public static String alignLeft(String str, int width) {
    str = str.trim();
    int len = str.length();

    // Text breiter als erlaubt -> abschneiden
    if (len > width && width >= 3)
        return str.substring(0, width-3) + "...";

    if (len > width)
        return "...".substring(0, width);


    StringBuffer align;
    align = new StringBuffer(create(width, ' '));
    align.replace(0, str.length(), str);
    return align.toString();
}

public static String alignCenter(String str, int width) {
    str = str.trim();
    int len = str.length();

    // Text breiter als erlaubt -> hinten abschneiden
    if (len > width)
        return alignLeft(str, width);

    StringBuffer align = null;
    align = new StringBuffer(create(width, ' '));
    int start = (width - len)/2;
    int end = start + len;
    align.replace(start, end, str);
    return align.toString();
}

public static String alignRight(String str, int width) {
    str = str.trim();

    int len = str.length();

    // Text breiter als erlaubt -> hinten abschneiden
    if (len > width)
        return alignLeft(str, width);

    StringBuffer align = null;
    align = new StringBuffer(create(width, ' '));
    align.replace(width - str.length(), width, str);
    return align.toString();
}