1columns(1) User Commands columns(1)
2
6 columns - Columnize Input Text
7
9 columns [-flags] [-flag [value]] [--option-name[[=| ]value]]
10 All arguments must be options.
12
15 There is no description for this command.
16
18 Specify the output dimensions
19 -W num, --width=num
20 Maximum Line Width. This option takes an integer number as its
21 argument. The value of num is constrained to being:
22 in the range 16 through 4095
23 The default num for this option is:
24 79
25 This option specifies the full width of the output line, includ‐
27 ing any start-of-line indentation. The output will fill each
28 line as completely as possible, unless the column width has been
29 explicitly specified. If the maximum width is less than the
30 length of the widest input, you will get a single column of out‐
31 put.
32 -c count, --columns=count
34 Desired number of columns. This option takes an integer number
35 as its argument. The value of count is constrained to being:
36 in the range 1 through 2048
37 The default count for this option is:
38 0
39 Use this option to specify exactly how many columns to produce.
41 If that many columns will not fit within line_width, then the
42 count will be reduced to the number that fit.
43 -w num, --col-width=num
45 Set width of each column. This option takes an integer number
46 as its argument. The value of num is constrained to being:
47 in the range 1 through 2048
48 The default num for this option is:
49 0
50 Use this option to specify exactly how many characters are to be
52 allocated for each column. If it is narrower than the widest
53 entry, it will be over-ridden with the required width.
54 --tab-width=num
56 tab width. This option takes an integer number as its argument.
57 The default num for this option is:
58 8
59 If an indentation string contains tabs, then this value is used
61 to compute the ending column of the prefix string.
62 Specify how to lay out the text
64 --spread=num
65 maximum spread added to column width. This option takes an in‐
66 teger number as its argument. The value of num is constrained
67 to being:
68 in the range 1 through 1024
69 The default num for this option is:
70 0
71 Use this option to specify exactly how many characters may be
73 added to each column. It allows you to prevent columns from be‐
74 coming too far apart. Without this option, columns will attempt
75 to widen columns to fill the full width.
76 --fill Fill lines with input. This option must not appear in combina‐
78 tion with any of the following options: spread, col_width,
79 by_columns.
80 Instead of columnizing the input text, fill the output lines
82 with the input lines. Blank lines on input will cause a blank
83 line in the output, unless the output is sorted. With sorted
84 output, blank lines are ignored.
85 -I l-pfx, --indent=l-pfx
87 Line prefix or indentation.
88 If a number, then this many spaces will be inserted at the start
90 of every line. Otherwise, it is a line prefix that will be in‐
91 serted at the start of every line.
92 --first-indent=l-pfx
94 First line prefix. This option must appear in combination with
95 the following options: indent.
96 If a number, then this many spaces will be inserted at the start
98 of the first line. Otherwise, it is a line prefix that will be
99 inserted at the start of that line. If its length exceeds "in‐
100 dent", then it will be emitted on a line by itself, suffixed by
101 any line separation string. For example:
102 $ columns --first='#define TABLE' -c 2 -I4 --line=' ´ <<_EOF_
104 one
105 two
106 three
107 four
108 _EOF_
109 #define TABLE one two three four
110 -f fmt-str, --format=fmt-str
112 Formatting string for each input.
113 If you need to reformat each input text, the argument to this
115 option is interpreted as an sprintf(3) format that is used to
116 produce each output entry.
117 -S sep-str, --separation=sep-str
119 Separation string - follows all but last.
120 Use this option if, for example, you wish a comma to appear af‐
122 ter each entry except the last.
123 --line-separation=sep-str
125 string at end of all lines but last.
126 Use this option if, for example, you wish a backslash to appear
128 at the end of every line, except the last.
129 --ending=end-str
131 string at end of last line.
132 This option puts the specified string at the end of the output.
134 Specify the ordering of the entries
136 --by-columns
137 Print entries in column order.
138 Normally, the entries are printed out in order by rows and then
140 columns. This option will cause the entries to be ordered
141 within columns. The final column, instead of the final row, may
142 be shorter than the others.
143 -s key-pat, --sort [key-pat]
145 Sort input text.
146 Causes the input text to be sorted. If an argument is supplied,
148 it is presumed to be a pattern and the sort is based upon the
149 matched text. If the pattern starts with or consists of an as‐
150 terisk (*), then the sort is case insensitive.
151 Redirecting stdin to an alternate file
153 -i file, --input=file
154 Input file (if not stdin).
155 This program normally runs as a filter, reading from standard
157 input, columnizing and writing to standard out. This option
158 redirects input to a file.
159 -?, --help
161 Display usage information and exit.
162 -!, --more-help
164 Pass the extended usage information through a pager.
165 -> [cfgfile], --save-opts [=cfgfile]
167 Save the option state to cfgfile. The default is the last con‐
168 figuration file listed in the OPTION PRESETS section, below.
169 The command will exit after updating the config file.
170 -< cfgfile, --load-opts=cfgfile, --no-load-opts
172 Load options from cfgfile. The no-load-opts form will disable
173 the loading of earlier config/rc/ini files. --no-load-opts is
174 handled early, out of order.
175 -v [{v|c|n --version [{v|c|n}]}]
177 Output version of program and exit. The default mode is `v', a
178 simple version. The `c' mode will print copyright information
179 and `n' will print the full copyright notice.
180
182 Any option that is not marked as not presettable may be preset by load‐
183 ing values from configuration ("RC" or ".INI") file(s) and values from
184 environment variables named:
185 COLUMNS_<option-name> or COLUMNS
186 The environmental presets take precedence (are processed later than)
187 the configuration files. The homerc files are ".", and "$HOME". If
188 any of these are directories, then the file .columnsrc is searched for
189 within those directories.
190
192 See OPTION PRESETS for configuration environment variables.
193
195 See OPTION PRESETS for configuration files.
196
198 One of the following exit values will be returned:
199 0 (EXIT_SUCCESS)
201 Successful program execution.
202 1 (EXIT_FAILURE)
204 The operation failed or the command syntax was not valid.
205 66 (EX_NOINPUT)
207 A specified configuration file could not be loaded.
208 70 (EX_SOFTWARE)
210 libopts had an internal operational error. Please report it to
211 autogen-users@lists.sourceforge.net. Thank you.
212
214 This program is documented more fully in the Columns section of the
215 Add-On chapter in the AutoGen Info system documentation.
216
218 Bruce Korb
219
221 Copyright (C) 1999-2017 Bruce Korb all rights reserved. This program
222 is released under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version
223 3 or later.
224
226 Please send bug reports to: autogen-users@lists.sourceforge.net
227
229 This manual page was AutoGen-erated from the columns option defini‐
230 tions.
231GNU AutoGen (1.2) 19 Jul 2023 columns(1)