VIS(1)                      386BSD Reference Manual                     VIS(1)

NAME
     vis - display non-printable characters in a visual format

SYNOPSIS
     vis [-cbflnostw] [-F foldwidth] [file ...]

DESCRIPTION
     Vis is a filter for converting non-printable characters into a visual
     representation.  It differs from `cat -v' in that the form is unique and
     invertible.  By default, all non-graphic characters except space, tab,
     and newline are encoded.  A detailed description of the various visual
     formats is given in vis(3).

     Options supported by vis:

     -b      Turns off prepending of backslash before up-arrow control
             sequences and meta characters, and disables the doubling of
             backslashes.  This produces output which is neither invertible or
             precise, but does represent a minimum of change to the input.  It
             is similar to ``cat -v''.

     -c      Request a format which displays a small subset of the non-
             printable characters using C-style backslash sequences.

     -F      Causes vis to fold output lines to foldwidth columns (default
             80), like fold(1),  except that a hidden newline sequence is
             used, (which is removed when inverting the file back to its
             original form with unvis(1)).  If the last character in the
             encoded file does not end in a newline, a hidden newline sequence
             is appended to the output.  This makes the output usuable with
             various editors and other utilities which typically don't work
             with partial lines.

     -f      Same as -F.

     -l      Mark newlines with the visable sequence `\$', followed by the
             newline.

     -n      Turns off any encoding, except for the fact that backslashes are
             still doubled and hidden newline sequences inserted if -f or -F
             is selected.  When combined with the -f flag, vis becomes like an
             invertible version of the fold(1) utility.  That is, the output
             can be unfolded by running the output through

     -o      Request a format which displays non-printable characters as an
             octal number, \ddd.

     -s      Only characters considered unsafe to send to a terminal are
             encoded.  This flag allows backspace, bell, and carriage return
             in addition to the default space, tab and newline.  unvis(1).

     -t      Tabs are also encoded.

     -w      White space (space-tab-newline) is also encoded.

SEE ALSO
     unvis(1) vis(3)

HISTORY
     The vis command is currently under development.

BSD Experimental                April 23, 1991                               1