FSPEC(4)							      FSPEC(4)

NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

     fspec - format specification in text files

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

     It	is sometimes convenient	to maintain text files on the UNIX system with
     non-standard tabs,	(i.e., tabs which are not set at every eighth column).
     Such files	must generally be converted to a standard format, frequently
     by	replacing all tabs with	the appropriate	number of spaces, before they
     can be processed by UNIX system commands.	A format specification
     occurring in the first line of a text file	specifies how tabs are to be
     expanded in the remainder of the file.

     A format specification consists of	a sequence of parameters separated by
     blanks and	surrounded by the brackets <: and :>.  Each parameter consists
     of	a keyletter, possibly followed immediately by a	value.	The following
     parameters	are recognized:

       ttabs	The t parameter	specifies the tab settings for the file.  The
		value of tabs must be one of the following:

		  1. a list of column numbers separated	by commas, indicating
		     tabs set at the specified columns;

		  2. a - followed immediately by an integer n, indicating tabs
		     at	intervals of n columns;

		  3. a - followed by the name of a ``canned'' tab
		     specification.

		Standard tabs are specified by t-8, or equivalently,
		t1,9,17,25,etc.	 The canned tabs which are recognized are
		defined	by the tabs(1) command.

       ssize	The s parameter	specifies a maximum line size.	The value of
		size must be an	integer.  Size checking	is performed after
		tabs have been expanded, but before the	margin is prepended.

       mmargin	The m parameter	specifies a number of spaces to	be prepended
		to each	line.  The value of margin must	be an integer.

       d	The d parameter	takes no value.	 Its presence indicates	that
		the line containing the	format specification is	to be deleted
		from the converted file.

       e	The e parameter	takes no value.	 Its presence indicates	that
		the current format is to prevail only until another format
		specification is encountered in	the file.

     Default values, which are assumed for parameters not supplied, are	t-8
     and m0.  If the s parameter is not	specified, no size checking is
     performed.	 If the	first line of a	file does not contain a	format
     specification, the	above defaults are assumed for the entire file.	 The



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FSPEC(4)							      FSPEC(4)



     following is an example of	a line containing a format specification:

	   * <:t5,10,15	s72:> *

     If	a format specification can be disguised	as a comment, it is not
     necessary to code the d parameter.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

     ed(1), newform(1),	tabs(1)


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