File Formats                                             fspec(4)



NAME
     fspec - format specification in text files

DESCRIPTION
     It is sometimes convenient to maintain  text  files  on  the
     system  with  non-standard  tabs,  (tabs that 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  pro-
     cessed  by 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  fol-
     lowed  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:

                    o    A list of column  numbers  separated  by
                         commas,   indicating  tabs  set  at  the
                         specified columns.

                    o    A '-' followed immediately by an integer
                         n,  indicating  tabs  at  intervals of n
                         columns.

                    o    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
                that 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 check-
                ing 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.






SunOS 5.11           Last change: 3 Jul 1990                    1






File Formats                                             fspec(4)



     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  sup-
     plied,  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 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
     ed(1), newform(1), tabs(1)


























SunOS 5.11           Last change: 3 Jul 1990                    2