tabs(1) tabs(1)NAME tabs - sets the tab stops on a terminal SYNOPSIS tabs [tabspec] [+m[n]] [-Ttype] ARGUMENTS m[n] Specifies the margin argument that is used for some terminals. This option causes all tabs to be moved over n columns by making column n+1 the left margin. If +m is given without a value of n, the value assumed is 10. For a TermiNet, the first value in the tab list should be 1, or the margin will move even further to the right. The normal (left-most) margin on most terminals is obtained by +m0. The margin for most terminals is reset only when the +m option is given explicitly. tabspec Specifies the table specification. If no tabspec is given, the default value is -8, i.e., UNIX ``standard'' tabs. The lowest column number is 1. Note that for tabs, column 1 always refers to the left-most column on a terminal, even one whose column markers begin at 0, e.g., the DASI 300, DASI 300s, and DASI 450. Replace tabspec with one of the following: -a 1,10,16,36,72 Assembler, IBM S/370, first format -a2 1,10,16,40,72 Assembler, IBM S/370, second format -c 1,8,12,16,20,55 COBOL, normal format -c2 1,6,10,14,49 COBOL, compact format (columns 1-6 omitted). Using this code, the first typed character corresponds to card column 7, one space gets you to column 8, and a tab reaches column 12. Files using this tab setup should include a format specification as follows: <:t-c2 m6 s66 d:>" (see the --file option). -c3 1,6,10,14,18,22,26,30,34,38,42,46,50,54,58,62,67 COBOL compact format (columns 1-6 omitted), with more tabs than -c2. This is the recommended format for COBOL. The appropriate format January 1992 1
tabs(1) tabs(1)specification is: <:t-c3 m6 s66 d:> (see the --file option). -f 1,7,11,15,19,23 FORTRAN -p 1,5,9,13,17,21,25,29,33,37,41,45,49,53,57,61 PL/I -s 1,10,55 SNOBOL -u 1,12,20,44 UNIVAC 1100 Assembler -n A repetitive specification requests tabs at columns 1+n, 1+2*n, etc. Note that such a setting leaves a left margin of n columns on TermiNet terminals only . Of particular importance is the value -8: this represents the UNIX ``standard'' tab setting, and is the most likely tab setting to be found at a terminal. It is required for use with the nroff -h option for high-speed output. Another special case is the value -0, implying no tabs. n1,n2,... The arbitrary format permits the user to type any chosen set of numbers, separated by commas, in ascending order. Up to 40 numbers are allowed. If any number (except the first one) is preceded by a plus sign, it is taken as an increment to be added to the previous value. Thus, the tab lists 1,10,20,30 and 1,10,+10,+10 are considered identical. --file If the name of a file is given, tabs reads the first line of the file, searching for a format specification. If it finds one there, it sets the tab stops according to it, otherwise it sets them as -8. This type of specification may be used to make sure that a tabbed file is printed with correct tab settings, and would be used with the pr(1) command: tabs --file; pr file -Ttype 2 January 1992
tabs(1) tabs(1)Specifies the terminal type. tabs usually needs to know the type of terminal in order to set tabs and always needs to know the type to set margins. type is a name listed in term(5). If no -T option is supplied, tabs searches for the $TERM value in the environment (see environ(5)). If no type can be found, tabs tries a sequence that will work for many terminals. DESCRIPTION tabs sets the tab stops on the user's terminal according to the tab specification tabspec, after clearing any previous settings. The user must have remotely-settable hardware tabs. Users of TermiNet terminals should be aware that they behave differently from most other terminals for some tab settings. The first number in a list of tab settings becomes the left margin on a TermiNet terminal. Thus, any list of tab numbers whose first element is other than 1 causes a margin to be left on a TermiNet terminal, but not on other terminals. A tab list beginning with 1 causes the same effect regardless of terminal type. It is possible to set a left margin on some other terminals, although in a different way (see below). If the -Ttype or +m[n] option occurs more than once, the last value given takes effect. Tab and margin setting is performed via the standard output. EXAMPLES This command will send commands to the terminal to set the tabs for COBOL format remotely: tabs -c The following command will set tabs in columns 6, 12 and 18: tabs 6,12,18 The command: tabs -10 will set tabs in columns 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, and 71. LIMITATIONS There is no consistency among different terminals regarding ways of clearing tabs and setting the left margin. January 1992 3
tabs(1) tabs(1)It is generally impossible to change the left margin usefully without also setting tabs. The tabs command clears only 20 tabs (on terminals requiring a long sequence), but is willing to set 64. STATUS MESSAGES AND VALUES illegal tabs When arbitrary tabs are ordered incorrectly. illegal increment When a zero or missing increment is found in an arbitrary specification. unknown tab code When a predefined code cannot be found, where predefined codes include: -a-a2-c-c2-c3-f-p-s-u can't open If the --file option is used, and file can't be opened. file indirection If the --file option is used and the specification in that file points to yet another file. Indirection of this form is not permitted. FILES /usr/bin/tabs Executable file SEE ALSO nroff(1), pr(1), tset(1) term(4), environ(5) in A/UX Programmer's Reference 4 January 1992