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 documents, briefly, 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 default num for this option is:
29 79
30 This option specifies the full width of the output line, includ‐
32 ing any start-of-line indentation. The output will fill each
33 line as completely as possible, unless the column width has been
34 explicitly specified. If the maximum width is less than the
35 length of the widest input, you will get a single column of out‐
36 put.
37 -c count, --columns=count
39 Desired number of columns. This option takes an integer number
40 as its argument. The default count for this option is:
41 0
42 Use this option to specify exactly how many columns to produce.
44 If that many columns will not fit within line_width, then the
45 count will be reduced to the number that fit.
46 -w num, --col-width=num
48 Set width of each column. This option takes an integer number
49 as its argument. The default num for this option is:
50 0
51 Use this option to specify exactly how many characters are to be
53 allocated for each column. If it is narrower than the widest
54 entry, it will be over-ridden with the required width.
55 --spread=num
57 maximum spread added to column width. This option takes an
58 integer number as its argument. The default num for this option
59 is:
60 0
61 Use this option to specify exactly how many characters may be
63 added to each column. It allows you to prevent columns from
64 becoming too far apart.
65 -I l-pfx, --indent=l-pfx
67 Line prefix or indentation.
68 If a number, then this many spaces will be inserted at the start
70 of every line. Otherwise, it is a line prefix that will be
71 inserted at the start of every line.
72 --first-indent=l-pfx
74 First line prefix. This option must appear in combination with
75 the following options: indent.
76 If a number, then this many spaces will be inserted at the start
78 of the first line. Otherwise, it is a line prefix that will be
79 inserted at the start of that line.
80 --tab-width=num
82 tab width. This option takes an integer number as its argument.
83 The default num for this option is:
84 8
85 If an indentation string contains tabs, then this value is used
87 to compute the ending column of the prefix string.
88 -s key-pat, --sort[=key-pat]
90 Sort input text.
91 Causes the input text to be sorted. If an argument is supplied,
93 it is presumed to be a pattern and the sort is based upon the
94 matched text. If the pattern starts with or consists of an
95 asterisk (*), then the sort is case insensitive.
96 -f fmt-str, --format=fmt-str
98 Formatting string for each input.
99 If you need to reformat each input text, the argument to this
101 option is interpreted as an sprintf(3) format that is used to
102 produce each output entry.
103 -S sep-str, --separation=sep-str
105 Separation string - follows all but last.
106 Use this option if, for example, you wish a comma to appear
108 after each entry except the last.
109 --line-separation=sep-str
111 string at end of all lines but last.
112 Use this option if, for example, you wish a backslash to appear
114 at the end of every line, except the last.
115 --by-columns
117 Print entries in column order.
118 Normally, the entries are printed out in order by rows and then
120 columns. This option will cause the entries to be ordered
121 within columns. The final column, instead of the final row, may
122 be shorter than the others.
123 -i file, --input=file
125 Input file (if not stdin).
126 This program normally runs as a filter, reading from standard
128 input, columnizing and writing to standard out. This option
129 redirects input to a file.
130 -?, --help
132 Display usage information and exit.
133 -!, --more-help
135 Extended usage information passed thru pager.
136 -v [{v|c|n}], --version[={v|c|n}]
138 Output version of program and exit. The default mode is `v', a
139 simple version. The `c' mode will print copyright information
140 and `n' will print the full copyright notice.
141
143 This program is documented more fully in the Columns section of the
144 Add-On chapter in the AutoGen Info system documentation.
145
147 Bruce Korb
148 Please send bug reports to: autogen-users@lists.sourceforge.net
149 Released under the GNU General Public License.
152 This manual page was AutoGen-erated from the columns option defini‐
154 tions.
155(GNU AutoGen 1.1) 2007-02-15 COLUMNS(1)