FSPEC(F)                                   UNIX System V



     Name
          fspec - format specification in text files


     Description
          It is sometimes convenient to maintain  text  files  on  the
          UNIX  system  with  non-standard tabs, (i.e., tabs which are
          not set at every eighth column).  Such files must  generally
          be  converted  to a standard format, frequently by replacing
          all tabs with the appropriate number of spaces, before  they
          can   be  processed  by  UNIX  system  commands.   A  format
          specification occurring in the first line  of  a  text  file
          specifies  how  tabs  are to be expanded in the remainder of
          the file.

          A format specification consists of a sequence of  parameters
          separated  by  blanks  and surrounded by the brackets <: and
          :>.   Each  parameter  consists  of  a  keyletter,  possibly
          followed  immediately  by a value.  The following parameters
          are recognized:

            ttabs    The t parameter specifies the  tab  settings  for
                     the  file.   The value of tabs must be one of the
                     following:

                       1. a  list  of  column  numbers  separated   by
                          commas, indicating tabs set at the specified
                          columns;

                       2. a - followed immediately by  an  integer  n,
                          indicating tabs at intervals of n columns;

                       3. a - followed by the name of a ``canned'' tab
                          specification.

                     Standard  tabs   are   specified   by   t-8,   or
                     equivalently,  t1,9,17,25,  etc.  The canned tabs
                     which are recognized are defined by  the  tabs(C)
                     command.

            ssize    The s parameter specifies a  maximum  line  size.
                     The  value  of  size  must  be  an integer.  Size
                     checking  is  performed  after  tabs  have   been
                     expanded, but before the margin is prepended.

            mmargin  The m parameter specifies a number of  spaces  to
                     be  prepended  to each line.  The value of margin
                     must be an integer.

            d        The d parameter takes  no  value.   Its  presence
                     indicates  that  the  line  containing the format
                     specification is to be deleted from the converted
                     file.

            e        The e parameter takes  no  value.   Its  presence
                     indicates  that  the current format is to prevail
                     only  until  another  format   specification   is
                     encountered in the file.

          Default  values,  which  are  assumed  for  parameters   not
          supplied,  are  t-8  and  m0.   If  the  s  parameter is not
          specified, no size checking is performed.  If the first line
          of a file does not contain a format specification, the above
          defaults are assumed for the entire file.  The following  is
          an example of a line containing a format specification:

                * <:t5,10,15 s72:> *

          If a format specification can be disguised as a comment,  it
          is not necessary to code the d parameter.


     See Also
          ed(C), newform(C), tabs(C)


     (printed 8/23/89)                                  FSPEC(F)