width

  #include <fstream>
  int width();
  int width( int w );

The function width() returns the current width, which is defined as the minimum number of characters to display with each output. The optional argument w can be used to set the width.

For example:

   cout.width( 5 );
   cout << "2";         

displays

       2                

(that's four spaces followed by a '2')