


UNEXPAND(1L)                                         UNEXPAND(1L)


NNAAMMEE
       unexpand - convert spaces to tabs

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
       uunneexxppaanndd  [-tab1[,tab2[,...]]] [-t tab1[,tab2[,...]]] [-a]
       [--tabs=tab1[,tab2[,...]]] [--all] [file...]

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       This manual page documents the GNU  version  of  uunneexxppaanndd.
       uunneexxppaanndd  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, uunneexxppaanndd 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.

   OOPPTTIIOONNSS
       _-_, _-_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.

       The long-named options can be introduced with `+' as  well
       as  `--', for compatibility with previous releases.  Even-
       tually support for `+' will  be  removed,  because  it  is
       incompatible with the POSIX.2 standard.


















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