TBL(1) TBL(1)
NAME
tbl - format tables for troff
SYNOPSIS
tbl [ -Cv ] [ files... ]
DESCRIPTION
This manual page describes the GNU version of tbl, which is part of the groff document formatting
system. tbl compiles descriptions of tables embedded within troff input files into commands that are
understood by troff. Normally, it should be invoked using the -t option of groff. It is highly com-patible compatible
patible with Unix tbl. The output generated by GNU tbl cannot be processed with Unix troff; it must
be processed with GNU troff. If no files are given on the command line, the standard input will be
read. A filename of - will cause the standard input to be read.
OPTIONS
-C Enable compatibility mode to recognize .TS and .TE even when followed by a character other
than space or newline. Leader characters (\a) are handled as interpreted.
-v Print the version number.
USAGE
tbl expects to find table descriptions wrapped in the .TS (table start) and .TE (table end) macros.
The line immediately following the .TS macro may contain any of the following global options (ignor-ing (ignoring
ing the case of characters -- Unix tbl only accepts options with all characters lowercase or all
characters uppercase):
center Centers the table (default is left-justified). The alternative keyword name centre is also
recognized (this is a GNU tbl extension).
delim(xy)
Use x and y as start and end delimiters for eqn(1).
expand Makes the table as wide as the current line length.
box Encloses the table in a box.
doublebox
Encloses the table in a double box.
allbox Encloses each item of the table in a box.
frame Same as box (GNU tbl only).
doubleframe
Same as doublebox (GNU tbl only).
tab(x) Uses the character x instead of a tab to separate items in a line of input data.
linesize(n)
Sets lines or rules (e.g. from box) in n-point type.
nokeep Don't use diversions to prevent page breaks (GNU tbl only). Normally tbl attempts to prevent
undesirable breaks in the table by using diversions. This can sometimes interact badly with
macro packages' own use of diversions, when footnotes, for example, are used.
decimalpoint(c)
Set the character to be recognized as the decimal point in numeric columns (GNU tbl only).
nospaces
Ignore leading and trailing spaces in data items (GNU tbl only).
The global options must end with a semicolon. There might be whitespace after an option and its
argument in parentheses.
After global options come lines describing the format of each line of the table. Each such format
line describes one line of the table itself, except that the last format line (which you must end
with a period) describes all remaining lines of the table. A single key character describes each
column of each line of the table. You may run format specs for multiple lines together on the same
line by separating them with commas.
You may follow each key character with specifiers that determine the font and point size of the cor-responding corresponding
responding item, that determine column width, inter-column spacing, etc.
The longest format line defines the number of columns in the table; missing format descriptors at the
end of format lines are assumed to be `L'. Extra columns in the data (which have no corresponding
format entry) are ignored.
The available key characters are:
c,C Centers item within the column.
r,R Right-justifies item within the column.
l,L Left-justifies item within the column.
n,N Numerically justifies item in the column: Units positions of numbers are aligned vertically.
s,S Spans previous item on the left into this column.
a,A Centers longest line in this column and then left-justifies all other lines in this column
with respect to that centered line.
^ Spans down entry from previous row in this column.
_,- Replaces this entry with a horizontal line.
= Replaces this entry with a double horizontal line.
| The corresponding column becomes a vertical rule (if two of these are adjacent, a double ver-tical vertical
tical rule).
A vertical bar to the left of the first key-letter or to the right of the last one produces a line at
the edge of the table.
Here are the specifiers that can appear in suffixes to column key letters:
b,B Short form of fB (make affected entries bold).
i,I Short form of fI (make affected entries italic).
t,T Start an item vertically spanning rows at the top of its range rather than vertically center-ing centering
ing it.
d,D Start an item vertically spanning rows at the bottom of its range rather than vertically cen-tering centering
tering it (GNU tbl only).
v,V Followed by a number, this indicates the vertical line spacing to be used in a multi-line ta-ble table
ble entry. If signed, the current vertical line spacing is incremented or decremented (using
a signed number instead of a signed digit is a GNU tbl extension). A vertical line spacing
specifier followed by a column separation number must be separated by one or more blanks. No
effect if the corresponding table entry isn't a text block.
f,F Either of these specifiers may be followed by a font name (either one or two characters long),
font number (a single digit), or long name in parentheses (the last form is a GNU tbl exten-sion). extension).
sion). A one-letter font name must be separated by one or more blanks from whatever follows.
p,P Followed by a number, this does a point size change for the affected fields. If signed, the
current point size is incremented or decremented (using a signed number instead of a signed
digit is a GNU tbl extension). A point size specifier followed by a column separation number
must be separated by one or more blanks.
w,W Minimal column width value. Must be followed either by a troff(1) width expression in paren-theses parentheses
theses or a unitless integer. If no unit is given, en units are used. Also used as the
default line length for included text blocks. If used multiple times to specify the width for
a particular column, the last entry takes effect.
x,X This is a GNU tbl extension. Either of these specifiers may be followed by a macro name
(either one or two characters long), or long name in parentheses. A one-letter macro name
must be separated by one or more blanks from whatever follows. The macro which name can be
specified here must be defined before creating the table. It is called just before the ta-ble's table's
ble's cell text is output. As implemented currently, this macro is only called if block input
is used, that is, text between `T{' and `T}'. The macro should contain only simple troff
requests to change the text block formatting, like text adjustment, hyphenation, size, or
font. The macro is called after other cell modifications like b, f or v are output. Thus the
macro can overwrite other modification specifiers.
e,E Make equally-spaced columns.
u,U Move the corresponding column up one half-line.
z,Z Ignore the corresponding column for width-calculation purposes.
A number suffix on a key character is interpreted as a column separation in ens (multiplied in pro-portion proportion
portion if the expand option is on). Default separation is 3n.
The format lines are followed by lines containing the actual data for the table, followed finally by
.TE. Within such data lines, items are normally separated by tab characters (or the character speci-fied specified
fied with the tab option). Long input lines can be broken across multiple lines if the last charac-ter character
ter on the line is `\' (which vanishes after concatenation).
A dot starting a line, followed by anything but a digit is handled as a troff command, passed through
without changes. The table position is unchanged in this case.
If a data line consists of only `_' or `=', a single or double line, respectively, is drawn across
the table at that point; if a single item in a data line consists of only `_' or `=', then that item
is replaced by a single or double line, joining its neighbours. If a data item consists only of `\_'
or `\=', a single or double line, respectively, is drawn across the field at that point which does
not join its neighbours.
A data item consisting only of `\Rx' (`x' any character) is replaced by repetitions of character `x'
as wide as the column (not joining its neighbours).
A data item consisting only of `\^' indicates that the field immediately above spans downward over
this row.
A text block can be used to enter data as a single entry which would be too long as a simple string
between tabs. It is started with `T{' and closed with `T}'. The former must end a line, and the
latter must start a line, probably followed by other data columns (separated with tabs). By default,
the text block is formatted with the settings which were active before entering the table, possibly
overridden by the v and w tbl specifiers. For example, to make all text blocks ragged-right, insert
.na right before the starting .TS (and .ad after the table).
To change the data format within a table, use the .T& command (at the start of a line). It is fol-lowed followed
lowed by format and data lines (but no global options) similar to the .TS request.
INTERACTION WITH EQN
tbl(1) should always be called before eqn(1) (groff(1) automatically takes care of the correct order
of preprocessors).
GNU TBL ENHANCEMENTS
There is no limit on the number of columns in a table, nor any limit on the number of text blocks.
All the lines of a table are considered in deciding column widths, not just the first 200. Table
continuation (.T&) lines are not restricted to the first 200 lines.
Numeric and alphabetic items may appear in the same column.
Numeric and alphabetic items may span horizontally.
tbl uses register, string, macro and diversion names beginning with the digit 3. When using tbl you
should avoid using any names beginning with a 3.
BUGS
You should use .TS H/.TH in conjunction with a supporting macro package for all multi-page boxed
tables. If there is no header that you wish to appear at the top of each page of the table, place
the .TH line immediately after the format section. Do not enclose a multi-page table within
keep/release macros, or divert it in any other way.
A text block within a table must be able to fit on one page.
The bp request cannot be used to force a page-break in a multi-page table. Instead, define BP as
follows
.de BP
.ie '\\n(.z'' .bp \\$1
.el \!.BP \\$1
..
and use BP instead of bp.
Using \a directly in a table to get leaders will not work (except in compatibility mode). This is
correct behaviour: \a is an uninterpreted leader. To get leaders use a real leader, either by using
a control A or like this:
.ds a \a
.TS
tab(;);
lw(1i) l.
A\*a;B
.TE
REFERENCE
Lesk, M.E.: "TBL -- A Program to Format Tables". For copyright reasons it cannot be included in the
groff distribution, but copies can be found with a title search on the World Wide Web.
SEE ALSO
groff(1), troff(1)
Groff Version 1.19.2 11 September 2004 TBL(1)
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