TABS—Control Tabs

The TABS line command:

Displays the =TABS> (tab-definition) line
Defines tab positions for software, hardware, and logical tabs

Use PROFILE to check the setting of tabs mode and the logical tab character. See Using tabs if you need more information about using tabs.

Syntax


>>-+-TABS-+----------------------------------------------------><
   '-TAB--'

Description

When you type TABS in the line command field, =TABS> is displayed along with any previously defined tab positions. To remove the =TABS> line, use the D (delete) line command or the RESET primary command, or end the edit session. The =TABS> line is never saved as part of the data.

The tab definitions remain in effect, even if they are not displayed, until you change them. Tab definitions are retained in the current edit profile, and are automatically used the next time you edit the same kind of data.

Using software and hardware tabs

Edit a data set, type TABS ALL on the command line, and press Enter:

Command ===> TABS ALL

Now, type COLS in the line command field and press Enter again. A partial =COLS> line with positions 9 through 45 is shown in this example:

=COLS> -1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+

Next use the TABS line command to define software and hardware tabs. Type TABS in the line command field beneath the =COLS> line and press Enter.

When the =TABS> line appears, type hyphens in columns 15, 25, and 35, and asterisks in columns 20, 30, and 40, using the =COLS> line to find these columns:

=COLS> -1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+
=TABS>       -    *    -    *    -    *

With the preceding =TABS> line, you can move the cursor to a software tab position (hyphen) by pressing Enter, even if another character already occupies that position. To move the cursor to a hardware tab position (one space to the right of an asterisk), press either the Tab Forward or Tab Backward key. See Figure 1.

Figure 1. TAB line command example. A =TABS> line with four software tabs and one hardware tab defined.

Using software tab fields

You can define a software tab field by typing underscores or hyphens in two or more consecutive columns. This moves the cursor to the first nonblank character in the field. If the field contains all blanks, the cursor moves to the beginning of the field.

Using the example in the preceding section, create a software tab field by typing hyphens in columns 10 through 14. Then type some data inside the field and at each of the other tab positions, but below the =TABS> line:

=COLS> -1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+
=TABS>  ------    *    -    *    -    *
          123          456       789_

Notice in the preceding example that the cursor is positioned to the right of data string 789. With the cursor in this position, press Enter. The cursor moves under the 1 in the 123 data string, not to column 10, which is the beginning of the field.