


UNEXPAND(1L)                                         UNEXPAND(1L)


NNAAMMEE
       unexpand - convert spaces to tabs

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
       uunneexxppaanndd  [-tab1[,tab2[,...]]] [-t tab1[,tab2[,...]]] [-a]
       [--tabs=tab1[,tab2[,...]]]  [--all]  [--help]  [--version]
       [file...]

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       This  manual  page  documents the GNU version of uunneexxppaanndd.
       uunneexxppaanndd writes the contents of each given  file,  or  the
       standard  input if none are given or when a file named `-'
       is given, to the standard output, with strings of  two  or
       more  space or tab characters converted to as many tabs as
       possible followed by as many spaces  as  are  needed.   By
       default,  uunneexxppaanndd  converts  only initial spaces and tabs
       (those that precede all non space or  tab  characters)  on
       each  line.  It preserves backspace characters in the out-
       put; they decrement the column count for tab calculations.
       By default, tabs are set at every 8th column.

   OOPPTTIIOONNSS
       _-_, _-_t_, _-_-_t_a_b_s _t_a_b_1_[_,_t_a_b_2_[_,_._._._]_]
              If  only  one  tab stop is given, set the tabs _t_a_b_1
              spaces apart instead of the default 8.   Otherwise,
              set  the tabs at columns _t_a_b_1, _t_a_b_2, etc. (numbered
              from 0) and leave spaces and tabs beyond  the  tab-
              stops  given unchanged.  If the tabstops are speci-
              fied with the _-_t or _-_-_t_a_b_s option, they can be sep-
              arated by blanks as well as by commas.  This option
              implies the _-_a option.

       _-_a_, _-_-_a_l_l
              Convert all strings of two or more spaces or  tabs,
              not just initial ones, to tabs.

       _-_-_h_e_l_p Print a usage message and exit with a non-zero sta-
              tus.

       _-_-_v_e_r_s_i_o_n
              Print version information on standard  output  then
              exit.















FSF                     GNU Text Utilities                      1


