diff --git a/lsf.sh b/lsf.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index affcd38..a39be64
--- a/lsf.sh
+++ b/lsf.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # TODO: utilize filetype; opt to strip path from output
 #       make sure to add / to path if necessary (warning: symlinks)
 # TODO: rewrite trunc to use len
+# TODO: include sorting somehow
 
 _lsf_begin(){
 	local begin='
@@ -99,8 +100,11 @@ function printff(id, n) {
 }
 
 function trunc(str, len) {
-	# for the moment len doesnt do anything
-	return gensub(/(.{5})..+/,"\\1…",1,sprintf("%6s",str))
+	e=length(str)>len?"…":""
+	return substr(str,0,len-(e?1:0)) e
+}
+function fixlen(str, len) {
+	return trunc(sprintf("%" len "s", str), len)
 }
 
 {
@@ -126,13 +130,13 @@ function trunc(str, len) {
 	}
 
 	if('$o_showuser') {
-		name=trunc((uid in unames)?unames[uid]:uid, 6)
+		name=fixlen((uid in unames)?unames[uid]:uid, 6)
 		if(is_me) name=YEL name clr
 		printf("%s ", name)
 	}
 
 	if('$o_showgroup') {
-		name=trunc((gid in gnames)?gnames[gid]:gid, 6)
+		name=fixlen((gid in gnames)?gnames[gid]:gid, 6)
 		if(is_us) name=YEL name clr
 		printf("%s ", name)
 	}