Re: How can one set tabstops to specific values?

On 14/04/13 14:28, Erik Christiansen wrote:
> On 14.04.13 03:24, Tony Mechelynck wrote:
>> For the sake of portability, I recommend keeping 'tabstop' at its default of
>> 8, setting 'expandtab' on, and using any values you like for 'shiftwidth'
>> and 'softtabstop'. This way existing hard tabs will be seen at multiples of
>> 8, no new ones will be added, and tabbing or indenting will happen by adding
>> as many or as few spaces as you like. (You might also use :retab to get rid
>> of existing hard tabs in favour of spaces.)
>
> Using expandtab (and :retab when importing text, authored elsewhere)
> I've used tabstop=3 shiftwidth=3 scrolloff=3 without any portability or
> printing problems, in the last couple of decades of software
> development, and all other text hacking.
>
> Since there are no tab characters in the resulting text, the ancient
> custom of tabstop=8 (which stems from clanking iron typewriters, IIRC),
> isn't in play.
>
> Erik
>
With 'expandab' on, 'tabstop' still comes into play if you get (from
someone else, probably) a file containing hard tabs. In the absence of
specific info from the author of the file, you should then assume that
hard tabs are set at 8 (with :retab, «The current value of 'tabstop' is
always used to compute the width of existing tabs.»).

And, yeah, tab stops come from clanking iron typewriters (though the
ones I used, even the old used Underwood my grand-dad gave me in, oh,
1958 maybe, had movable tab stops like those Linda is asking for).
Similarly, ASCII comes from the 7-column papertape punches on some
models of clanking iron teletypewriters.


Best regards,
Tony.
--
Harrisberger's Fourth Law of the Lab:
Experience is directly proportional to the amount of equipment
ruined.

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