Printing a DataTable to textbox/textfile in .NET
- by neodymium
Is there a predefined or "easy" method of writing a datatable to a text file or TextBox Control (With monospace font) such as DataTable.Print():
Column1| Column2|
--------|--------|
v1| v2|
v3| v4|
v5| v6|
Edit
Here's an initial version (vb.net) - in case anyone is interested or wants to build their own:
Public Function BuildTable(ByVal dt As DataTable) As String
Dim result As New StringBuilder
Dim widths As New List(Of Integer)
Const ColumnSeparator As Char = "|"c
Const HeadingUnderline As Char = "-"c
' determine width of each column based on widest of either column heading or values in that column
For Each col As DataColumn In dt.Columns
Dim colWidth As Integer = Integer.MinValue
For Each row As DataRow In dt.Rows
Dim len As Integer = row(col.ColumnName).ToString.Length
If len > colWidth Then
colWidth = len
End If
Next
widths.Add(CInt(IIf(colWidth < col.ColumnName.Length, col.ColumnName.Length + 1, colWidth + 1)))
Next
' write column headers
For Each col As DataColumn In dt.Columns
result.Append(col.ColumnName.PadLeft(widths(col.Ordinal)))
result.Append(ColumnSeparator)
Next
result.AppendLine()
' write heading underline
For Each col As DataColumn In dt.Columns
Dim horizontal As String = New String(HeadingUnderline, widths(col.Ordinal))
result.Append(horizontal.PadLeft(widths(col.Ordinal)))
result.Append(ColumnSeparator)
Next
result.AppendLine()
' write each row
For Each row As DataRow In dt.Rows
For Each col As DataColumn In dt.Columns
result.Append(row(col.ColumnName).ToString.PadLeft(widths(col.Ordinal)))
result.Append(ColumnSeparator)
Next
result.AppendLine()
Next
Return result.ToString()
End Function
