#
# Pad out file to same number of fields per record 
# Optimized to GAS format pedigree files, so ignores comment lines [#!]
#

AWK=/bin/gawk
MISS="x"

if [ "$1" = "" ] || [ "$1" = "-h" ] || [ "$1" = "--help" ] || [ ! -f $1 ]
then
   echo "Usage: pad <file> [<file2>...] "
   echo "  read data file, find maximum number of fields per record,"
   echo "  and pad out all records to that length using the missing"
   echo "  data token \"$MISS\"."
   exit
fi

#
# First find longest line
#
LONGEST=`$AWK 'BEGIN{max=0};$0 !~ /[#!]/ && NF>max {max=NF}; END{print max}' $*`

$AWK -v target=$LONGEST -v miss=$MISS  ' \
{ if ($0 !~ /[#!]/ && NF<target){
    for(i=NF+1;i<=target;i++){
       $i=miss
    }
  }
  print $0 
}' $*