SET TABS

Purpose

Use the TABS option to define the logical tab stops for a file.

Operands

n

define the column numbers for logical tab settings. You can specify up to 28 numbers, separated from each other with at least one blank.

Initial Setting

Based on file type. See File Type Defaults.

Usage Notes

1. SET IMAGE ON must be in effect for a X'05' to be recognized as a tab character in an input line.
2. A line containing tab characters can be entered from the terminal or the console stack. A tab character in an input line causes space characters to be inserted up to (but not including) the next tab position. SET FILLER defines the space character; the default is a blank.
3. The COMPRESS subcommand inserts tab characters in a line and can be used with the EXPAND subcommand to realign data according to tab settings. (See COMPRESS and EXPAND.)
4. On a display terminal, the SET TABS subcommand controls the logical tab settings and the physical tab settings. You can set up a PF key to function like a tab key on a typewriter (see SET PFn TABKEY); each time you press the PF key, the cursor moves to the next column defined in SET TABS.
5. Default tab settings differ according to file type. QUERY TABS displays them.
6. To define a tabulation character, issue the CMS command SET INPUT. For example, the following command defines a > as the tabulation character:

   cms set input > 05

Messages and Return Codes

520E

Invalid operand: operand [RC=5]

545E

Missing operand(s) [RC=5]

575E

Invalid [argument or] {JOIN|SPLIT|TABS|VERIFY|ZONE} columns defined [RC=5]

where return codes are: