Peter - if you check Len(BlockDetails) - is it 50? I bet it is and you are using a proportional font for display. Try displaying in Courier New.

>>Hi all, when I run the query shown below I get a strange result set ( I expect the rows to be all 50 chars long )
>>
>>

>>Select PADR(allt(Mytable.blkd_desc),50,'*');
>>As BlockDetails;
>>From Multiblk;
>>Inner Join Blockpay;
>>On Multiblk.block = BlockPay.block
>>

>>
>>The results I get are similar to the ones shown below
>>
>>

>>My first record***********************************
>>Second***************************************
>>Third********************************************
>>And so on*********************************
>>

>>
>>anyone know what gives here ?
>>
>>what I want is
>>

>>My first record***********************************
>>Second********************************************
>>Third*********************************************
>>And so on*****************************************
>>

>
>I would guess it's a display problem, not the actual result problem.