Add Print Data To Formatted Table as a Ruby TIL

README.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pairing with smart people at Hashrocket.
 
 For a steady stream of TILs, [sign up for my newsletter](https://crafty-builder-6996.ck.page/e169c61186).
 
-_1350 TILs and counting..._
+_1351 TILs and counting..._
 
 ---
 
@@ -1114,6 +1114,7 @@ _1350 TILs and counting..._
 - [Pattern Match Values From A Hash](ruby/pattern-match-values-from-a-hash.md)
 - [Percent Notation](ruby/percent-notation.md)
 - [Precedence Of Logical Operators](ruby/precedence-of-logical-operators.md)
+- [Print Data To Formatted Table](ruby/print-data-to-formatted-table.md)
 - [Question Mark Operator](ruby/question-mark-operator.md)
 - [Rake Only Lists Tasks With Descriptions](ruby/rake-only-lists-tasks-with-descriptions.md)
 - [Read The First Line From A File](ruby/read-the-first-line-from-a-file.md)

ruby/print-data-to-formatted-table.md

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+# Print Data To Formatted Table
+
+Often when I'm doing some debugging or reporting from the Ruby/Rails console, I
+end up with a chunk of data that I'd like to share. Usually I'd like something
+that I can copy into the text area of Slack or a project management tool.
+Copying and pasting a pretty-printed hash isn't bad, but a nicely formatted
+table would be even better.
+
+Here is a small method I can copy and paste into the console:
+
+```ruby
+def print_to_table(headings, data)
+  # Calculate column widths
+  column_widths = headings.each_with_index.map do |heading, index|
+    [heading.size, *data.map { |row| row[index].to_s.size }].max
+  end
+
+  # Method to format a row
+  def format_row(row, widths)
+    row.each_with_index.map { |item, index| item.to_s.ljust(widths[index]) }.join(" | ")
+  end
+
+  # Print headings
+  puts format_row(headings, column_widths)
+  puts "-" * column_widths.sum + "-" * (column_widths.size * 3 - 3)
+
+  # Print data
+  data.each do |row|
+    puts format_row(row, column_widths)
+  end
+end
+```
+
+And then I can run it like so to get formatted table that can be copy-pasted
+elsewhere:
+
+```ruby
+> headings = [:id, :name, :role]
+=> [:id, :name, :role]
+> data = [
+    [123, 'Bob', 'Burger flipper'],
+    [456, 'Linda', 'Server'],
+    [789, 'Gene', 'Ketchup Refiller']
+  ]
+=> [[123, "Bob", "Burger flipper"], [456, "Linda", "Server"], [789, "Gene", "Ketchup Refiller"]]
+> print_to_table(headings, data)
+# id  | name  | role
+# ------------------------------
+# 123 | Bob   | Burger flipper
+# 456 | Linda | Server
+# 789 | Gene  | Ketchup Refiller
+```