unexpand(1)

     NAME
          unexpand - convert spaces to tabs

     SYNOPSIS
          unexpand [-tab1[,tab2[,...]]] [-t tab1[,tab2[,...]]] [-a]
          [--tabs=tab1[,tab2[,...]]] [--all] [--help] [--version]
          [file...]

     DESCRIPTION
          This documentation is no longer being maintained and may be
          inaccurate or incomplete.  The Texinfo documentation is now
          the authoritative source.

          This manual page documents the GNU version of unexpand.
          unexpand writes the contents of each given file, or the
          standard input if none are given or when a file named `-' is
          given, to the standard output, with strings of two or more
          space or tab characters converted to as many tabs as
          possible followed by as many spaces as are needed.  By
          default, unexpand converts only initial spaces and tabs
          (those that precede all non space or tab characters) on each
          line.  It preserves backspace characters in the output; they
          decrement the column count for tab calculations.  By
          default, tabs are set at every 8th column.

        OPTIONS
          -, -t, --tabs tab1[,tab2[,...]]
               If only one tab stop is given, set the tabs tab1 spaces
               apart instead of the default 8.  Otherwise, set the
               tabs at columns tab1, tab2, etc. (numbered from 0) and
               leave spaces and tabs beyond the tabstops given
               unchanged.  If the tabstops are specified with the -t
               or --tabs option, they can be separated by blanks as
               well as by commas.  This option implies the -a option.

          -a, --all
               Convert all strings of two or more spaces or tabs, not
               just initial ones, to tabs.

          --help
               Print a usage message and exit with a status code
               indicating success.

          --version
               Print version information on standard output then exit.