1COL(1)                           User Commands                          COL(1)
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NAME

6       col - filter reverse line feeds from input
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SYNOPSIS

9       col [options]
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DESCRIPTION

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.
14       It  also  replaces  any whitespace characters with tabs where possible.
15       This can be useful in processing the output of nroff(1) and tbl(1).
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17       col reads from standard input and writes to standard output.
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OPTIONS

20       -b, --no-backspaces
21              Do not output any backspaces, printing only the  last  character
22              written to each column position.
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24       -f, --fine
25              Permit  half-forward  line  feeds.  Normally characters destined
26              for a half-line boundary are printed on the following line.
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28       -h, --tabs
29              Output tabs instead of multiple spaces.
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31       -l, --lines number
32              Buffer at least number lines in memory.  By default,  128  lines
33              are buffered.
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35       -p, --pass
36              Force  unknown control sequences to be passed through unchanged.
37              Normally col will filter out any control  sequences  other  than
38              those  recognized  and  interpreted  by itself, which are listed
39              below.
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41       -x, --spaces
42              Output multiple spaces instead of tabs.
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44       -V, --version
45              Display version information and exit.
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47       -H, --help
48              Display help text and exit.
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NOTES

51       The control sequences for carriage  motion  that  col  understands  and
52       their decimal values are listed in the following table:
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54              ESC-7             reverse line feed (escape then 7)
55              ESC-8             half reverse line feed (escape then 8)
56              ESC-9             half forward line feed (escape then 9)
57              backspace         moves  back  one  column  (8);  ignored in the
58                                first column
59              newline           forward line feed  (10);  also  does  carriage
60                                return
61              carriage return   (13)
62              shift in          shift to normal character set (15)
63              shift out         shift to alternate character set (14)
64              space             moves forward one column (32)
65              tab               moves forward to next tab stop (9)
66              vertical tab      reverse line feed (11)
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68       All unrecognized control characters and escape sequences are discarded.
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70       col  keeps  track of the character set as characters are read and makes
71       sure the character set is correct when they are output.
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73       If the input attempts to back up to the last  flushed  line,  col  will
74       display a warning message.
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SEE ALSO

77       expand(1), nroff(1), tbl(1)
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STANDARDS

80       The  col  utility conforms to the Single UNIX Specification, Version 2.
81       The -l option is an extension to the standard.
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HISTORY

84       A col command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.
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AVAILABILITY

87       The col command is part of the util-linux package and is available from
88       Linux   Kernel   Archive  ⟨https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-
89       linux/⟩.
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93util-linux                         July 2014                            COL(1)