code: private String setLength(int i, int length) { // 1.3-1.4 problem fixed by Finn Bock
          StringBuffer tmp = new StringBuffer();
          tmp.append(i);
          while (tmp.length() < length) {
              tmp.insert(0, "0");
          }
          tmp.setLength(length);
          return tmp.toString();
      }
docs: Adds a number of leading zeros to a given <CODE>String</CODE> in order to get a <CODE>String</CODE>
  of a certain length.
  
  @param		i   		a given number
  @param		length		the length of the resulting <CODE>String</CODE>
  @return		the resulting <CODE>String</CODE>