function str_pad( input, pad_length, pad_string, pad_type ) {
    // http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net
    // +   original by: Kevin van Zonneveld (http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net)
    // + namespaced by: Michael White (http://crestidg.com)
    // *     example 1: str_pad('Kevin van Zonneveld', 30, '-=', 'STR_PAD_LEFT');
    // *     returns 1: '-=-=-=-=-=-Kevin van Zonneveld'
    // *     example 2: str_pad('Kevin van Zonneveld', 30, '-', 'STR_PAD_BOTH');
    // *     returns 2: '------Kevin van Zonneveld-----'
 
    var half = '', pad_to_go;
 
    var str_pad_repeater = function(s, len){
            var collect = '', i;
 
            while(collect.length < len) collect += s;
            collect = collect.substr(0,len);
 
            return collect;
        };
 
    if (pad_type != 'STR_PAD_LEFT' && pad_type != 'STR_PAD_RIGHT' && pad_type != 'STR_PAD_BOTH') { pad_type = 'STR_PAD_RIGHT'; }
    if ((pad_to_go = pad_length - input.length) > 0) {
        if (pad_type == 'STR_PAD_LEFT') { input = str_pad_repeater(pad_string, pad_to_go) + input; }
        else if (pad_type == 'STR_PAD_RIGHT') { input = input + str_pad_repeater(pad_string, pad_to_go); }
        else if (pad_type == 'STR_PAD_BOTH') {
            half = str_pad_repeater(pad_string, Math.ceil(pad_to_go/2));
            input = half + input + half;
            input = input.substr(0, pad_length);
        }
    }
 
    return input;
}