Ubuntu Manpage: columns - Columnize Input Text

NAME

       columns - Columnize Input Text

SYNOPSIS

       columns [-flags] [-flag [value]] [--option-name[[=| ]value]]

       All arguments must be options.

DESCRIPTION

       There is no description for this command.

OPTIONS

Specify the output dimensions
-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, including 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 output.

-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.

--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.

Specify how to lay out the text
--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. Without this option, columns will attempt to
widen columns to fill the full width.

--fill Fill lines with input. This option must not appear in combination with any of the following
options: spread, col_width, by_columns.

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, unless the output is sorted. With sorted output,
blank lines are ignored.

-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. If its length exceeds "indent",
then it will be emitted on a line by itself, suffixed by any line separation string. For example:

$ columns --first='#define TABLE' -c 2 -I4 --line=' ´ <<_EOF_
one
two
three
four
_EOF_
#define TABLE one two three four

-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.

--ending=end-str
string at end of last line.

This option puts the specified string at the end of the output.

Specify the ordering of the entries
--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.

-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.

Redirecting stdin to an alternate file
-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 usage information and exit.

-!, --more-help
Pass the extended usage information through a pager.

-> [cfgfile], --save-opts [=cfgfile]
Save the option state to cfgfile. The default is the last configuration file listed in the OPTION
PRESETS section, below. The command will exit after updating the config file.

-< cfgfile, --load-opts=cfgfile, --no-load-opts
Load options from cfgfile. The no-load-opts form will disable the loading of earlier
config/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 loading 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.

ENVIRONMENT

       See OPTION PRESETS for configuration environment variables.

FILES

       See OPTION PRESETS for configuration files.

EXIT STATUS

       One of the following exit values will be returned:

       0  (EXIT_SUCCESS)
              Successful program execution.

       1  (EXIT_FAILURE)
              The operation failed or the command syntax was not valid.

       66  (EX_NOINPUT)
              A specified configuration file could not be loaded.

       70  (EX_SOFTWARE)
              libopts    had    an    internal    operational    error.     Please   report   it   to   autogen-
              users@lists.sourceforge.net.  Thank you.

AUTHORS

       Bruce Korb

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright  (C) 1999-2017 Bruce Korb all rights reserved.  This program is released under the terms of the
       GNU General Public License, version 3 or later.

BUGS

       Please send bug reports to: autogen-users@lists.sourceforge.net

NOTES

       This manual page was AutoGen-erated from the columns option definitions.