1COL(1) User Commands COL(1)
2
6 col - filter reverse line feeds from input
7
9 col [options]
10
12 col filters out reverse (and half-reverse) line feeds so the output is
13 in the correct order with only forward and half-forward line feeds, and
14 replaces white-space characters with tabs where possible. This can be
15 useful in processing the output of nroff(1) and tbl(1).
16 col reads from standard input and writes to standard output.
18
20 -b, --no-backspaces
21 Do not output any backspaces, printing only the last character
22 written to each column position.
23 -f, --fine
25 Forward half line feeds are permitted fine mode. Normally char‐
26 acters printed on a half-line boundary are printed on the fol‐
27 lowing line.
28 -p, --pass
30 Force unknown control sequences to be passed through unchanged.
31 Normally, col will filter out any control sequences from the
32 input other than those recognized and interpreted by itself,
33 which are listed below.
34 -h, --tabs
36 Output tabs instead of multiple spaces.
37 -x, --spaces
39 Output multiple spaces instead of tabs.
40 -l, --lines number
42 Buffer at least number lines in memory. By default, 128 lines
43 are buffered.
44 -V, --version
46 Output version information and exit.
47 -H, --help
49 Output help and exit.
50
52 The control sequences for carriage motion that col understands and
53 their decimal values are listed in the following table:
54 ESC-7 reverse line feed (escape then 7)
56 ESC-8 half reverse line feed (escape then 8)
57 ESC-9 half forward line feed (escape then 9)
58 backspace moves back one column (8); ignored in the
59 first column
60 newline forward line feed (10); also does carriage
61 return
62 carriage return [22m(13)
63 shift in shift to normal character set (15)
64 shift out shift to alternate character set (14)
65 space moves forward one column (32)
66 tab moves forward to next tab stop (9)
67 vertical tab reverse line feed (11)
68 All unrecognized control characters and escape sequences are discarded.
70 col keeps track of the character set as characters are read and makes
72 sure the character set is correct when they are output.
73 If the input attempts to back up to the last flushed line, col will
75 display a warning message.
76
78 expand(1), nroff(1), tbl(1)
79
81 The col utility conforms to the Single UNIX Specification, Version 2.
82 The -l option is an extension to the standard.
83
85 A col command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.
86
88 The col command is part of the util-linux package and is available from
89 Linux Kernel Archive ⟨ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-
90 linux/⟩.
91util-linux September 2011 COL(1)