nl.1 (2010 09)

n
nl(1) nl(1)
NAME
nl - line numbering filter
SYNOPSIS
nl [-btype ][-htype ][
-ftype ][-p][-vstart# ][-iincr ][
-ssep ][-wwidth ][-nformat ][-lnum ]
[
-ddelim ][file ]
DESCRIPTION
nl reads lines from the named file or the standard input if no file is named and reproduces the lines on
the standard output. Lines are numbered on the left in accordance with the command options in effect.
nl views the text it reads in terms of logical pages. Line numbering is reset at the start of each logical
page. A logical page consists of a header, a body, and a footer section. Empty sections are valid.
Different line numbering options are independently available for header, body, and footer (e.g., no
numbering of header and footer lines while numbering blank lines only in the body).
The start of logical page sections are signaled by input lines containing nothing but the following delim-
iter character(s):
Line contents Start of
\:\:\: header
\:\: body
\: footer
Unless told otherwise, nl assumes the text being read is in a single logical page body.
Command options can appear in any order and can be intermingled with an optional file name. Only one
file can be named.
nl recognizes the following options:
-btype Specifies which logical page body lines are to be numbered. Recognized types and their
meanings are:
a number all lines;
t number lines with printable text only;
n no line numbering;
pstring number only lines that contain the regular expression specified in
string . Basic Regular Expression syntax is supported (see
regexp (5)).
The default type for logical page body is
t (text lines numbered).
-htype Same as -btype except for header. Default type for logical page header is
n (no lines
numbered).
-ftype Same as -btype except for footer. Default for logical page footer is n (no lines num-
bered).
-p Do not restart numbering at logical page delimiters.
-vstart# start# is the initial value used to number logical page lines. Default is 1.
-iincr incr is the increment value used to number logical page lines. Default is 1.
-ssep sep is the character or characters used in separating the line number and the
corresponding text line. Default sep is a tab.
-wwidth width is the number of character columns to be used for the line number. Default
width is 6.
-nformat format is the line numbering format. Recognized values are:
ln left justified, leading zeroes suppressed;
rn right justified, leading zeroes suppressed;
rz right justified, leading zeroes kept.
Default format is
rn (right justified).
-lnum num is the number of consecutive blank lines to be treated and numbered as a single
line. For example, -l3 results in every third adjacent blank line being numbered if
the appropriate -ha, -ba,and/or -fa option is set. Default is 1.
-dxx The delimiter characters specifying the start of a logical page section can be changed
from the default characters (\:) to two user-specified characters. If only one
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