def array_width a
      longest = a.max {|a,b| a.to_s.length <=> b.to_s.length }
      #$log.debug "array width #{longest}"
      longest.to_s.length
    end
def array_width a
      longest = a.max {|a,b| a.to_s.length <=> b.to_s.length }
      #$log.debug "array width #{longest}"
      longest.to_s.length
    end
private
 returns length of longest item in array