NL(1) (Directory and File Management Utilities) NL(1)
NAME
nl - line numbering filter
SYNOPSIS
nl [-htype] [-btype] [-ftype] [-vstart#] [-iincr] [-p]
[-lnum] [-ssep] [-wwidth] [-nformat] [-ddelim] 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:
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NL(1) (Directory and File Management Utilities) NL(1)
-btype Specifies which logical page body lines are to be
numbered. Recognized types and their meaning are:
-htype Same as -btype except for header. Default type
for logical page header is n (no lines numbered).
a number all lines
t number lines with printable text only
n no line numbering
pstringnumber only lines that contain the regular expression
specified in string.
Default type for logical page body is t (text
lines numbered).
-ftype Same as -btype except for footer. Default for
logical page footer is n (no lines numbered).
-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.
-p Do not restart numbering at logical page
delimiters.
-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.
-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.
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NL(1) (Directory and File Management Utilities) NL(1)
-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).
-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
The command:
nl -v10 -i10 -d!+ file1
will number file1 starting at line number 10 with an
increment of ten. The logical page delimiters are !+.
SEE ALSO
pr(1).
Page 3 May 1989