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     TBL(1)                                                     TBL(1)

     NAME
          tbl - format tables for nroff or troff

     SYNOPSIS
          tbl [ files ] ...

     DESCRIPTION
          Tbl is a preprocessor for formatting tables for nroff or
          troff(1). 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.  Details are
          given in the reference manual.

          As an example, letting \t represent a tab (which should be
          typed as a genuine tab) the input

               .TS
               c s s
               c c s
               c c c
               l n n.
               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
               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

     TBL(1)                                                     TBL(1)

          of data passed through pipes.

     SEE ALSO
          troff(1), eqn(1)
          M. E. Lesk, TBL.