Use a tab character to separates individual fields.

Define separator character

Variable definition

Notes

This declaration relies on the C Virtual Machine to initialize the variable unique to zero.

Segment Source

 190: /* Tab character separating fields.  If NUL, then fields are separated
 191:    by the empty string between a non-whitespace character and a whitespace
 192:    character. */
 193: static char tab;
 194: 

Insert user message text

Text insertion

Segment Source

 234:   -t SEP           use SEParator instead of non- to whitespace transition\n\

Find beginning of field

Code insertion

Notes

The definition of tab as a field separator includes its behavior when it is null. If tab is not defined, then the default behavior is to separate fields based on white space transistions (a.k.a. WhiteSep).

Segment Source

 545:   if (tab)
 546:     while (ptr < lim && sword--)
 547:       {
 548:         while (ptr < lim && *ptr != tab)
 549:           ++ptr;
 550:         if (ptr < lim)
 551:           ++ptr;
 552:       }
 553:   else

Find end of field

Code insertion

Notes

The definition of tab as a field separator includes its behavior when it is null. If tab is not defined, then the default behavior is to separate fields based on white space transistions (a.k.a. WhiteSep).

Segment Source

 594:   if (tab)
 595:     while (ptr < lim && eword--)
 596:       {
 597:         while (ptr < lim && *ptr != tab)
 598:           ++ptr;
 599:         if (ptr < lim && (eword || echar > 0))
 600:           ++ptr;
 601:       }
 602:   else

Parse TabSep option (-t)

Code insertion

Segment Source

1975:                   case 't':
1976:                     if (s[1])
1977:                       tab = *++s;
1978:                     else if (i < argc - 1)
1979:                       {
1980:                         tab = *argv[++i];
1981:                         goto outer;
1982:                       }
1983:                     else
1984:                       error (SORT_FAILURE, 0,
1985:                              _("option `-t' requires an argument"));
1986:                     break;