using printf or sprintf to format columns of data

I have an output file that is created with a Perl script that I want to align the data into readable columns.  The part of my script that does this is below:

printf OUT "%s          %s          %s          %s\n", $tag, $repo, $message, $developer;

I have 10 spaces in between each column of data, and the output looks like this:

Tag_CYY_20040511_1615          /home/cvs/eng/Sonata2/dev/clasi/include          Bugzilla #18291          chouston
SATURN_20040511_B_BRYAN          /home/cvs/eng/Sonata2/dev/clasi/include          Bugzilla #18291          chouston
SATURN_20040511_A_BRYAN          /home/cvs/eng/Sonata2/dev/clasi/include          Bugzilla #18291          chouston
SATURN_20040511_D          /home/cvs/eng/Sonata2/dev/clasi/include          Bugzilla #18291          chouston

I want to format the output so all the columns are aligned:

Tag_CYY_20040511_1615               /home/cvs/eng/Sonata2/dev/clasi/include          Bugzilla #18291          chouston
SATURN_20040511_B_BRYAN          /home/cvs/eng/Sonata2/dev/clasi/include          Bugzilla #18291          chouston
SATURN_20040511_A_BRYAN          /home/cvs/eng/Sonata2/dev/clasi/include          Bugzilla #18291          chouston
SATURN_20040511_D                     /home/cvs/eng/Sonata2/dev/clasi/include           Bugzilla #18291          chouston

I know you can do this with printf or sprintf, but what kind of syntax should I use?  And also, how can I guarantee that the columns will always be aligned, no matter how long each field of data might be?  Thanks!



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