Gpadnames lengthens the name fields of all student records in a grades file.
Usage
gpadnames [-?] [-9] [-W minWidth] [files]
Details
Gpadnames adds blanks at the end of all student names in each of the grades files so that they are at least as long as minWidth characters. It does not shorten any names.
Gpadnames takes these options:
-9 |
Use nine-digit student numbers in the output files, if possible. |
-W minWidth |
Cause each student's name to be at least minWidth characters wide. |
If input is from the standard input, -W must be set.
The reason for providing this command is that the usual ways of obtaining class lists produce student names of varying lengths. This is a problem when using a text editor on a grades file, because it's hard to see how the marks should line up.
How big should minWidth be?
For most students, 20 is enough, but your class probably has at least some that are longer than that. One or two students in a large class may have names longer than 30 characters; you might choose 35 to be nearly sure of avoiding trouble, or 30 if you're prepared to tolerate the occasional out-of-synch record.