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.\" This code is derived from software contributed to Berkeley by
.\" Michael Rendell.
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.\"     @(#)col.1	6.8 (Berkeley) 6/17/91
.\"
.TH COL "1" "July 2014" "util-linux" "User Commands"
.SH NAME
col \- filter reverse line feeds from input
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B col
[options]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B col
filters out reverse (and half-reverse) line feeds so the output is in the
correct order, with only forward and half-forward line feeds.  It also replaces
any whitespace characters with tabs where possible.  This can be useful in
processing the output of
.BR nroff (1)
and
.BR tbl (1).
.PP
.B col
reads from standard input and writes to standard output.
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
\fB\-b\fR, \fB\-\-no\-backspaces\fR
Do not output any backspaces, printing only the last character written to
each column position.
.TP
\fB\-f\fR, \fB\-\-fine\fR
Permit half-forward line feeds.
Normally characters destined for a half-line boundary are printed on the
following line.
.TP
\fB\-h\fR, \fB\-\-tabs\fR
Output tabs instead of multiple spaces.
.TP
\fB\-l\fR, \fB\-\-lines\fR \fInumber\fR
Buffer at least
.I number
lines in memory.  By default, 128 lines are buffered.
.TP
\fB\-p\fR, \fB\-\-pass\fR
Force unknown control sequences to be passed through unchanged.  Normally
.B col
will filter out any control sequences other than those
recognized and interpreted by itself, which are listed below.
.TP
\fB\-x\fR, \fB\-\-spaces\fR
Output multiple spaces instead of tabs.
.TP
\fB\-V\fR, \fB\-\-version\fR
Display version information and exit.
.TP
\fB\-H\fR, \fB\-\-help\fR
Display help text and exit.
.SH CONFORMING TO
The
.B col
utility conforms to the Single UNIX Specification, Version 2.  The
.B \-l
option is an extension to the standard.
.SH NOTES
The control sequences for carriage motion that
.B col
understands and their decimal values are listed in the following table:
.PP
.RS
.PD 0
.TP 18
.B ESC\-7
reverse line feed (escape then 7)
.TP
.B ESC\-8
half reverse line feed (escape then 8)
.TP
.B ESC\-9
half forward line feed (escape then 9)
.TP
.B backspace
moves back one column (8); ignored in the first column
.TP
.B newline
forward line feed (10); also does carriage return
.TP
.B carriage return
(13)
.TP
.B shift in
shift to normal character set (15)
.TP
.B shift out
shift to alternate character set (14)
.TP
.B space
moves forward one column (32)
.TP
.B tab
moves forward to next tab stop (9)
.TP
.B vertical tab
reverse line feed (11)
.PD
.RE
.PP
All unrecognized control characters and escape sequences are discarded.
.PP
.B col
keeps track of the character set as characters are read and makes sure the
character set is correct when they are output.
.PP
If the input attempts to back up to the last flushed line,
.B col
will display a warning message.
.SH HISTORY
A
.B col
command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.
.SH SEE ALSO
.BR expand (1),
.BR nroff (1),
.BR tbl (1)
.SH AVAILABILITY
The col command is part of the util-linux package and is available from
.UR https://\:www.kernel.org\:/pub\:/linux\:/utils\:/util-linux/
Linux Kernel Archive
.UE .