#
# Rewrite a rectangular file so each field formatted to same length
#
if [ "$1" = "-h" ] || [ "$1" = "--help" ]
then
        echo "bester <file>"
        echo "Reformat a file so that each column"
        echo "is of constant width (that of widest word in that column)."
        exit
fi

AWK=/bin/gawk

$AWK '
BEGIN { fld=0 
}
      { print 
}
NF>1 && substr($1,1,1) !~ "[!#]" { 
        if (NF>fld) fld=NF
        for(i=1;i<=NF;i++) {
          len=length($i)
          if (maxlen[i]<len) {
            maxlen[i]=len
          } 
        }
}
END { printf "#\n# Print out contents of rectangular data set\n#\n" > "best.awk"

      printf "substr($1,1,1) ~ \"[!#]\" { print $0 }\n" >> "best.awk"
      printf "substr($1,1,1)!~ \"[!#]\" { \n  printf \"" >> "best.awk"
      for (i=1;i<=fld;i++){
         printf "%s%s%s ","%-",maxlen[i],"s" >> "best.awk"
      }

      printf "\\n\", \\\n  $1" >> "best.awk"

      for (i=2;i<=fld;i++){
         printf ", $%s",i >> "best.awk"
         if (i%12==0) {printf " \\\n       " >> "best.awk"}
      }
      printf "\n}" >> "best.awk"
}' $* > bester$$
awk -f best.awk bester$$
rm bester$$ best.awk