def _padding_model_number(number, max_num):
cnum = str(number)<EOL>clen = len(cnum)<EOL>cmax = int(log10(max_num)) + <NUM_LIT:1><EOL>return (cmax - clen)*'<STR_LIT:0>' + cnum<EOL>
This method returns a zero-front padded string

It makes out of str(45) -> '0045' if 999 < max_num < 10000. This is
meant to work for reasonable integers (maybe less than 10^6).

Parameters
----------
number : integer
    number that the string should represent.
max_num : integer
    max number of cycle list, implies how many 0s have be padded