nl(1) nl(1)
NAME
nl - line numbering filter
SYNOPSIS
nl [-btype] [-ddelim] [-ftype] [-htype] [-iincr] [-lnum]
[-nformat] [-p] [-ssep] [-vstart#] [-wwidth] file
DESCRIPTION
nl reads lines from the named file or the standard input if
no file is named and reproduces the lines on the standard
output. Lines are numbered on the left in accordance with
the command options in effect.
nl views the text it reads in terms of logical pages. Line
numbering is reset at the start of each logical page. A
logical page consists of a header, a body, and a footer
section. Empty sections are valid. Different line
numbering options are independently available for header,
body, and footer (e.g., no numbering of header and footer
lines while numbering blank lines only in the body).
The start of logical page sections are signaled by input
lines containing nothing but the following delimiter
character(s):
Line contents Start of
\:\:\: header
\:\: body
\: footer
Unless optioned otherwise, nl assumes the text being read is
in a single logical page body.
Command options may appear in any order and may be
intermingled with an optional file name. Only one file may
be named. The options are:
-btype Specifies which logical page body lines are
to be numbered. Recognized types and their
meaning are: a, number all lines; t, number
lines with printable text only; n, no line
numbering; pstring, number only lines that
contain the regular expression specified in
string. Default type for logical page body
is t (text lines numbered).
-htype Same as -btype except for header. Default
type for logical page header is n (no lines
numbered).
-ftype Same as -btype except for footer. Default
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nl(1) nl(1)
for logical page footer is n (no lines
numbered).
-p Do not restart numbering at logical page
delimiters.
-vstart# Start# is the initial value used to number
logical page lines. Default is 1.
-iincr incr is the increment value used to number
logical page lines. Default is 1.
-ssep sep is the character(s) used in separating
the line number and the corresponding text
line. Default sep is a tab.
-wwidth width is the number of characters to be used
for the line number. Default width is 6.
-nformat format is the line numbering format.
Recognized values are: ln, left justified,
leading zeroes suppressed; rn, right
justified, leading zeroes suppressed; rz,
right justified, leading zeroes kept.
Default format is rn (right justified).
-lnum num is the number of blank lines to be
considered as one. For example, -l2 results
in only the second adjacent blank being
numbered (if the appropriate -ha, -ba, and/or
-fa option is set). Default is 1.
-dxx The delimiter characters specifying the start
of a logical page section may be changed from
the default characters (\:) to two user-
specified characters. If only one character
is entered, the second character remains the
default character (:). No space should
appear between the -d and the delimiter
characters. To enter a backslash, use two
backslashes.
EXAMPLE
nl -v10 -i10 -d!+ file1
will number file1 starting at line number 10 with an
increment of ten. The logical page delimiters are !+.
FILES
/bin/nl
SEE ALSO
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nl(1) nl(1)
pr(1).
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