expand(1)expand(1)NAME
expand, unexpand - expand tabs to spaces, and vice versa
SYNOPSIS
tablist] [file ...]
tablist] [file ...]
Obsolescent:
tabstop] tabn] [file ...]
DESCRIPTION
processes the named files or the standard input and writes to the stan‐
dard output with tabs changed into spaces. Backspace characters are
preserved in the output, and the column count is decreased by one col‐
umn for tab calculations. For proper tab calculation, if a multi-col‐
umn character is to be "backspace'd", it should be followed by multiple
backspace characters which equal to it's column width. If a tab char‐
acter is found after the last tab position, it is replaced by a single
space. is useful for preprocessing character files that contain tabs
(before sorting, looking at specific columns, etc).
recognizes the following command-line options and arguments:
tablist specifies where to set the tab positions instead
of the default tablist can take two forms. If it
is a single number, tabs are set tablist spaces
apart. tablist can also be a blank- or comma-
separated list of increasing positions where tabs
are to be set.
This option is obsolescent and is equivalent to using
This option is obsolescent and is equivalent to using
processes the named files or the standard input and writes to the stan‐
dard output with spaces changed into tabs where possible. By default,
only leading spaces and tabs are converted to maximal strings of tabs.
The default tab position is every 8 characters. Backspace characters
are preserved into the output, and the column count is decreased by one
column for tab calculations. For proper tab calculation, if a multi-
column character is to be "backspace'd", it should be followed by mul‐
tiple backspace characters which equal to it's column width.
recognizes the following command-line options and arguments:
Tabs are inserted whenever they would compress the resultant
file
by replacing two or more spaces before a tab
position.
tablist specifies the tab positions. tablist can take
two forms. If it is a single number, tabs are
set every tablist spaces apart. If tablist is a
blank- or comma-separated list of increasing
positions, tabs are set at those locations. The
option implies the option. If the option is not
specified, the default is equivalent to specify‐
ing except that is not implied for this case.
EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
Environment Variables
determines the interpretation of text as single and/or multi-byte char‐
acters.
determines the language in which messages are displayed.
If or is not specified in the environment or is set to the empty
string, the value of is used as a default for each unspecified or empty
variable. If is not specified or is set to the empty string, a default
of "C" (see lang(5)) is used instead of
If any internationalization variable contains an invalid setting, and
behave as if all internationalization variables are set to "C". See
environ(5).
If is set to a non-empty string value, it overrides the values of all
the other internationalization variables.
International Code Set Support
Single- and multi-byte character code sets are supported with the
exception that do not recognize multi-byte alternative space charac‐
ters.
STANDARDS CONFORMANCEexpand(1)
