if (seq.length() <= maxLength) {
      String string = seq.toString();
      if (string.length() <= maxLength) {
        return string;
      }
      // if the length of the toString() result was > maxLength for some reason, truncate that
      seq = string;
    }

    return new StringBuilder(maxLength)
        .append(seq, 0, truncationLength)
        .append(truncationIndicator)
        .toString();
  }

  /**

    if (seq.length() <= maxLength) {
      String string = seq.toString();
      if (string.length() <= maxLength) {
        return string;
      }
      // if the length of the toString() result was > maxLength for some reason, truncate that
      seq = string;
    }

    return new StringBuilder(maxLength)
        .append(seq, 0, truncationLength)
        .append(truncationIndicator)
        .toString();
  }

  /**