my $str = sprintf( "%${len}s", $str );

[download]

perldoc -f sprintf if you need to do anything fancier like left justify.

Update: D'oh, the original question was about left justified. Not like there's not 15 bazillion other answers to pick from . . . :)

In reply to Re: Generating standard length strings by Fletch
in thread Generating standard length strings by kage-yojimbo

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