NAME

       columns - Columnize Input Text

SYNOPSIS

       columns [-flags] [-flag [value]] [--option-name[[=| ]value]]

       All arguments must be options.

DESCRIPTION

       There is no description for this command.

OPTIONS

   Specify the output dimensions
       -W num, --width=num 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.

       -c count, --columns=count 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.

       -w num, --col-width=num 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=num 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.

          Specify how to lay out the text

       --spread=num 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 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.

       -I l-pfx, --indent=l-pfx 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-indent=l-pfx 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

       -f fmt-str, --format=fmt-str 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.

       -S sep-str, --separation=sep-str Separation string - follows all but last.

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

       --line-separation=sep-str 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.

       --ending=end-str string at end of last line.

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

          Specify the ordering of the entries

       --by-columns 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.

       -s key-pat, --sort [key-pat] 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.

          Redirecting stdin to an alternate file

       -i file, --input=file 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.

       -?, --help Display usage information and exit.

       -!, --more-help Pass the extended usage information through a pager.

       -> [cfgfile], --save-opts [=cfgfile] 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.

       -< cfgfile, --load-opts=cfgfile, --no-load-opts 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.

       -v [{v|c|n --version [{v|c|n}]}] 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.

       OPTION PRESETS
              Any  option  that  is  not  marked  as  not  presettable  may  be  preset  by  loading values from
              configuration ("RC" or ".INI") file(s) and values from environment variables named:
                COLUMNS_<option-name> or COLUMNS
              The environmental presets take precedence (are processed later than) the configuration files.  The
              homerc files are ".", and "$HOME".  If any of these are directories, then the file  .columnsrc  is
              searched for within those directories.

ENVIRONMENT

       See OPTION PRESETS for configuration environment variables.

FILES

       See OPTION PRESETS for configuration files.

EXIT STATUS

       One of the following exit values will be returned:

       0  (EXIT_SUCCESS) Successful program execution.

       1  (EXIT_FAILURE) The operation failed or the command syntax was not valid.

       66  (EX_NOINPUT) A specified configuration file could not be loaded.

       70  (EX_SOFTWARE) libopts had an internal operational error.  Please report it to autogen-
       users@lists.sourceforge.net.  Thank you.

       SEE ALSO
              This  program is documented more fully in the Columns section of the Add-On chapter in the AutoGen
              Info system documentation.

AUTHORS

       Bruce Korb

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (C) 1999-2017 Bruce Korb all rights reserved.  This program is released under the terms of  the
       GNU General Public License, version 3 or later.

BUGS

       Please send bug reports to: autogen-users@lists.sourceforge.net

NOTES

       This manual page was AutoGen-erated from the columns option definitions.

GNU AutoGen (1.2)                                  2024-04-22                                         columns(1)