tbl(1) — Linux manual page

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tbl(1)                   General Commands Manual                   tbl(1)

Name         top

       tbl - prepare tables for groff documents

Synopsis         top

       tbl [-C] [file ...]

       tbl --help

       tbl -v

       tbl --version

Description         top

       The GNU implementation of tbl is part of the groff(1) document
       formatting system.  tbl is a troff(1) preprocessor that translates
       descriptions of tables embedded in roff(7) input into the language
       understood by troff.  It copies the contents of each file to the
       standard output stream, except that lines between .TS and .TE are
       interpreted as table descriptions.  While GNU tbl's input syntax
       is highly compatible with AT&T tbl, the output GNU tbl produces
       cannot be processed by AT&T troff; GNU troff (or a troff
       implementing any GNU extensions employed) must be used.  Normally,
       tbl is not executed directly by the user, but invoked by
       specifying the -t option to groff(1).  If no file operands are
       present, or if file is “-”, tbl reads the standard input stream.

   Overview
       tbl expects to find table descriptions between input lines that
       begin with .TS (table start) and .TE (table end).  Each such table
       region encloses one or more table descriptions.  Within a table
       region, table descriptions beyond the first must each be preceded
       by an input line beginning with .T&.  This mechanism does not
       start a new table region; all table descriptions are treated as
       part of their .TS/.TE enclosure, even if they are boxed or have
       column headings that repeat on subsequent pages (see below).

       (Experienced roff users should observe that tbl is not a roff
       language interpreter: the default control character must be used,
       and no spaces or tabs are permitted between the control character
       and the macro name.  These tbl input tokens remain as-is in the
       output, where they become ordinary macro calls.  Macro packages
       often define TS, T&, and TE macros to handle issues of table
       placement on the page.  tbl produces groff code to define these
       macros as empty if their definitions do not exist when the
       formatter encounters a table region.)

       Each table region may begin with region options, and must contain
       one or more table definitions; each table definition contains a
       format specification followed by one or more input lines (rows) of
       entries.  These entries comprise the table data.

   Region options
       The line immediately following the .TS token may specify region
       options, keywords that influence the interpretation or rendering
       of the region as a whole or all table entries within it
       indiscriminately.  They must be separated by commas, spaces, or
       tabs.  Those that require a parenthesized argument permit spaces
       and tabs between the option's name and the opening parenthesis.
       Options accumulate and cannot be unset within a region once
       declared; if an option that takes a parameter is repeated, the
       last occurrence controls.  If present, the set of region options
       must be terminated with a semicolon (;).

       Any of the allbox, box, doublebox, frame, and doubleframe region
       options makes a table “boxed” for the purpose of later discussion.

       allbox Enclose each table entry in a box; implies box.

       box    Enclose the entire table region in a box.  GNU tbl
              recognizes frame as a synonym.

       center Center the table region with respect to the current
              indentation and line length; the default is to left-align
              it.  GNU tbl recognizes centre as a synonym.

       decimalpoint(c)
              Recognize character c as the decimal separator in columns
              using the N (numeric) classifier (see subsection “Column
              classifiers” below).  This is a GNU extension.

       delim(xy)
              Recognize characters x and y as start and end delimiters,
              respectively, for eqn(1) input, and ignore input between
              them.  x and y need not be distinct.

       doublebox
              Enclose the entire table region in a double box; implies
              box.  GNU tbl recognizes doubleframe as a synonym.

       expand Spread the table horizontally to fill the available space
              (line length minus indentation) by increasing column
              separation.  Ordinarily, a table is made only as wide as
              necessary to accommodate the widths of its entries and its
              column separations (whether specified or default).  When
              expand applies to a table that exceeds the available
              horizontal space, column separation is reduced as far as
              necessary (even to zero).  tbl produces groff input that
              issues a diagnostic if such compression occurs.  The column
              modifier x (see below) overrides this option.

       linesize(n)
              Draw lines or rules (e.g., from box) with a thickness of
              n points.  The default is the current type size when the
              region begins.  This option is ignored on terminal devices.

       nokeep Don't use roff diversions to manage page breaks.  Normally,
              tbl employs them to avoid breaking a page within a table
              row.  This usage can sometimes interact badly with macro
              packages' own use of diversions—when footnotes, for
              example, are employed.  This is a GNU extension.

       nospaces
              Ignore leading and trailing spaces in table entries.  This
              is a GNU extension.

       nowarn Suppress diagnostic messages produced at document
              formatting time when the line or page lengths are
              inadequate to contain a table row.  This is a GNU
              extension.

       tab(c) Use the character c instead of a tab to separate entries in
              a row of table data.

   Table format specification
       The table format specification is mandatory: it determines the
       number of columns in the table and directs how the entries within
       it are to be typeset.  The format specification is a series of
       column descriptors.  Each descriptor encodes a classifier followed
       by zero or more modifiers.  Classifiers are letters (recognized
       case-insensitively) or punctuation symbols; modifiers consist of
       or begin with letters or numerals.  Spaces, tabs, newlines, and
       commas separate descriptors.  Newlines and commas are special;
       they apply the descriptors following them to a subsequent row of
       the table.  (This enables column headings to be centered or
       emboldened while the table entries for the data are not, for
       instance.)  We term the resulting group of column descriptors a
       row definition.  Within a row definition, separation between
       column descriptors (by spaces or tabs) is often optional; only
       some modifiers, described below, make separation necessary.

       The classifier selects from one of several arrangements.  Some
       determine the positioning of table entries within a rectangular
       cell: centered, left-aligned, numeric (aligned to a configurable
       decimal separator), and so on.  Others perform special operations
       like drawing lines or spanning entries from adjacent cells in the
       table.  Except for “|”, any classifier can be followed by one or
       more modifiers; some of these accept an argument, which in GNU tbl
       can be parenthesized.  Modifiers select fonts, set the type size,
       and perform other tasks described below.

       The format specification can occupy multiple input lines, but must
       conclude with a dot “.” followed by a newline.  Each row
       definition is applied in turn to one row of the table.  tbl
       applies the last row definition to rows of table data in excess of
       the row definitions.

       For clarity in this document's examples, we write classifiers in
       uppercase and modifiers in lowercase.  Thus, “CbCb,LR.” defines
       two rows of two columns.  The first row's entries are centered and
       boldfaced; the second and any further rows' first and second
       columns are left- and right-aligned, respectively.  Any rows of
       entries appended to the table data reuse the row definition “LR”.

       The row definition with the most column descriptors determines the
       number of columns in the table; GNU tbl implicitly extends any row
       definition with fewer on the right-hand side with L classifiers as
       many times as necessary to make the table rectangular.

   Column classifiers
       The L, R, and C classifiers are the easiest to understand and use.

       A, a   Center longest entry in this column, left-align remaining
              entries in the column with respect to the centered entry,
              then indent all entries by one en.  Such “alphabetic”
              entries (hence the name of the classifier) can be used in
              the same column as L-classified entries, as in “LL,AR.”.
              The A entries are often termed “sub-columns” due to their
              indentation.

       C, c   Center entry within the column.

       L, l   Left-align entry within the column.

       N, n   Numerically align entry in the column.  tbl aligns columns
              of numbers vertically at the units place.  If multiple
              decimal separators are adjacent to a digit, it uses the
              rightmost one for vertical alignment.  If there is no
              decimal separator, the rightmost digit is used for vertical
              alignment; if no digits are present, tbl centers the entry
              within the column.  The roff dummy character \& in an entry
              marks the glyph preceding it (if any) as the units place;
              if multiple instances occur in the data, tbl uses the
              leftmost for alignment.

              If N-classified entries share a column with L or R entries,
              tbl centers the widest N entry with respect to the widest L
              or R entry, preserving the alignment of N entries with
              respect to each other.

              Decimal separators in eqn equations within N-classified
              columns can conflict with tbl's use of them for alignment.
              Specify the delim region option to make tbl ignore the data
              within eqn delimiters.

       R, r   Right-align entry within the column.

       S, s   Span previous entry on the left into this column.

       ^      Span entry in the same column from the previous row into
              this row.

       _, -   Replace table entry with a horizontal rule.  tbl expects an
              empty table entry to correspond to this classifier; if data
              are found there, it issues a diagnostic message.  If the
              entire row definition consists of these classifiers (only
              one is necessary), it is treated as a “_” occupying a row
              of table entries, and no corresponding data are expected.

       =      Replace table entry with a double horizontal rule.  tbl
              expects an empty table entry to correspond to this
              classifier; if data are found there, it issues a diagnostic
              message.  If the entire row definition consists of these
              classifiers (only one is necessary), it is treated as a “=”
              occupying a row of table entries, and no corresponding data
              are expected.

       |      Place a vertical rule (line) on the corresponding row of
              the table (if two of these are adjacent, a double vertical
              rule).  This classifier does not contribute to the column
              count and no table entries correspond to it.  A | to the
              left of the first column descriptor or to the right of the
              last one produces a vertical rule at the edge of the table;
              these are redundant (and ignored) in boxed tables.

       To change the table format within a tbl region, use the .T& token
       at the start of a line.  Follow it with a format specification and
       table data, but not region options.  The quantity of columns in a
       format thus introduced cannot increase relative to the previous
       format; in that case, you must end the table region and start
       another.  If that will not serve because the region uses box
       options or the columns align in an undesirable manner, you must
       design the initial table format specification to include the
       maximum quantity of columns required, and use the S horizontal
       spanning classifier where necessary to achieve the desired
       columnar alignment.

       Spanning horizontally in the first column or vertically on the
       first row is an error.  tbl does not support non-rectangular span
       areas.

   Column modifiers
       Any number of modifiers can follow a column classifier.  Modifier
       arguments, where accepted, are case-sensitive.  If a given
       modifier is applied to a classifier more than once, or if
       conflicting modifiers are applied, only the last occurrence has
       effect.  The modifier x is mutually exclusive with e and w, but e
       is not mutually exclusive with w; if these are used in
       combination, x unsets both e and w, while either e or w
       overrides x.

       b, B   Typeset entry in boldface, abbreviating f(B).

       d, D   Align a vertically spanned table entry to the bottom
              (“down”), instead of the center, of its range.  This is a
              GNU extension.

       e, E   Equalize the widths of columns with this modifier.  The
              column with the largest width controls.  This modifier sets
              the default line length used in a text block.

       f, F   Select the typeface for the table entry.  A font or style
              name (one or two characters not starting with a digit),
              font mounting position (a single digit), or a name or
              mounting position of any length in parentheses, must
              follow.  The last form is a GNU extension.  (The parameter
              corresponds to that accepted by the troff ft request.)  A
              one-character argument not in parentheses must be separated
              by one or more spaces or tabs from what follows.

       i, I   Typeset entry in an oblique or italic face, abbreviating
              f(I).

       m, M   Call a groff macro before typesetting a text block (see
              subsection “Text blocks” below).  This is a GNU extension.
              A macro name of one or two characters, or a name of any
              length in parentheses, must follow.  A one-character macro
              name not in parentheses must be separated by one or more
              spaces or tabs from what follows.  The named macro must be
              defined before the table region containing this column
              modifier is encountered.  The macro should contain only
              simple groff requests to change text formatting, like
              adjustment or hyphenation.  The macro is called after the
              column modifiers b, f, i, p, and v take effect; it can thus
              override other column modifiers.

       p, P   Set the type size.  An integer n with an optional leading
              sign must follow.  If unsigned, the type size is set to
              n scaled points.  Otherwise, the type size is incremented
              or decremented per the sign by n scaled points.  The use of
              a signed multi-digit number is a GNU extension.  (The
              parameter corresponds to that accepted by the troff ps
              request.)  If a type size modifier is followed by a column
              separation modifier (see below), they must be separated by
              at least one space or tab.

       t, T   Align a vertically spanned table entry to the top, instead
              of the center, of its range.

       u, U   Move the column up one half-line, “staggering” the rows.
              This is a Documenter's Workbench (DWB) 1.0 and Research
              Tenth Edition Unix extension.

       v, V   Set the vertical spacing of a text block.  An integer n
              with an optional leading sign must follow.  If unsigned,
              the vertical spacing is set to n points.  Otherwise, the
              vertical spacing is incremented or decremented per the sign
              by n points.  The use of a signed multi-digit number is a
              GNU extension.  (This parameter corresponds to that
              accepted by the troff vs request.)  If a vertical spacing
              modifier is followed by a column separation modifier (see
              below), they must be separated by at least one space or
              tab.

       w, W   Set the column's minimum width.  A number, either a
              unitless integer, or a roff horizontal measurement in
              parentheses, must follow.  Parentheses are required if the
              width is to be followed immediately by an explicit column
              separation (alternatively, follow the width with one or
              more spaces or tabs).  If no unit is specified, ens are
              assumed.  This modifier sets the default line length used
              in a text block.

       x, X   Expand the column.  After computing the column widths,
              distribute any remaining line length evenly over all
              columns bearing this modifier.  Applying the x modifier to
              more than one column is a GNU extension.  This modifier
              sets the default line length used in a text block.

       z, Z   Ignore the table entries corresponding to this column for
              width calculation purposes; that is, compute the column's
              width using only the information in its descriptor.  This
              is a Documenter's Workbench (DWB) 1.0 and Research Tenth
              Edition Unix extension.

       n      A numeric suffix on a column descriptor sets the separation
              distance (in ens) from the succeeding column; the default
              separation is 3n.  This separation is proportionally
              multiplied if the expand region option is in effect; in the
              case of tables wider than the output line length, this
              separation might be zero.  A negative separation cannot be
              specified.  A separation amount after the last column in a
              row is nonsensical and provokes a diagnostic from tbl.

   Table data
       Place table data on lines after the format specification.  Each
       text line corresponds to a table row, except that a backslash at
       the end of a line of table data continues an entry on the next
       input line.  (Text blocks, discussed below, also spread table
       entries across multiple input lines.)  Table entries within a row
       are separated in the input by a tab character by default; see the
       tab region option above.  Excess entries in a row of table data
       (those that have no corresponding column descriptor, not even an
       implicit one arising from rectangularization of the table) are
       discarded with a diagnostic message.  roff control lines are
       accepted between rows of table data and within text blocks.  If
       you wish to visibly mark an empty table entry in the document
       source, populate it with the \& roff dummy character.  The table
       data are interrupted by a line consisting of the .T& input token,
       and conclude with the line .TE.

       Ordinarily, a table entry is typeset rigidly.  It is not filled,
       broken, hyphenated, adjusted, or populated with additional inter-
       sentence space.  tbl instructs the formatter to measure each table
       entry as it occurs in the input, updating the width required by
       its corresponding column.  If the z modifier applies to the
       column, this measurement is ignored; if w applies and its argument
       is larger than this width, that argument is used instead.  In
       contrast to conventional roff input (within a paragraph, say),
       changes to text formatting, such as font selection or vertical
       spacing, do not persist between entries.

       Several forms of table entry are interpreted specially.

       •  If a table row contains only an underscore or equals sign (_ or
          =), a single or double horizontal rule (line), respectively, is
          drawn across the table at that point.

       •  A table entry containing only _ or = on an otherwise populated
          row is replaced by a single or double horizontal rule,
          respectively, joining its neighbors.

       •  Prefixing a lone underscore or equals sign with a backslash
          also has meaning.  If a table entry consists only of \_ or \=
          on an otherwise populated row, it is replaced by a single or
          double horizontal rule, respectively, that does not (quite)
          join its neighbors.

       •  A table entry consisting of \Rx, where x is any roff ordinary
          or special character, is replaced by enough repetitions of the
          glyph corresponding to x to fill the column, albeit without
          joining its neighbors.

       •  On any row but the first, a table entry of \^ causes the entry
          above it to span down into the current one.

       On occasion, these special tokens may be required as literal table
       data.  To use either _ or = literally and alone in an entry,
       prefix or suffix it with the roff dummy character \&.  To express
       \_, \=, or \R, use a roff escape sequence to interpolate the
       backslash (\e or \[rs]).  A reliable way to emplace the \^ glyph
       sequence within a table entry is to use a pair of groff special
       character escape sequences (\[rs]\[ha]).

       Rows of table entries can be interleaved with groff control lines;
       these do not count as table data.  On such lines the default
       control character (.) must be used (and not changed); the no-break
       control character is not recognized.  To start the first table
       entry in a row with a dot, precede it with the roff dummy
       character \&.

   Text blocks
       An ordinary table entry's contents can make a column, and
       therefore the table, excessively wide; the table then exceeds the
       line length of the page, and becomes ugly or is exposed to
       truncation by the output device.  When a table entry requires more
       conventional typesetting, breaking across more than one output
       line (and thereby increasing the height of its row), it can be
       placed within a text block.

       tbl interprets a table entry of “T{” at the end of an input line
       specially, as a token starting a text block.  Similarly, an entry
       “T}” at the start of an input line ends a text block.  Text block
       tokens can share an input line with other table data (preceding T{
       and following T}).  Input lines between these tokens are formatted
       in a diversion by troff.  Text blocks cannot be nested.  Multiple
       text blocks can occur in a table row.

       Text blocks are formatted as was the text prior to the table,
       modified by applicable column descriptors.  Specifically, the
       classifiers A, C, L, N, R, and S determine a text block's
       alignment within its cell, but not its adjustment.  Add na or ad
       requests to the beginning of a text block to alter its adjustment
       distinctly from other text in the document.  As with other table
       entries, when a text block ends, any alterations to formatting
       parameters are discarded.  They do not affect subsequent table
       entries, not even other text blocks.

       If w or x modifiers are not specified for all columns of a text
       block's span, the default length of the text block (more
       precisely, the line length used to process the text block's
       diversion) is computed as L×C/(N+1), where L is the current line
       length, C the number of columns spanned by the text block, and N
       the number of columns in the table.  If necessary, you can also
       control a text block's width by including an ll (line length)
       request in it prior to any text to be formatted.  Because a
       diversion is used to format the text block, its height and width
       are subsequently available in the registers dn and dl,
       respectively.

   roff interface
       The register TW stores the width of the table region in basic
       units; it can't be used within the region itself, but is defined
       before the .TE token is output so that a groff macro named TE can
       make use of it.  T. is a Boolean-valued register indicating
       whether the bottom of the table is being processed.  A #T register
       is used internally.  Avoid using these names for any other
       purpose.

       tbl also defines a macro T# to produce the bottom and side lines
       of a boxed table.  While tbl itself arranges for the output to
       include a call of this macro at the end of such a table, it can
       also be used by macro packages to create boxes for multi-page
       tables by calling it from a page footer macro that is itself
       called by a trap planted near the bottom of the page.  See section
       “Limitations” below for more on multi-page tables.

       GNU tbl internally employs register, string, macro, and diversion
       names beginning with the numeral 3.  A document to be preprocessed
       with GNU tbl should not use any such identifiers.

   Interaction with eqn
       Process a document with tbl before eqn(1).  (groff(1)
       automatically arranges preprocessors in the correct order.)  Don't
       call the EQ and EN macros within tables; instead, set up
       delimiters in your eqn input and use the delim region option so
       that tbl will recognize them.

   GNU tbl enhancements
       In addition to extensions noted above, GNU tbl removes constraints
       endured by users of AT&T tbl.

       •  Region options can be specified in any lettercase.

       •  There is no limit on the number of columns in a table,
          regardless of their classification, nor any limit on the number
          of text blocks.

       •  All table rows are considered when deciding column widths, not
          just those occurring in the first 200 input lines of a region.
          Similarly, table continuation (.T&) tokens are recognized
          outside a region's first 200 input lines.

       •  Numeric and alphabetic entries may appear in the same column.

       •  Numeric and alphabetic entries may span horizontally.

   Using GNU tbl within macros
       You can embed a table region inside a macro definition.  However,
       since tbl writes its own macro definitions at the beginning of
       each table region, it is necessary to call end macros instead of
       ending macro definitions with “..”.  Additionally, the escape
       character must be disabled.

       Not all tbl features can be exercised from such macros because tbl
       is a roff preprocessor: it sees the input earlier than troff does.
       For example, vertically aligning decimal separators fails if the
       numbers containing them occur as macro or string parameters; the
       alignment is performed by tbl itself, which sees only \$1, \$2,
       and so on, and therefore can't recognize a decimal separator that
       appears only later when troff interpolates a macro or string
       definition.

       Using tbl macros within conditional input (that is, contingent
       upon an if, ie, el, or while request) can result in misleading
       line numbers in subsequent diagnostics.  tbl unconditionally
       injects its output into the source document, but the conditional
       branch containing it may not be taken, and if it is not, the lf
       requests that tbl injects to restore the source line number cannot
       take effect.  Consider copying the input line counter register c.
       and restoring its value at a convenient location after applicable
       arithmetic.

Options         top

       --help displays a usage message, while -v and --version show
       version information; all exit afterward.

       -C     Enable AT&T compatibility mode: recognize .TS and .TE even
              when followed by a character other than space or newline,
              and interpret the copy-mode leader escape sequence \a as a
              leader character.

Exit status         top

       tbl exits with status 0 on successful operation, status 2 if the
       program cannot interpret its command-line arguments, and status 1
       if it encounters an error during operation.

Limitations         top

       Outside of text blocks, avoid use of roff escape sequences that
       read to the end of the line, as \" and \! do.

       Multi-page tables, if boxed and/or if you want their column
       headings repeated after page breaks, require support at the time
       the document is formatted.  A convention for such support has
       arisen in macro packages such as ms, mm, and me.  To use it,
       follow the .TS token with a space and then “H”; this will be
       interpreted by the formatter as a TS macro call with an H
       argument.  Then, within the table data, call the TH macro; this
       informs the macro package where the headings end.  If your table
       has no such heading rows, or you do not desire their repetition,
       call TH immediately after the table format specification.  If a
       multi-page table is boxed or has repeating column headings, do not
       enclose it with keep/release macros, or divert it in any other
       way.  Further, the bp request will not cause a page break in a “TS
       H” table.  Define a macro to wrap bp: invoke it normally if there
       is no current diversion.  Otherwise, pass the macro call to the
       enclosing diversion using the transparent line escape sequence \!;
       this will “bubble up” the page break to the output device.  See
       section “Examples” below for a demonstration.

       grotty(1) does not support double horizontal rules; it uses single
       rules instead.  It also ignores half-line motions, so the u column
       modifier has no effect.  On terminal devices (“nroff mode”),
       horizontal rules and box borders occupy a full vee of space;
       doublebox doubles that for borders.  Tables using these features
       thus require more vertical space in nroff mode than in troff mode:
       write ne requests accordingly.  Vertical rules between columns are
       drawn in the space between columns in nroff mode; using double
       vertical rules and/or reducing the column separation below the
       default can make them ugly or overstrike them with table data.

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

       Using \a to put leaders in table entries does not work in GNU tbl,
       except in compatibility mode.  This is correct behavior: \a is an
       uninterpreted leader.  You can still use the roff leader character
       (Control+A) or define a string to use \a as it was designed: to be
       interpreted only in copy mode.

              .ds a \a
              .TS
              box center tab(;);
              Lw(2i)0 L.
              Population\*a;6,327,119
              .TE

                       ┌───────────────────────────────┐
                       │ Population..........6,327,119 │
                       └───────────────────────────────┘

       A leading or trailing “|” in a format specification, as in
       “|LCR|.”, produces an en space between the rules and the content
       of adjacent columns.  If such space is undesired (the rule should
       abut the content), you can introduce “dummy” columns with zero
       separation and empty corresponding table entries before and/or
       after.

              .TS
              center tab(#);
              R0|L C R0|L.
              _
              #levulose#glucose#dextrose#
              _
              .TE

       These dummy columns have zero width and are therefore invisible;
       unfortunately they usually don't work as intended on terminal
       devices.

Examples         top

       It can be easier to acquire the language of tbl through examples
       than formal description, especially at first.

              .TS
              box center tab(#);
              Cb Cb
              L  L.
              Ability#Application
              Strength#crushes a tomato
              Dexterity#dodges a thrown tomato
              Constitution#eats a month-old tomato without becoming ill
              Intelligence#knows that a tomato is a fruit
              Wisdom#chooses \f[I]not\f[] to put tomato in a fruit salad
              Charisma#sells tomato-based fruit salads to hypercarnivores
              .TE

     ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
     │   Ability                         Application                     │
     │ Strength       crushes a tomato                                   │
     │ Dexterity      dodges a thrown tomato                             │
     │ Constitution   eats a month-old tomato without becoming ill       │
     │ Intelligence   knows that a tomato is a fruit                     │
     │ Wisdom         chooses not to put tomato in a fruit salad         │
     │ Charisma       sells tomato-based fruit salads to hypercarnivores │
     └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

       The A and N column classifiers can be easier to grasp in visual
       rendering than in description.

              .TS
              center tab(;);
              CbS,LN,AN.
              Daily energy intake (in MJ)
              Macronutrients
              .\" assume 3 significant figures of precision
              Carbohydrates;4.5
              Fats;2.25
              Protein;3
              .T&
              LN,AN.
              Mineral
              Pu-239;14.6
              _
              .T&
              LN.
              Total;\[ti]24.4
              .TE

                              Daily energy intake (in MJ)
                              Macronutrients
                                Carbohydrates       4.5
                                Fats                2.25
                                Protein             3
                              Mineral
                                Pu-239             14.6
                              ────────────────────────────
                              Total               ~24.4

       Next, we'll lightly adapt a compact presentation of spanning,
       vertical alignment, and zero-width column modifiers from the
       mandoc reference for its tbl interpreter.  It rewards close study.

              .TS
              box center tab(:);
              Lz  S | Rt
              Ld| Cb| ^
              ^ | Rz  S.
              left:r
              l:center:
              :right
              .TE

                                  ┌────────────┬───┐
                                  │ le│ft       │ r │
                                  │   │ center │   │
                                  │ l │      right │
                                  └───┴────────────┘

       Row staggering is not visually achievable on terminal devices, but
       a table using it can remain comprehensible nonetheless.

              .TS
              center tab(|);
              Cf(BI) Cf(BI) Cf(B), C C Cu.
              n|n\f[B]\[tmu]\f[]n|difference
              1|1
              2|4|3
              3|9|5
              4|16|7
              5|25|9
              6|36|11
              .TE

                                 n   n×n   difference
                                 1    1
                                 2    4        3
                                 3    9        5
                                 4   16        7
                                 5   25        9
                                 6   36        11

       Some tbl features cannot be illustrated in the limited environment
       of a portable man page.

       We can define a macro outside of a tbl region that we can call
       from within it to cause a page break inside a multi-page boxed
       table.  You can choose a different name; be sure to change both
       occurrences of “BP”.

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

See also         top

       “Tbl—A Program to Format Tables”, by M. E. Lesk, 1976 (revised 16
       January 1979), AT&T Bell Laboratories Computing Science Technical
       Report No. 49.

       The spanning example above was taken from mandoc's man page for
       its tbl implementation ⟨https://man.openbsd.org/tbl.7⟩.

       groff(1), troff(1)

COLOPHON         top

       This page is part of the groff (GNU troff) project.  Information
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groff 1.23.0.2722-658f-dirty    2025-01-02                         tbl(1)

Pages that refer to this page: col(1)colcrt(1)