The Linux Command Line

Chapter 21. Formatting Output

In this chapter, we continue our look at text-related tools, focusing on programs that are used to format text output rather than change the text itself. These tools are often used to prepare text for printing, a subject that we will cover in the next chapter. The programs that we will cover in this chapter include the following:

• nl—Number lines.

• fold—Wrap each line to a specified length.

• fmt—A simple text formatter.

• pr—Format text for printing.

• printf—Format and print data.

• groff—A document formatting system.

Simple Formatting Tools

We’ll look at some of the simple formatting tools first. These are mostly single-purpose programs, and a bit unsophisticated in what they do, but they can be used for small tasks and as parts ...