When you enter the EDIT command into the system, the system establishes a list of tab setting values for you, depending on the data set type. Logical tab setting values might not represent the actual tab setting on your terminal. You can establish your own tab settings for input by using the TABSET subcommand. A list of the default tab setting values for each data set type is presented in the TABSET subcommand description. The system scans each input line for tabulation characters produced by pressing the TAB key on the terminal. The system replaces each tabulation character by as many blanks as are necessary to position the next character at the appropriate logical tab setting.

When tab settings are not in use, each tabulation character encountered in all input data is replaced by a single blank. You can also use the tabulation character to separate subcommands from their operands.