protected int alignmentCode(String alignment){
  if (alignment.equals(LEFT))   return -1;
 else   if (alignment.equals(CENTER))   return 0;
 else   if (alignment.equals(RIGHT))   return 1;
 else   if (alignment.equals(DECIMAL))   return 2;
 else   throw new IllegalArgumentException("unknown alignment: " + alignment);
}

protected int alignmentCode ( String alignment ) { if ( alignment . equals ( LEFT ) ) return - 1 ; else if ( alignment . equals ( CENTER ) ) return 0 ; else if ( alignment . equals ( RIGHT ) ) return 1 ; else if ( alignment . equals ( DECIMAL ) ) return 2 ; else throw new IllegalArgumentException ( "unknown alignment: " + alignment ) ; }
converts a row into a string .
