TBL(1) TBL(1)
NAME
tbl - format tables for nroff or troff
SYNOPSIS
tbl [ file ... ]
DESCRIPTION
Tbl is a preprocessor for formatting tables for nroff or
troff(1). The input files are copied to the standard output,
except for segments of the form
.TS
options ;
format .
data
.T&
format .
data
. . .
.TE
which describe tables and are replaced by troff requests to
lay out the tables. If no arguments are given, tbl reads
the standard input.
The (optional) options line is terminated by a semicolon and
contains one or more of
center center the table; default is left-adjust
expand make table as wide as current line length
box
doublebox enclose the table in a box or double box
allbox enclose every item in a box
tab(x) use x to separate input items; default is
tab
linesize(n) set rules in n-point type
delim(xy) recognize x and y as eqn(1) delimiters
Each line, except the last, of the obligatory format
describes one row of the table. The last line describes all
rows until the next .T&, where the format changes, or the
end of the table at .TE. A format is specified by key let-
ters, one per column, either upper or lower case:
L Left justify: the default for columns without for-
mat keys.
R Right justify.
C Center.
N Numeric: align at decimal point (inferred for
integers) or at `\&'.
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TBL(1) TBL(1)
S Span: extend previous column across this one.
A Alphabetic: left-aligned within column, widest
item centered, indented relative to L rows.
^ Vertical span: continue item from previous row
into this row.
- Draw a horizontal rule in this column.
= Draw a double horizontal rule in this column.
Key letters may be followed by modifiers, also either case:
| Draw vertical rule between columns.
|| Draw a double vertical rule between columns.
n Gap between column is n ens wide. Default is 3.
Ffont Use specified font. B and I mean FB and FI.
T Begin vertically-spanned item at top row of
range; default is vertical centering (with `^').
Pn Use point size n.
Vn Use n-point vertical spacing in text block;
signed n means relative change.
W(n) Column width as a troff width specification.
Parens are optional if n is a simple integer.
E Equalize the widths of all columns marked E.
Each line of data becomes one row of the table; tabs sepa-
rate items. Lines beginning with `.' are troff requests.
Certain special data items are recognized:
_ Draw a horizontal rule in this column.
= Draw a double horizontal rule in this column. A
data line consisting of a single `_' or `=' draws
the rule across the whole table.
\_ Draw a rule only as wide as the contents of the
column.
\Rx Repeat character x across the column.
\^ Span the previous item in this column down into
this row.
T{ The item is a text block to be separately format-
ted by troff and placed in the table. The block
continues to the next line beginning with T}. The
remainder of the data line follows at that point.
When it is used in a pipeline with eqn, the tbl command
should be first, to minimize the volume of data passed
through pipes.
EXAMPLES
Let <tab> represent a tab (which should be typed as a gen-
uine tab).
.TS
c s s
c c s
c c c
Page 2 Plan 9 (printed 12/31/24)
TBL(1) TBL(1)
l n n.
Household Population
Town<tab>Households
<tab>Number<tab>Size
Bedminster<tab>789<tab>3.26
Bernards Twp.<tab>3087<tab>3.74
Bernardsville<tab>2018<tab>3.30
.TE
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
SOURCE
/sys/src/cmd/tbl
SEE ALSO
troff(1), eqn(1), doctype(1)
M. E. Lesk and L. L. Cherry, ``TBL-a Program to Format
Tables'', Unix Research System Programmer's Manual, Tenth
Edition, Volume 2.
Page 3 Plan 9 (printed 12/31/24)