public static String genList(String ... elements)
	{
		if (elements != null && elements.length > 0) {
			/* count and allocate number of characters needed */
			/*
			 * will have to subtract 1 because output won't need
			 * delimiter before first element,
			 * and add 1 for 0 character
			 */
			int char_count = elements.length - 1 + 1;
			StringBuilder list_builder;

			for (String element : elements) {
				char_count += element.length();
			}
			list_builder = new StringBuilder(char_count);

			/* copy over needed characters */
			/*
			 * first element is special,
			 * without delimiter in front
			 */
			list_builder.append(elements[0].toCharArray());
			/*
			 * rest of elements have delimiter in front,
			 * to separate from the previous element
			 */
			for (int element_i = 1; element_i < elements.length;
			     element_i++) {
				list_builder.append(LIST_DELIM);
				list_builder.append(elements[element_i]
						    .toCharArray());
			}
			return list_builder.toString();
		} else {
			/* return empty String for null array or no elements */
			return "";
		}
	}