tbl(1)									tbl(1)

NAME
       tbl - format tables for nroff

SYNOPSIS
       [file ...]

DESCRIPTION
       is  a  preprocessor  that formats tables for nroff(1).  The input files
       are copied to the standard output, except for lines between and command
       lines,  which  are  assumed  to describe tables and are re-formatted by
       (The and command lines are not altered by

       is followed by global options.  The available global options are:

	      center the table (default is left-adjust);
	      make the table as wide as the current line length;
	      enclose the table in a box;
	      enclose the table in a double box;
	      enclose each item of the table in a box;
	      use the character
			x instead of a tab to separate	items  in  a  line  of
			input data.

       The global options, if any, are terminated with a semi-colon

       Next  come lines describing the format of each line of the table.  Each
       such format line describes one line of the actual  table,  except  that
       the  last  format  line	(which	must  end with a period) describes all
       remaining lines of the table.  Each column of each line of the table is
       described  by  a	 single	 key-letter, optionally followed by specifiers
       that determine the font and point size of the corresponding item, indi‐
       cate  where  vertical  bars are to appear between columns, or determine
       column width, inter-column spacing,  etc.   The	available  key-letters
       are:
	      center item within the column;
	      right-adjust item within the column;
	      left-adjust item within the column;
	      numerically adjust item in the column:
		     units positions of numbers are aligned vertically;
	      span previous item on the left into this column;
	      center longest line in this column,
		     then  left-adjust	all  other  lines  in this column with
		     respect to that centered line;
	      span down previous entry in this column;
	      replace this entry with a horizontal line;
	      replace this entry with a double horizontal line.

       The characters and stand for the bold  (font  position  3)  and	italic
       (font position 2) fonts, respectively; the character indicates a verti‐
       cal line between columns.

       The format lines are followed by lines containing the actual  data  for
       the  table,  followed finally by Within such data lines, data items are
       normally separated by tab characters.

       If a data line consists of only or a single  or	double	line,  respec‐
       tively,	is drawn across the table at that point; if a single item in a
       data line consists of only or then that item is replaced by a single or
       double line.

       The  option  forces  to use only full vertical line motions, making the
       output more suitable for devices that cannot generate partial  vertical
       line motions (such as line printers).

       If no file names are given as arguments (or if is specified as the last
       argument), reads the standard input, and thus can be used as a  filter.
       When  used  with	 should	 be  used first to minimize the volume of data
       passed through pipes (see neqn(1)).

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
   Environment Variables
       determines the interpretation of	 text  as  single-  and/or  multi-byte
       characters.

       determines the radix character used in numerical data.

       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, behaves as if all interna‐
	      tionalization variables are set to "C".  See environ(5).

   International Code Set Support
       Single- and multi-byte character code sets are supported.

EXAMPLES
       If we redefine the tab character to a semicolon, then the input:

       yields:

			   ┌──────────────────────────────┐
			   │	Household Population	  │
			   ├──────────────┬───────────────┤
			   │	Town	  │  Households	  │
			   │		  │ Number   Size │
			   ├──────────────┼───────────────┤
			   │Bedminster	  │   789    3.26 │
			   │Bernards Twp. │  3087    3.74 │
			   │Bernardsville │  2018    3.30 │
			   │Bound Brook	  │  3425    3.04 │
			   │Bridgewater	  │  7897    3.81 │
			   │Far Hills	  │   240    3.19 │
			   └──────────────┴───────────────┘
       The command is used most often with and (see col(1)).  A	 common	 usage
       is:

WARNINGS
       See WARNINGS under nroff(1).

SEE ALSO
       col(1), mm(1), neqn(1), nroff(1), soelim(1), mm(5).

									tbl(1)

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