This program creates an array filled with three Strings. It then loops over these Strings. Each String has up to five characters of padding added to the left. This new String returned by PadLeft is then passed to Console.WriteLine.
ConsoleInfo: PadLeft does not modify the String data. Instead it creates a modified String in new memory.
So: This means the String Dim you call it on—in this program "w"—is not modified in any way.
For Each, For VB.NET program that uses PadLeft
Module Module1
Sub Main()
Dim words() As String = {"A", "Net", "Perls"}
' Loop over words.
For Each w As String In words
Console.WriteLine(w.PadLeft(5))
Next
End Sub
End Module
Output
A
Net
Perls
Example 2. The PadLeft Function is paired with the PadRight Function. In this example, we add complexity by using a Dictionary collection. For keys we use Strings. For values we use Integers.
DictionaryIntegerHere: We loop over the Dictionary and apply padding to the Key. For the value we first convert the Integer to a String.
KeyValuePair VB.NET program that pads keys and values
Module Module1
Sub Main()
' Create Dictionary.
Dim dict As Dictionary(Of String, Integer) = New Dictionary(Of String, Integer)
dict.Add("Cat", 5)
dict.Add("Mouse", 1)
dict.Add("Leopard", 9)
dict.Add("Asp", 10)
' Loop over pairs.
For Each pair As KeyValuePair(Of String, Integer) In dict
' Pad right of key.
Console.Write(pair.Key.PadRight(10))
' Pad left of value.
Console.WriteLine(pair.Value.ToString().PadLeft(2))
Next
End Sub
End Module
Output
Cat 5
Mouse 1
Leopard 9
Asp 10
Example 3. PadLeft and PadRight are not restricted to only adding spaces. Instead they can add any Char value you like. In this program we use a period as the second argument to PadRight. And for PadLeft we pass a hash sign.
And: The output String contains padding with these special characters, not spaces.
VB.NET program that uses special characters
Module Module1
Sub Main()
' Pad with . and #
Console.Write("Sam".PadRight(10, "."c))
Console.WriteLine("28173".PadLeft(6, "#"c))
' Next line.
Console.Write("Mark".PadRight(10, "."c))
Console.WriteLine("137".PadLeft(6, "#"c))
End Sub
End Module
Output
Sam.......#28173
Mark......137