tbl(1)tbl(1)NAMEtbl - formats tables for nroff
SYNOPSIStbl [file...]
OPTIONS
Produces output without fractional line motions. You use this option
when the destination output device or printer or post-filter cannot
handle fractional line motions. Reads in ms macros prior to table for‐
matting. Reads in the mm macros prior to table formatting, if your
system has the *roff mm macros installed.
DESCRIPTION
The tbl preprocessor is used for formatting tables for nroff. When you
run tbl, the input files are copied to standard output, except for
lines between the .TS (table start) and .TE (table end) command lines.
All lines between the .TS and .TE command lines are assumed to describe
a table and are reformatted.
If no arguments are given, tbl reads from standard input, so it can be
used as a filter. When tbl is used with neqn or other equation format‐
ting *roff tools, the tbl command should be invoked first to minimize
the volume of data passed through the pipes.
EXAMPLES
The following examples show tables that have been coded using tbl
macros and the results after you run tbl to format the table. .TS
tab(@); c s s c c s c c c l n n. Household Population Town@Households
@Number@Size Bedminster@789@3.26 Bernards Twp.@3087@3.74
Bernardsville@2018@3.30 Bound Brook@3425@3.04 Branchburg@1644@3.49
Bridgewater@7897@3.81 Far Hills@240@3.19 .TE
When formatted by tbl and then nroff, the output is as follows:
Household Population
Town Households
Number Size Bedminster 789 3.26
Bernards Twp. 3087 3.74 Bernardsville 2018 3.30
Bound Brook 3425 3.04 Branchburg 1644 3.49
Bridgewater 7897 3.81 Far Hills 240 3.19 The
following example shows how to specify column widths using the w
column option. The width of a column must be large enough to
contain it's anticipated data. Multiple line column entries are
controlled by T{ and T}.
.TS tab(@); cw(.5i) lw(1.2i) lw(3.0i). Return@Error@Description
_ 0@@Successful completion. 1@ENOM@T{ Insufficient memory
exists to create this object. Multiple lines can be written in
text surrounded by T braces. T} 2@EINVAL@The value specified is
invalid. .TE
When formatted by tbl and then nroff, the output is as follows:
Return Error Description
_________________________________________________________________
0 Successful completion.
1 ENOM Insufficient memory exists to create
this object. Multiple lines can be
written in text surrounded by T
braces.
2 EINVAL The value specified is invalid.
SEE ALSOneqn(1), nroff(1), ms(5)tbl(1)
