EXPAND(1)EXPAND(1)NAME
expand, unexpand - expand tabs to spaces, and vice versa
SYNOPSIS
expand [ -tabstop ] [ -tab1,tab2,...,tabn ] [ file ... ]
unexpand [ -a ] [ file ... ]
DESCRIPTION
Expand processes the named files or the standard input writing the
standard output with tabs changed into blanks. Backspace characters
are preserved into the output and decrement the column count for tab
calculations. Expand is useful for pre-processing character files
(before sorting, looking at specific columns, etc.) that contain tabs.
If a single tabstop argument is given, then tabs are set tabstop spaces
apart instead of the default 8. If multiple tabstops are given then
the tabs are set at those specific columns.
Unexpand puts tabs back into the data from the standard input or the
named files and writes the result on the standard output. By default,
only leading blanks and tabs are reconverted to maximal strings of
tabs. If the -a option is given, then tabs are inserted whenever they
would compress the resultant file by replacing two or more characters.
4th Berkeley Distribution May 9, 1986 EXPAND(1)