为此编写自己的函数可能比其他答案更简单。

private static String padRight(String str, String padChar, int n) {

    String paddedString = str;

    while (paddedString.length() < n) {

        paddedString = padChar + str;

    }

    return paddedString;

}

private static String padLeft(String str, String padChar, int n) {

    String paddedString = str;

    while (paddedString.length() < n) {

        paddedString += padChar;

    }

    return paddedString;

}

填充到10个字符:

String.format("%10s", "foo").replace(' ', '*');
String.format("%-10s", "bar").replace(' ', '*');
String.format("%10s", "longer than 10 chars").replace(' ', '*');

输出:

  *******foo
  bar*******
  longer*than*10*chars

密码字符显示“*”:

String password = "secret123";
String padded = String.format("%"+password.length()+"s", "").replace(' ', '*');

输出与密码字符串长度相同:

  secret123
  *********

你可以使用内置的StringBuilder append()和insert()方法， 对于可变字符串长度的填充:

AbstractStringBuilder append(CharSequence s, int start, int end) ;

例如:

private static final String  MAX_STRING = "                    "; //20 spaces

    Set<StringBuilder> set= new HashSet<StringBuilder>();
    set.add(new StringBuilder("12345678"));
    set.add(new StringBuilder("123456789"));
    set.add(new StringBuilder("1234567811"));
    set.add(new StringBuilder("12345678123"));
    set.add(new StringBuilder("1234567812234"));
    set.add(new StringBuilder("1234567812222"));
    set.add(new StringBuilder("12345678122334"));

    for(StringBuilder padMe: set)
        padMe.append(MAX_STRING, padMe.length(), MAX_STRING.length());

下面是另一种向右填充的方法:

// put the number of spaces, or any character you like, in your paddedString

String paddedString = "--------------------";

String myStringToBePadded = "I like donuts";

myStringToBePadded = myStringToBePadded + paddedString.substring(myStringToBePadded.length());

//result:
myStringToBePadded = "I like donuts-------";

public static String LPad(String str, Integer length, char car) {
  return (str + String.format("%" + length + "s", "").replace(" ", String.valueOf(car))).substring(0, length);
}

public static String RPad(String str, Integer length, char car) {
  return (String.format("%" + length + "s", "").replace(" ", String.valueOf(car)) + str).substring(str.length(), length + str.length());
}

LPad("Hi", 10, 'R') //gives "RRRRRRRRHi"
RPad("Hi", 10, 'R') //gives "HiRRRRRRRR"
RPad("Hi", 10, ' ') //gives "Hi        "
RPad("Hi", 1, ' ')  //gives "H"
//etc...

public static String padLeft(String in, int size, char padChar) {                
    if (in.length() <= size) {
        char[] temp = new char[size];
        /* Llenado Array con el padChar*/
        for(int i =0;i<size;i++){
            temp[i]= padChar;
        }
        int posIniTemp = size-in.length();
        for(int i=0;i<in.length();i++){
            temp[posIniTemp]=in.charAt(i);
            posIniTemp++;
        }            
        return new String(temp);
    }
    return "";
}