xref: /csrg-svn/usr.bin/fmt/fmt.1 (revision 43693)
1*43693Scael.\" Copyright (c) 1980, 1990 The Regents of the University of California.
236581Sbostic.\" All rights reserved.
319138Smckusick.\"
4*43693Scael.\" %sccs.include.redist.man%
519138Smckusick.\"
6*43693Scael.\"     @(#)fmt.1	6.4 (Berkeley) 06/24/90
736581Sbostic.\"
8*43693Scael.Dd
9*43693Scael.Dt FMT 1
1019138Smckusick.UC
11*43693Scael.Sh NAME
12*43693Scael.Nm fmt
13*43693Scael.Nd simple text formatter
14*43693Scael.Sh SYNOPSIS
15*43693Scael.Nm fmt
16*43693Scael.Ob
17*43693Scael.Ar goal
18*43693Scael.Op Ar maximum
19*43693Scael.Oe
20*43693Scael.Op name ...
21*43693Scael.Sh DESCRIPTION
22*43693Scael.Nm Fmt
2319138Smckusickis a simple text formatter which reads the concatenation of input
2429544Smckusickfiles (or standard input if none are given) and produces on standard
25*43693Scaeloutput a version of its input with lines as close to the
26*43693Scael.Ar goal
27*43693Scaellength
28*43693Scaelas possible without exceeding the maximum.  The
29*43693Scael.Ar goal
30*43693Scaellength defaults
3129544Smckusickto 65 and the maximum to 75.  The spacing at the beginning of the
3229544Smckusickinput lines is preserved in the output, as are blank lines and
3329544Smckusickinterword spacing.
34*43693Scael.Pp
35*43693Scael.Nm Fmt
3619138Smckusickis meant to format mail messages prior to sending, but may also be useful
3719138Smckusickfor other simple tasks.
3819138SmckusickFor instance,
3919138Smckusickwithin visual mode of the
40*43693Scael.Xr ex 1
4119138Smckusickeditor (e.g.
42*43693Scael.Xr vi 1 )
4319138Smckusickthe command
44*43693Scael.Pp
45*43693Scael.Dl \&!}fmt
46*43693Scael.Pp
4719138Smckusickwill reformat a paragraph,
4819138Smckusickevening the lines.
49*43693Scael.Sh SEE ALSO
50*43693Scael.Xr nroff 1 ,
51*43693Scael.Xr mail 1
52*43693Scael.Sh HISTORY
53*43693Scael.Nm Fmt
54*43693Scaelappeared in 3 BSD.
55*43693Scael.Sh AUTHOR
5619138SmckusickKurt Shoens
5729544Smckusick.br
5829544SmckusickLiz Allen (added goal length concept)
59*43693Scael.Sh BUGS
6019138SmckusickThe program was designed to be simple and fast \- for more complex
6119138Smckusickoperations, the standard text processors are likely to be more appropriate.
62