    TBL(VI)                       2/2/75                      TBL(VI)

    NAME
         tbl - format tables for nroff or troff

    SYNOPSIS
         tbl [ files ] ...

    DESCRIPTION
         Tbl  is an nroff(I) or troff(I) preprocessor for formatting
         tables.  The input files are copied to the standard  output,
         except  for  lines  between .TS and .TE command lines, which
         are assumed to describe tables and reformatted.   The  first
         line after .TS specifies the various columns: it consists of
         a list of column describers separated  by  blanks  or  tabs.
         Each  column  describer is a character string made up of the
         letters `n', `r', `c', `l' and `s', which mean:

         c   center within the column

         r   right-adjust

         l   left-adjust

         n   numerical adjustment: the units digits  of  numbers  are
             aligned.

         s   span the previous entry over this column.

         The  column  describer  may be followed by an integer giving
         the number of spaces between this column and the next; 3  is
         default.   The describer `ccr5' indicates that the first two
         lines in this column are centered; the third  and  remaining
         lines are right-adjusted; and the column should be separated
         from the column to the right by 5 spaces.  Letting \t repre-
         sent a tab (which must be typed as a genuine tab) the input

             .TS
             cccl sccn sscn
             Household Population
             Town\tHouseholds
             \tNumber\tSize
             Bedminster\t789\t3.26
             Bernards Twp.\t3087\t3.74
             Bernardsville\t2018\t3.30
             Bound Brook\t3425\t3.04
             Branchburg\t1644\t3.49
             Bridgewater\t7897\t3.81
             Far Hills\t240\t3.19
             .TE
         yields
               Household Population
              Town           Households
                          Number     Size
         Bedminster         789      3.26
         Bernards Twp.     3087      3.74

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    TBL(VI)                       2/2/75                      TBL(VI)

         Bernardsville     2018      3.30
         Bound Brook       3425      3.04
         Branchburg        1644      3.49
         Bridgewater       7897      3.81
         Far Hills          240      3.19

         If  no arguments are given, tbl reads the standard input, so
         it may be used as a filter.  When it is  used  with  eqn  or
         neqn the tbl command should be first, to minimize the volume
         of data passed through pipes.

    BUGS
         No column describer may end with `s'.

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