fspec(4)							   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  processed 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 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:

		      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 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  specifi-
		  cation 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
       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							    3 Jul 1990								  fspec(4)