* @param existingColumns the list of column names (String) that are already appended
* @return the array of column numbers (base 1)
*/
protected int[] ensureColumns(List columns, List existingColumns, StringBuffer buf)
{
FieldHelper cf;
int[] columnNumbers = new int[columns.size()];
for (int i = 0; i < columnNumbers.length; i++)
{
cf = (FieldHelper) columns.get(i);