title: making a formatted list of elements into columns using python:
body: <p>this one is showing the elements in rows, i want them in side by side columns.</p>
  <pre><code>def collect_split(list, message = None, message2 = None, message3 = None, message4 = None, message5 = None):
      ll = [message, message2, message3, message4, message5]
      print(&quot;{0} {1} {2} {3} {4}&quot;.format(ll[0] if ll[0] != None else &quot;&quot;,ll[1] if ll[1] != None else &quot;&quot;,ll[2] if ll[2] != None else &quot;&quot;,ll[3] if ll[3] != None else &quot;&quot; , ll[4] if ll[4] != None else &quot;&quot;, sep = &quot; &quot;))
  </code></pre>
  <p>what is in list (ll):
  ['   32\n+ 698\n-----\n  730\n', '     1\n- 3801\n------\n -3800\n', '  45\n+ 43\n----\n  88\n', '  123\n+  49\n-----\n  172\n', '  143\n+  55\n-----\n  198\n']</p>
  <p>results:</p>
  <pre><code>   32
  + 698
  -----
    730
        1
  - 3801
  ------
   -3800
     45
  + 43
  ----
    88
     123
  +  49
  -----
    172
     143
  +  55
  -----
    198
  </code></pre>