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+++ b/liboctave/str-vec.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+// str-vec.cc                                           -*- C++ -*-
+/*
+
+Copyright (C) 1996 John W. Eaton
+
+This file is part of Octave.
+
+Octave is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any
+later version.
+
+Octave is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with Octave; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the Free
+Software Foundation, 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
+
+*/
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include <string>
+
+#include <iostream.h>
+
+#include "oct-term.h"
+#include "str-vec.h"
+
+// Format a list in neat columns.  Mostly stolen from GNU ls.
+
+ostream&
+string_vector::list_in_columns (ostream& os) const
+{
+  // Compute the maximum name length.
+
+  int max_name_length = 0;
+  int total_names = length ();
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < total_names; i++)
+    {
+      int name_length = elem (i).length ();
+      if (name_length > max_name_length)
+	max_name_length = name_length;
+    }
+
+  // Allow at least two spaces between names.
+
+  max_name_length += 2;
+
+  // Calculate the maximum number of columns that will fit.
+
+  int line_length = terminal_columns ();
+  int cols = line_length / max_name_length;
+  if (cols == 0)
+    cols = 1;
+
+  // Calculate the number of rows that will be in each column except
+  // possibly  for a short column on the right.
+
+  int rows = total_names / cols + (total_names % cols != 0);
+
+  // Recalculate columns based on rows.
+
+  cols = total_names / rows + (total_names % rows != 0);
+
+  int count;
+  for (int row = 0; row < rows; row++)
+    {
+      count = row;
+      int pos = 0;
+
+      // Print the next row.
+
+      while (1)
+	{
+	  string nm = elem (count);
+
+	  os << nm;
+	  int name_length = nm.length ();
+
+	  count += rows;
+	  if (count >= total_names)
+	    break;
+
+	  int spaces_to_pad = max_name_length - name_length;
+	  for (int i = 0; i < spaces_to_pad; i++)
+	    os << " ";
+	  pos += max_name_length;
+	}
+      os << "\n";
+    }
+
+  return os;
+}
+
+/*
+;;; Local Variables: ***
+;;; mode: C++ ***
+;;; page-delimiter: "^/\\*" ***
+;;; End: ***
+*/