4.3BSD - /usr/man/cat1/fmt.0

FMT(1)                                                                  FMT(1)


NAME
       fmt - simple text formatter

SYNOPSIS
       fmt [ name ...  ]

DESCRIPTION
       Fmt  is  a simple text formatter which reads the concatenation of input
       files (or standard input if none are given) and  produces  on  standard
       output a version of its input with lines as close to 72 characters long
       as possible.  The spacing at the beginning of the input lines  is  pre‐
       served in the output, as are blank lines and interword spacing.

       Fmt  is meant to format mail messages prior to sending, but may also be
       useful for other simple tasks.  For instance, within visual mode of the
       ex editor (e.g.  vi) the command
            !}fmt
       will reformat a paragraph, evening the lines.

SEE ALSO
       nroff(1), mail(1)

AUTHOR
       Kurt Shoens

BUGS
       The program was designed to be simple and fast - for more complex oper‐
       ations, the standard text processors are likely to be more appropriate.


3rd Berkeley Distribution       April 29, 1985                          FMT(1)