some refactoring, fix stringer func

pkg/es/api.go

@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ func ApiList(conf *cfg.Config, pattern string) error {
 
 	filter := regexp.MustCompile(pattern)
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 4, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(4, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("path", "http verb", "tag", "description")
 
 	for path, item := range assets.OpenAPI.Spec().Paths.Paths {

pkg/es/ccr.go

@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func CcrRemoteInfo(conf *cfg.Config, index string) error {
 		mode = "leader"
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 5)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 5)
 	table.Addheaders("ccr remote property", "value")
 
 	table.Entries = [][]any{

pkg/es/ccr_follower.go

@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ func CcrFollowerShow(conf *cfg.Config, index string) error {
 
 	follower := res.Indices[0].Shards[0]
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 9)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 9)
 	table.Addheaders("ccr follower property", "value")
 
 	table.Entries = [][]any{

pkg/es/cluster.go

@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func ClusterList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 
 	wg.Wait()
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 5, len(conf.Clusters))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(5, len(conf.Clusters))
 	table.Addheaders("cluster", "uri", "reachable", "current", "error")
 
 	idx := 0
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ func ClusterStatus(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 7)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 7)
 	table.Addheaders(conf.DefaultCluster.Name, "status")
 
 	table.Entries = [][]any{
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ func gatherClusterStats(clusterstats *clusterstats.Response, table *printer.Tabl
 		{"indices", clusterstats.Indices.Count},
 		{"Docs", clusterstats.Indices.Docs.Count},
 		{"Total Size", printer.Bytes(clusterstats.Indices.Docs.TotalSizeInBytes)},
-		{"Total Queries", "%d", querycount},
+		{"Total Queries", querycount},
 		{"Shards Primaries", clusterstats.Indices.Shards.Primaries},
 		{"Shards Total", clusterstats.Indices.Shards.Total},
 		{"Storage", fmt.Sprintf(

pkg/es/cluster_settings.go

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func ClusterSettingsList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get cluster settings: %w", esErrorString(err))
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("setting", "value")
 
 	entries := [][]any{}

pkg/es/cluster_util.go

@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func checkClusterStatus(conf *cfg.Config, leader, follower string) bool {
 		status[cluster] = clusterHealth
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, 6)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, 6)
 
 	table.Addheaders("setting", "leader:"+leader, "follower:"+follower)
 
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func findIlmErrors(conf *cfg.Config, leader, follower string) bool {
 
 		if len(failed[cluster]) > 0 {
 			idx := 0
-			table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, len(failed[cluster]))
+			table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, len(failed[cluster]))
 			table.Addheaders("ilm errors on "+which, "errors")
 
 			for name, count := range failed[cluster] {
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ func findIndicesOnlyOnLeader(conf *cfg.Config, indices ClusterIndices, leader, f
 	}
 
 	idx := 0
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, len(indexOnlyOnLeader))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, len(indexOnlyOnLeader))
 	table.Addheaders("index only on leader", "size", "docscount")
 
 	for name, index := range indexOnlyOnLeader {
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ func findOrphanedIndices(conf *cfg.Config, indices ClusterIndices, leader, follo
 	}
 
 	idx := 0
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, len(orphaned))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, len(orphaned))
 	table.Addheaders("orphaned index on follower", "size", "docscount")
 
 	for name, index := range orphaned {
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ func findFailedFollowerIndices(conf *cfg.Config, indices ClusterIndices, followe
 	}
 
 	idx := 0
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, len(red))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, len(red))
 	table.Addheaders("red index on follower", "size", "docscount")
 
 	for name, index := range red {

pkg/es/datastream.go

@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func DatastreamList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 7, size)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(7, size)
 	table.Addheaders("name", "ilm policy", "hidden", "system", "replicated", "generation", "timestamp field")
 
 	for idx, datastream := range list {
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func DatastreamShow(conf *cfg.Config, dsname string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get data stream stats: %w", esErrorString(err))
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 11, 2)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(11, 2)
 	table.Addheaders("data stream property", "value")
 
 	datastream := res.DataStreams[0]
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func DatastreamShow(conf *cfg.Config, dsname string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	table = printer.NewTable(conf, 5, len(datastream.Indices))
+	table = printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(5, len(datastream.Indices))
 	table.Addheaders("backing index name", "uuid", "prefer ilm", "ilm policy", "managed by")
 
 	for idx, index := range datastream.Indices {
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ func DatastreamRollover(conf *cfg.Config, ds string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to rollover data stream: %w", esErrorString(err))
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 5)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 5)
 	table.Addheaders("rollover response", "value")
 	table.Entries = [][]any{
 		{"acknowledged", res.Acknowledged},

pkg/es/ilm.go

@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func IlmList(conf *cfg.Config, pattern string) error {
 		repr.Println(res)
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 5, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(5, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("ilm policy", "hot", "warm", "frozen", "delete")
 
 	for name, ilm := range res {
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func IlmShow(conf *cfg.Config, policy string) error {
 		return IlmShowTree(conf, ilm.Policy)
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 5)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 5)
 	table.Addheaders("ilm policy setting", "value")
 
 	table.Entries = [][]any{
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func IlmShow(conf *cfg.Config, policy string) error {
 func IlmShowTree(conf *cfg.Config, ilm types.IlmPolicy) error {
 	indent := ""
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 4, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(4, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("phase", "min age", "min size", "snapshot repo")
 
 	for _, phase := range IlmPhaseOrder {
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ func IlmExplain(conf *cfg.Config, index string) error {
 
 	ilm := explain.(*types.LifecycleExplainManaged)
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("ilm status field", "value")
 
 	info := ""

pkg/es/ilm_forecast.go

@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func IlmForecastList(conf *cfg.Config, filter string) error {
 		headers = append(headers, "ilm policy")
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, len(headers), 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(len(headers), 0)
 	table.Addheaders(headers...)
 
 	for _, phase := range phaseData {

pkg/es/index.go

@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func IndexList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, size)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, size)
 	table.Addheaders("name", "size", "docscount")
 
 	for idx, index := range list {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func IndexShow(conf *cfg.Config, indexpattern string) error {
 			idx++
 		}
 
-		table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 7)
+		table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 7)
 		table.Addheaders("index property", "value")
 
 		ts, err := strconv.ParseInt(index.Settings.Index.CreationDate.(string), 10, 64)
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ func IndexFields(conf *cfg.Config, index string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve field capabilties: %w", esErrorString(err))
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 5, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(5, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("field", "type", "searchable", "aggretable", "metadata")
 
 	idx := 0
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ func IndexDiskusage(conf *cfg.Config, index string) error {
 		return errors.New("no disk usage reported for index")
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTableEmpty(conf).
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).
 		WithHeaders("field", "bloom filter", "norms", "points", "term vectors", "knn vectors", "total")
 
 	for name, field := range diskusage.Fields {

pkg/es/index_alias.go

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func IndexAliasList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, len(aliaslist))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, len(aliaslist))
 	table.Addheaders("index", "alias")
 
 	idx := 0
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func IndexAliasRollover(conf *cfg.Config, alias string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to rollover index alias: %w", esErrorString(err))
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 5)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 5)
 	table.Addheaders("rollover response", "value")
 	table.Entries = [][]any{
 		{"acknowledged", res.Acknowledged},

pkg/es/index_copy.go

@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func IndexCopy(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to copy indices: %w", esErrorString(err))
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 0).
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 0).
 		WithHeaders("Reindex metrtic", "value")
 
 	table.Entries = [][]any{

pkg/es/index_template.go

@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func IndexTemplateList(conf *cfg.Config, filter string) error {
 
 	slog.Debug("res", "index templates", res)
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 5, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(5, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("name", "description", "index patterns", "priority")
 
 	tplList := filterIndexTemplates(conf, filter, res.IndexTemplates)
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func IndexTemplateShow(conf *cfg.Config, tplname string) error {
 
 	tpl := res.IndexTemplates[0]
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 6)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 6)
 	table.Addheaders("index template property", "value")
 
 	desc, err := json.Marshal(tpl.IndexTemplate.Meta_["description"])
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func IndexTemplateShow(conf *cfg.Config, tplname string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	table = printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 0)
+	table = printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("index setting property", "value")
 
 	err = getIndexTemplateSettings(conf, tplname, table)
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func IndexTemplateShow(conf *cfg.Config, tplname string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	table = printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 0)
+	table = printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("index field mapping", "type")
 
 	if tpl.IndexTemplate.Template.Mappings != nil {
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ func rolloverAliasIndexTemplate(conf *cfg.Config, name string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 4, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(4, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("rollover alias", "status", "ack", "new index")
 
 	// apply rollover to all matching aliases, if any

pkg/es/license.go

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func LicenseShow(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 
 	slog.Debug("license show", "license", res)
 
-	table := printer.NewTableEmpty(conf).WithHeaders("license setting", "value")
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithHeaders("license setting", "value")
 
 	lic := res.License
 

pkg/es/node.go

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func NodeList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 
 	slog.Debug("ES result", "nodes", nodes)
 
-	table := printer.NewTableEmpty(conf).WithHeaders(
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithHeaders(
 		"name", "ip", "load1m", "load5m", "load15m", "ram %", "heap %")
 
 	for _, node := range nodes {
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func NodeShow(conf *cfg.Config, nodename string) error {
 	for id, info := range res.Nodes {
 		stat := stats.Nodes[id]
 
-		table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 0)
+		table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 0)
 		table.Addheaders(nodename+" property", "value")
 
 		roles := make([]string, len(info.Roles))
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func NodeClients(conf *cfg.Config, nodename string) error {
 
 	slog.Debug("ES result", "stat", stats)
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 5, 0)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(5, 0)
 	table.Addheaders("agent", "id", "when", "from host", "url")
 
 	for _, stat := range stats.Nodes {
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ func NodeUsage(conf *cfg.Config, nodeid string) error {
 
 	slog.Debug("ES result", "usage", stats)
 
-	table := printer.NewTableEmpty(conf).WithHeaders(
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithHeaders(
 		"node",
 		"bulk",
 		"doc get",

pkg/es/role.go

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func RoleList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 
 	slog.Debug("ES result", "roles", res)
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, len(res))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, len(res))
 	table.Addheaders("role", "index roles", "cluster roles")
 
 	idx := 0
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ func roleRemoteClusters(conf *cfg.Config, role types.Role) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, len(role.RemoteCluster))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, len(role.RemoteCluster))
 	table.Addheaders("remote cluster", "privilege")
 
 	idx := 0
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func roleClusters(conf *cfg.Config, role types.Role) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 1, len(role.Cluster))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(1, len(role.Cluster))
 	table.Addheaders("cluster rights")
 
 	idx := 0
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ func roleRemoteIndices(conf *cfg.Config, role types.Role) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, len(role.RemoteIndices))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, len(role.RemoteIndices))
 	table.Addheaders("remote index names", "index permissions", "allow restricted")
 
 	idx := 0
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func roleIndices(conf *cfg.Config, role types.Role) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, len(role.Indices))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, len(role.Indices))
 	table.Addheaders("index names", "index permissions", "allow restricted")
 
 	idx := 0
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ func roleApplications(conf *cfg.Config, role types.Role) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, len(role.Applications))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, len(role.Applications))
 	table.Addheaders("application", "privileges", "resources")
 
 	idx := 0

pkg/es/role_diff.go

@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func RoleDiff(conf *cfg.Config, csvfile, role string) error {
 
 	rows := diffRoles(conf, records, res)
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 3, len(rows))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(3, len(rows))
 	table.Addheaders("role", "is deployed", "is defined")
 
 	for idx, row := range rows {

pkg/es/searchql.go

@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func SearchQL(conf *cfg.Config, querystring string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, len(qlResult.Columns), len(qlResult.Values))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(len(qlResult.Columns), len(qlResult.Values))
 
 	headers := make([]string, len(qlResult.Columns))
 	for idx, col := range qlResult.Columns {

pkg/es/shard.go

@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func printShards(conf *cfg.Config, shardlist shards.Response) error {
 		headers = append(headers, "node", "ip")
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, len(headers), len(shardlist))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(len(headers), len(shardlist))
 	table.Addheaders(headers...)
 
 	for idx, shard := range shardlist {
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ func ShardAllocation(conf *cfg.Config, index string) error {
 
 	slog.Debug("ES result", "explain", res)
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 10)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 10)
 	table.Addheaders("shard allocation setting", "value")
 
 	table.Entries = [][]any{

pkg/es/snapshot.go

@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func SnapshotList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 5, len(snapshots))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(5, len(snapshots))
 	table.Addheaders("name", "index", "start", "orphaned", "status")
 
 	for idx, snap := range snapshots {
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func SnapshotShow(conf *cfg.Config, snapshot string) error {
 		return errors.New("no snapshot retrieved")
 	}
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 2, 17)
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(2, 17)
 	table.Addheaders("snapshot property", "value")
 
 	snap := res.Snapshots[0]

pkg/es/task.go

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func TaskList(conf *cfg.Config) error {
 
 	slog.Debug("res", "tasks", res)
 
-	table := printer.NewTable(conf, 6, len(res))
+	table := printer.NewTable(conf).WithSize(6, len(res))
 	table.Addheaders("task id", "action", "start time", "run time", "node", "type")
 
 	for idx, task := range res {

pkg/printer/cast.go

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+package printer
+
 /*
 Copyright © 2026 Thomas von Dein
 
@@ -14,7 +16,6 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
-package printer
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
@@ -25,7 +26,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/elastic/go-elasticsearch/v9/typedapi/types"
 )
 
-func any2string(in any) string {
+// stringer returns  the string  representation of different  types of
+// values
+func stringer(in any) string {
 	//nolint:gocritic
 	switch val := in.(type) {
 	case string:
@@ -54,52 +57,26 @@ func any2string(in any) string {
 		return string(val)
 	case nil:
 		return "null"
-	case types.Percentage, types.DateTime:
-		return val.(string)
+	case *types.Float64:
+		// ignore err here, because types.Float64.MarshalJSON() never returns one
+		f, _ := val.MarshalJSON()
+		return string(f)
+	default:
+		// Caution: this may cause a  panic if the [unknown] type does
+		// not implement  fmt.Stringer. In this case  add another case
+		// to the type switch for it above.
+		return in.(fmt.Stringer).String()
 	}
-
-	return ""
 }
 
-func (data *Table) preprocessRows() {
-	if data.processed {
-		// only do it once
-		return
+// visibleLen returns the  length of a string but  only visible chars,
+// w/o ansi color escapes
+func visibleLen(word string) int {
+	if !strings.Contains(word, "\x1b") {
+		// no ansi escape in there, use faster method
+		return len(word)
 	}
 
-	// convert entries to strings
-	data.rows = make([][]string, len(data.Entries))
-	for rowidx, entries := range data.Entries {
-		data.rows[rowidx] = make([]string, len(entries))
-
-		for colidx, entry := range data.Entries[rowidx] {
-			data.rows[rowidx][colidx] = any2string(entry)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// determine header lenght's
-	for idx, head := range data.Headers {
-		data.lenHeaders[idx] = visibleLen(head)
-	}
-
-	// determine max width per column
-	for _, entries := range data.rows {
-		currentWidth := 0
-
-		for idx, entry := range entries {
-			length := visibleLen(entry)
-
-			if data.lenHeaders[idx] < length {
-				if length > currentWidth+data.maxwidth {
-					data.lenHeaders[idx] = data.maxwidth - currentWidth
-				} else {
-					data.lenHeaders[idx] = length
-				}
-			}
-
-			currentWidth += data.lenHeaders[idx]
-		}
-	}
-
-	data.processed = true
+	// contains escapes, need to clean up before counting
+	return len(ansiCtrlSeq.ReplaceAllLiteralString(word, ""))
 }

pkg/printer/table.go

@@ -42,29 +42,28 @@ type Table struct {
 	debugGoRoutines bool
 }
 
-func NewTable(conf *cfg.Config, columns, rows int) *Table {
-	table := new(Table{
+func NewTable(conf *cfg.Config) *Table {
+	return new(Table{
 		Mode:            conf.Output,
 		maxwidth:        cfg.GetTermWidth(),
 		debugGoRoutines: conf.DebugGoRoutines,
+		Headers:         []string{},
+		RawHeaders:      []string{},
+		lenHeaders:      []int{},
+		alignInts:       conf.AlignInts,
 	})
-
-	table.Headers = make([]string, columns)
-	table.RawHeaders = make([]string, columns)
-	table.Entries = make([][]any, rows)
-	table.lenHeaders = make([]int, columns)
-	table.alignInts = conf.AlignInts
-
-	return table
 }
 
-func NewTableEmpty(conf *cfg.Config) *Table {
-	table := new(Table{
-		Mode:            conf.Output,
-		maxwidth:        cfg.GetTermWidth(),
-		debugGoRoutines: conf.DebugGoRoutines,
-	})
-	table.alignInts = conf.AlignInts
+func (table *Table) WithSize(columns, rows int) *Table {
+	if columns > 0 {
+		table.Headers = make([]string, columns)
+		table.RawHeaders = make([]string, columns)
+		table.lenHeaders = make([]int, columns)
+	}
+
+	if rows > 0 {
+		table.Entries = make([][]any, rows)
+	}
 
 	return table
 }
@@ -72,12 +71,7 @@ func NewTableEmpty(conf *cfg.Config) *Table {
 func (table *Table) WithHeaders(headers ...string) *Table {
 	count := len(headers)
 
-	table.Entries = [][]any{}
-	table.lenHeaders = make([]int, count)
-	table.Headers = make([]string, count)
-	table.RawHeaders = make([]string, count)
-
-	table.Addheaders(headers...)
+	table.WithSize(count, 0).Addheaders(headers...)
 
 	return table
 }
@@ -297,7 +291,7 @@ func (table *Table) AddRowLate(fields ...any) {
 	row := make([]string, len(fields))
 
 	for idx, field := range fields {
-		row[idx] = any2string(field)
+		row[idx] = stringer(field)
 	}
 
 	table.rows = append(table.rows, row)
@@ -317,9 +311,47 @@ func (table *Table) toMap() []map[string]any {
 	return raw
 }
 
-// return the length of a string but only visible chars, w/o ansi color escapes
-func visibleLen(word string) int {
-	return len(ansiCtrlSeq.ReplaceAllLiteralString(word, ""))
+func (data *Table) preprocessRows() {
+	if data.processed {
+		// only do it once
+		return
+	}
+
+	// convert entries to strings
+	data.rows = make([][]string, len(data.Entries))
+	for rowidx, entries := range data.Entries {
+		data.rows[rowidx] = make([]string, len(entries))
+
+		for colidx, entry := range data.Entries[rowidx] {
+			data.rows[rowidx][colidx] = stringer(entry)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// determine header lenght's
+	for idx, head := range data.Headers {
+		data.lenHeaders[idx] = visibleLen(head)
+	}
+
+	// determine max width per column
+	for _, entries := range data.rows {
+		currentWidth := 0
+
+		for idx, entry := range entries {
+			length := visibleLen(entry)
+
+			if data.lenHeaders[idx] < length {
+				if length > currentWidth+data.maxwidth {
+					data.lenHeaders[idx] = data.maxwidth - currentWidth
+				} else {
+					data.lenHeaders[idx] = length
+				}
+			}
+
+			currentWidth += data.lenHeaders[idx]
+		}
+	}
+
+	data.processed = true
 }
 
 func isInt(num string) bool {

t/Makefile

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.PHONY: test clean cluster docs search up down delete
+.PHONY: test clean cluster docs search up down delete runenv
 
 # docker stuff
 up:
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ delete:
 clean-docker: down delete
 
 
+runenv: up waitup cluster docs wait
+
 # mosscap esctl stuff
 test: up waitup cluster docs wait search