wip text splitting into columns

src/input.rs

@@ -1,12 +1,21 @@
+use std::io;
 
 type Column = Vec<String>;
 type Columns = Vec<Column>;
 
 // split input text into columns based on separator character
 // returns a type representing a variable length array of strings (columns) ?
-pub fn split_columns(text: &str, sep: char) -> Option<Columns>  {
+pub fn split_columns(text: &str, sep: char) -> Result<Columns, io::Error>  {
+    // read the first line stripping empty lines
+    let lines: Vec<&str> = text.trim().lines().collect();
 
-    Some(Columns::new())
+    // count number of columns
+    let n_col = lines.iter().next().unwrap();
+
+    eprintln!("{:?}", lines);
+
+    // detect number of columns
+    Ok(Columns::new())
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -17,5 +26,10 @@ file2.pdf       title2
 file3           title3
         "###;
     let columns = split_columns(coltext1, '\t');
-    println!("columns:\n{:?}", columns);
+
+    // should have two columns
+    assert_eq!(columns.unwrap().len(), 2);
+
+
+    // println!("columns:\n{:?}", columns);
 }