COLUMNS(1) Programmer's Manual COLUMNS(1)NAMEcolumns - Columnize Input Text
SYNOPSIScolumns [-flag [value]]... [--opt-name [[=| ]value]]...
All arguments must be options.
DESCRIPTION
This manual page briefly documents the columns command. This program
was designed for the purpose of generating compact, columnized tables.
It will read a list of text items from standard in or a specified input
file and produce a columnized listing of all the non-blank lines.
Leading white space on each line is preserved, but trailing white space
is stripped. Methods of applying per-entry and per-line embellishments
are provided. See the formatting and separation arguments below.
This program is used by AutoGen to help clean up and organize its out‐
put.
OPTIONS-W num, --width=num
Maximum Line Width. This option takes an integer number as its
argument. The value of num is constrained to being:
in the range 16 through 4095
The default num for this option is:
79
This option specifies the full width of the output line, includ‐
ing any start-of-line indentation. The output will fill each
line as completely as possible, unless the column width has been
explicitly specified. If the maximum width is less than the
length of the widest input, you will get a single column of out‐
put.
-c count, --columns=count
Desired number of columns. This option takes an integer number
as its argument. The value of count is constrained to being:
in the range 1 through 2048
The default count for this option is:
0
Use this option to specify exactly how many columns to produce.
If that many columns will not fit within line_width, then the
count will be reduced to the number that fit.
-w num, --col-width=num
Set width of each column. This option takes an integer number
as its argument. The value of num is constrained to being:
in the range 1 through 2048
The default num for this option is:
0
Use this option to specify exactly how many characters are to be
allocated for each column. If it is narrower than the widest
entry, it will be over-ridden with the required width.
--spread=num
maximum spread added to column width. This option takes an
integer number as its argument. The value of num is constrained
to being:
in the range 1 through 1024
The default num for this option is:
0
Use this option to specify exactly how many characters may be
added to each column. It allows you to prevent columns from
becoming too far apart.
--fill Fill lines with input. This option must not appear in combina‐
tion with any of the following options: spread, col_width, sepa‐
ration, line_separation, by_columns, sort.
Instead of columnizing the input text, fill the output lines
with the input lines. Blank lines on input will cause a blank
line in the output.
-I l-pfx, --indent=l-pfx
Line prefix or indentation.
If a number, then this many spaces will be inserted at the start
of every line. Otherwise, it is a line prefix that will be
inserted at the start of every line.
--first-indent=l-pfx
First line prefix. This option must appear in combination with
the following options: indent.
If a number, then this many spaces will be inserted at the start
of the first line. Otherwise, it is a line prefix that will be
inserted at the start of that line.
--tab-width=num
tab width. This option takes an integer number as its argument.
The default num for this option is:
8
If an indentation string contains tabs, then this value is used
to compute the ending column of the prefix string.
-s key-pat, --sort[=key-pat]
Sort input text.
Causes the input text to be sorted. If an argument is supplied,
it is presumed to be a pattern and the sort is based upon the
matched text. If the pattern starts with or consists of an
asterisk (*), then the sort is case insensitive.
-f fmt-str, --format=fmt-str
Formatting string for each input.
If you need to reformat each input text, the argument to this
option is interpreted as an sprintf(3) format that is used to
produce each output entry.
-S sep-str, --separation=sep-str
Separation string - follows all but last.
Use this option if, for example, you wish a comma to appear
after each entry except the last.
--line-separation=sep-str
string at end of all lines but last.
Use this option if, for example, you wish a backslash to appear
at the end of every line, except the last.
--by-columns
Print entries in column order.
Normally, the entries are printed out in order by rows and then
columns. This option will cause the entries to be ordered
within columns. The final column, instead of the final row, may
be shorter than the others.
-i file, --input=file
Input file (if not stdin).
This program normally runs as a filter, reading from standard
input, columnizing and writing to standard out. This option
redirects input to a file.
-?, --help
Display extended usage information and exit.
-!, --more-help
Extended usage information passed thru pager.
-> [rcfile], --save-opts[=rcfile]
Save the option state to rcfile. The default is the last con‐
figuration file listed in the OPTION PRESETS section, below.
-< rcfile, --load-opts=rcfile, --no-load-opts
Load options from rcfile. The no-load-opts form will disable
the loading of earlier RC/INI files. --no-load-opts is handled
early, out of order.
-v [{v|c|n}], --version[={v|c|n}]
Output version of program and exit. The default mode is `v', a
simple version. The `c' mode will print copyright information
and `n' will print the full copyright notice.
OPTION PRESETS
Any option that is not marked as not presettable may be preset by load‐
ing values from configuration ("RC" or ".INI") file(s) and values from
environment variables named:
COLUMNS_<option-name> or COLUMNS
The environmental presets take precedence (are processed later than)
the configuration files. The homerc files are ".", and "$HOME". If
any of these are directories, then the file .columnsrc is searched for
within those directories.
SEE ALSO
This program is documented more fully in the Columns section of the
Add-On chapter in the AutoGen Info system documentation.
AUTHOR
Bruce Korb
Please send bug reports to: autogen-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Released under the GNU General Public License.
This manual page was AutoGen-erated from the columns option defini‐
tions.
(GNU AutoGen 1.2) 2010-02-09 COLUMNS(1)
