columns - Man Page

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.

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.

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. 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.

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 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.

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 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

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.

Separation string - follows all but last.

Use this option if, for example, you wish a comma to appear after each entry except the last.

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.

string at end of last line.

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

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.

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.

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.

Display usage information and exit.

Pass the extended usage information through a pager.

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.

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.

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.