# ITABS v1.20 - implode spaces to tabs

#### Revised 19-Aug-97. Copyright (c) 1996-97 by Rune Berg. TextTools Freeware.

Usage - Description - Options - Return codes

### USAGE

itabs [log logfile] [options] [infile] [to outfile]

### DESCRIPTION

itabs copies infile to outfile, replacing every sequence of spaces leading up to a tab position by a tab character.

outfile will look the same as infile, provided the tab size used by itabs is the same as that 'assumed' in infile.

The default tab size is 3, giving tab positions 4, 7, 10 ...

itabs writes a one-line report to standard error (or logfile, if used) when done, e.g.:

            itabs: 15 tabs inserted

If you don't specify infile, itabs reads from standard input.
If you don't specify outfile, itabs writes to standard output.
If you don't specify logfile, itabs writes error messages to standard error.

### OPTIONS

itabs recognizes the following command line options:

Option | Function
--- | ---
-nX | Use tab size X (2..128) instead of default 3.
-q | No tab insertion inside "double quotes" or 'single quotes'. Escape sequences \", \', and \\ are handled correctly within quotes. This option prevents itabs from inserting tabs in C string and character constants.
-l | Only insert tabs in place of leading spaces.
-nr | Don't print report at end of processing.
-v | Print version banner and usage info to standard error (or logfile, if given), then exit.

### RETURN CODES

itabs returns with one of the following codes ("error levels"):

Code | Meaning
--- | ---
0 | Success
102 | Incorrect command line arguments
104 | Error opening file
105 | I/O error
107 | File name clash

##### End of document