1COLUMNS(1) Programmer's Manual COLUMNS(1)
2
6 columns - Columnize Input Text
7
9 columns [-flag [value]]... [--opt-name [[=| ]value]]...
10 All arguments must be options.
12
14 This manual page briefly documents the columns command. This program
15 was designed for the purpose of generating compact, columnized tables.
16 It will read a list of text items from standard in or a specified input
17 file and produce a columnized listing of all the non-blank lines.
18 Leading white space on each line is preserved, but trailing white space
19 is stripped. Methods of applying per-entry and per-line embellishments
20 are provided. See the formatting and separation arguments below.
21 This program is used by AutoGen to help clean up and organize its out‐
23 put.
24
26 -W num, --width=num
27 Maximum Line Width. This option takes an integer number as its
28 argument. The value of num is constrained to being:
29 in the range 16 through 4095
30 The default num for this option is:
31 79
32 This option specifies the full width of the output line, includ‐
34 ing any start-of-line indentation. The output will fill each
35 line as completely as possible, unless the column width has been
36 explicitly specified. If the maximum width is less than the
37 length of the widest input, you will get a single column of out‐
38 put.
39 -c count, --columns=count
41 Desired number of columns. This option takes an integer number
42 as its argument. The value of count is constrained to being:
43 in the range 1 through 2048
44 The default count for this option is:
45 0
46 Use this option to specify exactly how many columns to produce.
48 If that many columns will not fit within line_width, then the
49 count will be reduced to the number that fit.
50 -w num, --col-width=num
52 Set width of each column. This option takes an integer number
53 as its argument. The value of num is constrained to being:
54 in the range 1 through 2048
55 The default num for this option is:
56 0
57 Use this option to specify exactly how many characters are to be
59 allocated for each column. If it is narrower than the widest
60 entry, it will be over-ridden with the required width.
61 --spread=num
63 maximum spread added to column width. This option takes an
64 integer number as its argument. The value of num is constrained
65 to being:
66 in the range 1 through 1024
67 The default num for this option is:
68 0
69 Use this option to specify exactly how many characters may be
71 added to each column. It allows you to prevent columns from
72 becoming too far apart.
73 --fill Fill lines with input. This option must not appear in combina‐
75 tion with any of the following options: spread, col_width, sepa‐
76 ration, line_separation, by_columns, sort.
77 Instead of columnizing the input text, fill the output lines
79 with the input lines. Blank lines on input will cause a blank
80 line in the output.
81 -I l-pfx, --indent=l-pfx
83 Line prefix or indentation.
84 If a number, then this many spaces will be inserted at the start
86 of every line. Otherwise, it is a line prefix that will be
87 inserted at the start of every line.
88 --first-indent=l-pfx
90 First line prefix. This option must appear in combination with
91 the following options: indent.
92 If a number, then this many spaces will be inserted at the start
94 of the first line. Otherwise, it is a line prefix that will be
95 inserted at the start of that line.
96 --tab-width=num
98 tab width. This option takes an integer number as its argument.
99 The default num for this option is:
100 8
101 If an indentation string contains tabs, then this value is used
103 to compute the ending column of the prefix string.
104 -s key-pat, --sort[=key-pat]
106 Sort input text.
107 Causes the input text to be sorted. If an argument is supplied,
109 it is presumed to be a pattern and the sort is based upon the
110 matched text. If the pattern starts with or consists of an
111 asterisk (*), then the sort is case insensitive.
112 -f fmt-str, --format=fmt-str
114 Formatting string for each input.
115 If you need to reformat each input text, the argument to this
117 option is interpreted as an sprintf(3) format that is used to
118 produce each output entry.
119 -S sep-str, --separation=sep-str
121 Separation string - follows all but last.
122 Use this option if, for example, you wish a comma to appear
124 after each entry except the last.
125 --line-separation=sep-str
127 string at end of all lines but last.
128 Use this option if, for example, you wish a backslash to appear
130 at the end of every line, except the last.
131 --by-columns
133 Print entries in column order.
134 Normally, the entries are printed out in order by rows and then
136 columns. This option will cause the entries to be ordered
137 within columns. The final column, instead of the final row, may
138 be shorter than the others.
139 -i file, --input=file
141 Input file (if not stdin).
142 This program normally runs as a filter, reading from standard
144 input, columnizing and writing to standard out. This option
145 redirects input to a file.
146 -?, --help
148 Display usage information and exit.
149 -!, --more-help
151 Extended usage information passed thru pager.
152 -> [rcfile], --save-opts[=rcfile]
154 Save the option state to rcfile. The default is the last con‐
155 figuration file listed in the OPTION PRESETS section, below.
156 -< rcfile, --load-opts=rcfile, --no-load-opts
158 Load options from rcfile. The no-load-opts form will disable
159 the loading of earlier RC/INI files. --no-load-opts is handled
160 early, out of order.
161 -v [{v|c|n}], --version[={v|c|n}]
163 Output version of program and exit. The default mode is `v', a
164 simple version. The `c' mode will print copyright information
165 and `n' will print the full copyright notice.
166
168 Any option that is not marked as not presettable may be preset by load‐
169 ing values from configuration ("RC" or ".INI") file(s) and values from
170 environment variables named:
171 COLUMNS_<option-name> or COLUMNS
172 The environmental presets take precedence (are processed later than)
173 the configuration files. The homerc files are ".", and "$HOME". If
174 any of these are directories, then the file .columnsrc is searched for
175 within those directories.
176
178 This program is documented more fully in the Columns section of the
179 Add-On chapter in the AutoGen Info system documentation.
180
182 Bruce Korb
183 Please send bug reports to: autogen-users@lists.sourceforge.net
184 Released under the GNU General Public License.
187 This manual page was AutoGen-erated from the columns option defini‐
189 tions.
190(GNU AutoGen 1.2) 2009-08-10 COLUMNS(1)