protected String padString(String s,int length,boolean left){
  String result;
  int i;
  result=s;
  for (i=s.length(); i < length; i++) {
    if (left) {
      result=" " + result;
    }
 else {
      result=result + " ";
    }
  }
  if ((length > 0) && (result.length() > length)) {
    result=result.substring(0,length);
  }
  return result;
}

protected String padString ( String s , int length , boolean left ) { String result ; int i ; result = s ; for ( i = s . length ( ) ; i < length ; i ++ ) { if ( left ) { result = " " + result ; } else { result = result + " " ; } } if ( ( length > 0 ) && ( result . length ( ) > length ) ) { result = result . substring ( 0 , length ) ; } return result ; }
pads the given string until it reaches the given length , if longer cuts it down . if length is 0 then nothing is done .
