[SOLVED] bash printf - how to align text to right in the same line without deleting previous output

Issue

I'm trying to have in script Done or Fail statuses aligned to the right of previous text. But not e.g. 50 chars from last character, but 50 chars from left side of terminal. I'm not printing it using single, but multiple printf's. In code I have e.g.

    printf "Creating folder..."
    sleep 2
    mkdir foo
    printf "\r%50.10s\n" "Done"

Unfortunately it keeps me outputting

                                                  Done

instead of

    Creating folder...                            Done

Is there a possibility to align text to right in the same line without deleting previous output?

Debian 8, bash 4.3.30

Solution

There are a couple of options, at least.

1. Simply extend what's already output:

   printf "Creating folder..."
   mkdir foo
   sleep 2
   printf "%32s\n" "Done"
   

2. Rewrite what was already output:

   printf "Creating folder..."
   mkdir foo
   sleep 2
   printf "\r%-50s %s\n" "Creating folder..." "Done"
   

I moved the sleep after the mkdir to give you some chance to read error messages from mkdir before the printf kicks in again.

You might want to think about showing the folder name in the messages too.

Answered By - Jonathan Leffler