to read is: Composite Formatting

 

[raghunath]

But how can we work on the code that i have given. I am new to this please help me out

 

[JohnH]

You have to collect all the row values into an array to supply to the WriteLine method, there's a recent code sample that is basically doing that in post 3 here: http://www.vbdotnetforums.com/listviews-treeviews/37336-copying-list-view-clip-board.html
You should be able to learn how to write composite formatting strings from that article, give it try and ask again if you encounter a specific problem.

 

[cjard]

read and learn about composite formatting. It looks much cleaner and gives many options
Note: I don't warrant that this compiles so you'll still have to engage brain

Using theWriter As New System.IO.StreamWriter("c:\" & strTemp & ".txt")
                    theWriter.WriteLine("--------------Billing Software--------------")
                    theWriter.WriteLine()
                    theWriter.WriteLine("Billing Date:{0:yyyyMMdd}  Time:{0:HHmmss}", DateTime.Now)
                    theWriter.WriteLine()
                    theWriter.WriteLine("---------------------------------------------")
                    theWriter.WriteLine()
'write the headers, our columns should be 20, 25, 30 and 10 wide 
                    theWriter.WriteLine("{0,20}{1,25}{2,30}{3,10}", "Quantity","Item/Sub Code","Description","Rate")
                    theWriter.WriteLine()
                    theWriter.WriteLine("---------------------------------------------")

                    For Each currentrow As [B]DataRow [/B]In [B]DATATABLE_THE_DATAGRIDVIEW_IS_BOUND_TO.Rows[/B]
'write the data, our columns should be 20, 25, 30 and 10 wide 
'but note that the numbers are sometimes MINUS now to align the other way
                          theWriter.WriteLine(("{0,-20}{1,25}{2,30}{3,-10}", currentRow.ItemArray)
                    Next
                    theWriter.WriteLine("---------------------------------------------")
                    theWriter.Close()
                End Using