UNEXPAND(1L)                                         UNEXPAND(1L)


NNAAMMEE
       unexpand - convert spaces to tabs

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

       _-_-_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


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