TABS—Set or Query Tabs Mode
- Turns tabs mode on and off
- Defines the logical tab character
- Controls the insertion of attribute bytes at hardware tab positions defined with the TABS line command
The TABS assignment statement does everything the macro command can do. It can also retrieve the setting of tabs mode and place it in a variable.
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
- ON
- Turns tabs mode on, which means that logical tabs can be used to break up strings of data.
- OFF
- Turns tabs mode off, which means that logical tabs cannot be used. Attribute
bytes are deleted from all hardware tab positions, causing the Tab Forward
and Tab Backward keys to ignore hardware tabs defined on the
=TABS>
line. Blanked-out characters occupying these positions reappear. TheTABS OFF
message appears in the profile display. - STD
- Activates all hardware tab positions (asterisks) that contain a
blank or null character. The editor inserts attribute bytes, which
cannot be typed over, at these positions. You can use the Tab Forward
and Tab Backward keys to move the cursor one space to the right of
the attribute bytes. The
TABS ON STD
message appears in the profile display. - ALL
- Causes an attribute byte to be inserted at all hardware tab positions.
Characters occupying these positions are blanked out and the attribute bytes
cannot be typed over. The Tab Forward and Tab Backward keys can be used to
move the cursor one space to the right of these attribute bytes. The
TABS ON ALL
message appears in the profile display. - tab_character
- Defines a single character that is not a number, letter, or command
delimiter as the logical tab character. This character is used with hardware
tab definitions. The
TABS ON tab character
message appears in the profile display.You can enclose the character in quotes ('
or"
), although this is not necessary unless you want to use one of these characters as the tab character:
The ampersand (&), left bracket ([), and right bracket (]) should not be used as tab characters at all.= ' " < , ( +
The tab_character operand causes the data string that follows the logical tab character to align itself one space to the right of the first available hardware tab position when you press Enter. No attribute bytes are inserted.
If no hardware tabs are defined, the editor aligns the data vertically. If software tabs are defined, the first data string is aligned under the first software tab position and the remaining data strings are aligned at the left boundary. If neither software nor hardware tabs are defined, the editor aligns all the data strings at the left boundary.
With the tab_character operand, the Tab Forward and Tab Backward keys ignore hardware tab positions when the tab_character operand is used because no attribute bytes are inserted.
- var1
- The name of a variable to contain the setting of tabs mode, either ON or OFF.
- var2
- The name of a variable to contain the tab character and either ALL or STD. This variable may be blank.
- ON
- Same as macro command syntax.
- OFF
- Same as macro command syntax.
- STD
- Same as macro command syntax.
- ALL
- Same as macro command syntax.
- tab_character
- Same as macro command syntax.
Return codes
- 0
- Normal completion
- 20
- Severe error
Examples
\
and set the tabs mode ON:
ISREDIT TABS ON \
ISREDIT TABS = (TABVAL)