NAME
    tbl - format tables for troff

SYNOPSIS
    tbl [ -Cv ] [ files... ]

DESCRIPTION
    This manual page describes the GNU version of tbl, which is part of the
    groff document formatting system. tbl compiles descriptions of tables
    embedded  within troff input files into commands that are understood by
    troff. Normally, it should be invoked using the -t option of groff.
    It is highly compatible with Unix tbl. The output generated by GNU tbl
    cannot be processed with Unix troff; it must be processed with GNU
    troff. If no files are given on the command line, the standard input
    will be read. A filename of - will cause the standard  input to be
    read.

OPTIONS
    -C   Recognize  .TS and .TE even when followed by a character other
    than space or newline.

    -v   Print the version number.

USAGE
    tbl expects to find table descriptions wrapped in the .TS (table start)
    and .TE  (table  end) macros. The line immediately following the .TS
    macro may contain any of the following global options (ignoring the
    case of characters -- Unix tbl only accepts options with all characters
    lowercase or all characters uppercase):

    center Centers the table (default is left-justified). The alternative
    keyword name centre is also recognized (this is a GNU tbl exten-
    sion).

    delim(xy)
    Use x and y as start and end delimiters for eqn(1).

    expand Makes the table as wide as the current line length.

    box  Encloses the table in a box.

    doublebox
    Encloses the table in a double box.

    allbox Encloses each item of the table in a box.

    frame Same as box (GNU tbl only).

    doubleframe
    Same as doublebox (GNU tbl only).

    tab(x) Uses the character x instead of a tab to separate items  in a
    line of input data.

    linesize(n)
    Sets lines or rules (e.g. from box) in n-point type.

    nokeep Don't use diversions to prevent page breaks (GNU tbl only).
    Normally tbl attempts to prevent undesirable breaks in the table
    by using  diversions.  This can sometimes interact badly with
    macro packages' own use of diversions, when footnotes, for exam-
    ple, are used.

    decimalpoint(c)
    Set the character to be recognized as the decimal point in
    numeric columns (GNU tbl only).

    nospaces
    Ignore leading and trailing spaces in data items (GNU tbl only).

    The global options must end with a semicolon. There might be whites-
    pace after an option and its argument in parentheses.

    After global options come lines describing the format of each line of
    the table.  Each such  format  line describes one line of the table
    itself, except that the last format line (which you must end with a
    period) describes all remaining lines of the table. A single key char-
    acter describes each column of each line of the table.  You may run
    format specs for multiple lines together on the same line by separating
    them with commas.

    You may follow each key character with specifiers that determine the
    font and point  size of the corresponding item, that determine column
    width, inter-column spacing, etc.

    The longest format line defines the number of columns in the table;
    missing format descriptors at the end of format lines are assumed to be
    `L'. Extra columns in the data (which have no  corresponding format
    entry) are ignored.

    The available key characters are:

    c,C  Centers item within the column.

    r,R  Right-justifies item within the column.

    l,L  Left-justifies item within the column.

    n,N  Numerically justifies item in the column: Units positions of
    numbers are aligned vertically.

    s,S  Spans previous item on the left into this column.

    a,A  Centers longest line in this column and then left-justifies all
    other lines in this column with respect to that centered line.

    ^   Spans down entry from previous row in this column.

    _,-  Replaces this entry with a horizontal line.

    =   Replaces this entry with a double horizontal line.

    |   The corresponding column becomes a vertical rule (if two of
    these are adjacent, a double vertical rule).

    A vertical bar to the left of the first key-letter or to the right of
    the last one produces a line at the edge of the table.

    Here are the specifiers that can appear in suffixes to column key let-
    ters:

    b,B  Short form of fB (make affected entries bold).

    i,I  Short form of fI (make affected entries italic).

    t,T  Start an item vertically spanning rows at the top of its  range
    rather than vertically centering it.

    d,D  Start an  item vertically spanning rows at the bottom of its
    range rather than vertically centering it (GNU tbl only).

    v,V  Followed by a number, this indicates the vertical  line spacing
    to be used in a multi-line table entry. If signed, the current
    vertical line spacing is incremented or decremented (using a
    signed number instead of a signed digit is a GNU tbl extension).
    A vertical line spacing specifier followed by a column separa-
    tion number must be separated by one or more blanks. No effect
    if the corresponding table entry isn't a text block.

    f,F  Either of these specifiers may be followed by  a font name
    (either one or two characters  long),  font number (a single
    digit), or long name in parentheses (the last form is a GNU tbl
    extension).  A one-letter font name must be separated by one or
    more blanks from whatever follows.

    p,P  Followed by a number, this does a  point size change for the
    affected fields.  If signed, the current point size is incre-
    mented or decremented (using a signed number instead of a signed
    digit is a GNU tbl extension). A point size specifier followed
    by a column separation number must be separated by one or more
    blanks.

    w,W  Minimal column width value.  Must be  followed either by a
    troff(1) width expression in parentheses or a unitless integer.
    If no unit is given, en units are used. Also used as the
    default line length for included text blocks. If used multiple
    times, the last entry takes effect.

    e,E  Make equally-spaced columns.

    u,U  Move the corresponding column up one half-line.

    z,Z  Ignore the corresponding column for width-calculation purposes.

    A number suffix on a key character is interpreted as a column separa-
    tion in  ens (multiplied in proportion if the expand option is on).
    Default separation is 3n.

    The format lines are followed by lines containing the actual data for
    the table, followed finally by .TE. Within such data lines, items are
    normally separated by tab characters (or the character specified with
    the tab option). Long input lines can be broken across multiple lines
    if the last character on the line is `\' (which vanishes after concate-
    nation).

    A dot starting a line, followed by anything but a digit is handled as a
    troff command, passed through without changes. The table position is
    unchanged in this case.

    If a data line consists of only `_' or `=', a single or double line,
    respectively, is drawn across the table at that point; if a single item
    in a data line consists of only `_' or `=', then that item is replaced
    by a single or double line, joining its neighbours.  If  a data item
    consists  only of `\_' or `\=', a single or double line, respectively,
    is drawn across the field at that point which does not join its neigh-
    bours.

    A data item consisting only of `\Rx' (`x' any character) is replaced by
    repetitions of character `x' as wide as the column (not joining its
    neighbours).

    A data item consisting only of `\^' indicates that the field immedi-
    ately above spans downward over this row.

    A text block can be used to enter data as a single entry which would be
    too long as a simple string between tabs. It is started with `T{' and
    closed with `T}'. The latter must start a line, probably followed by
    other data columns (separated with tabs).

    To change the data format within a table, use the .T& command (at the
    start of a line). It is followed by format and  data lines (but no
    global options) similar to the .TS request.

INTERACTION WITH EQN
    tbl(1) should always be called before eqn(1) (groff(1) automatically
    takes care of the correct order of preprocessors).

GNU TBL ENHANCEMENTS
    There is no limit on the number of columns in a table, nor any limit on
    the number of text blocks. All the lines of a table are considered in
    deciding column widths, not just the first 200.  Table continuation
    (.T&) lines are not restricted to the first 200 lines.

    Numeric and alphabetic items may appear in the same column.

    Numeric and alphabetic items may span horizontally.

    tbl uses register, string, macro and diversion names beginning with the
    digit 3.  When using tbl you should avoid using  any names beginning
    with a 3.

BUGS
    You should use .TS H/.TH in conjunction with a supporting macro package
    for all multi-page boxed tables.  If there is no header that you wish
    to appear at the top  of each page of the table, place the .TH line
    immediately after the format section. Do not enclose a multi-page ta-
    ble within keep/release macros, or divert it in any other way.

    A text block within a table must be able to fit on one page.

    The bp request cannot be used to force a page-break in a multi-page ta-
    ble. Instead, define BP as follows

    .de BP
    .ie '\\n(.z'' .bp \\$1
    .el \!.BP \\$1
    ..

    and use BP instead of bp.

    Using \a directly in a table to get leaders will  not work.  This is
    correct behaviour: \a is an uninterpreted leader. To get leaders use a
    real leader, either by using a control A or like this:

    .ds a \a
    .TS
    tab(;);
    lw(1i) l.
    A\*a;B
    .TE

REFERENCE
    Lesk, M.E.: "TBL -- A Program to Format Tables".  For copyright reasons
    it cannot be included  in the groff distribution, but copies can be
    found with a title search on the World Wide Web.

SEE ALSO
   groff(1),troff(1)