SPFLite - V3.0.24069 2024-03-09

Syntax

Operands

Description

The Text Flow line command is used to reformat a paragraph of text to fit within a certain column range. A "paragraph" is a group of lines starting with the TF command and ending at the next blank line or the end of the file. The paragraph is made to "flow" by breaking it apart into "words" and reassembling the paragraph.

TF honors the existing text indent (normal or reverse) of the first and subsequent lines of the original paragraph.

Example:

    First line of paragraph 

Subsequent line of paragraph 

Subsequent line of paragraph 

Subsequent line of paragraph 

would be re-flowed with an initial indent of 4 columns, and no indent on the remaining lines, whereas

First line of paragraph 

    Subsequent line of paragraph 

    Subsequent line of paragraph 

    Subsequent line of paragraph 

would be re-flowed with no initial indent, and in indent of 4 columns on the remaining lines.

The formatting is done this way to retain existing paragraph structure, and is ISPF compliant.

To flow text within a single paragraph:

1. Type TF in the line command area of the line at which you want the text to begin flowing. If you want to specify the rightmost column position for the restructured text, type a number greater than 1 immediately after the TF command.
2. Press Enter.
3. The text is flowed from the beginning of that line to the end of the paragraph.

To text-flow multiple paragraphs with a single SPFLite interaction. (This is an extension to IBM ISPF):

1. Type TFF in the line command area of the first line of the first paragraph at which you want the text to begin flowing. If you want to specify the rightmost column position for the restructured text, type a number greater than 1 immediately after the TFF command.

2. Type TFF in the line command area of the last line of the last paragraph at which you want the text to begin flowing. If you want to specify the rightmost column position for the restructured text, and did not specify this in step (1) above, you can type a number greater than 1 immediately after the second TFF command here. As with all block-mode commands, it is unnecessary but possible to specify a number both places, but if this is done, they must agree.

3. Press Enter.
4. The text is flowed from the beginning of the first line of the first paragraph to the end of last line of the last the paragraph. The spacing between paragraphs is preserved.

Text Flow and BOUNDS

TF is sensitive to the current BOUNDS setting. This may be an issue when a paragraph already has text extending past the right bound. For example, if bounds are 1 80 and any lines in the TF line range are longer than 80, but the command TF80 is issued, this is rejected with a message, 

TF right bound specified, but global BNDS are set. TF abandoned

whereas if a simple TF is used (without the n value) with non-default BOUNDS are in effect, no warning is issued - but no reformatting takes place either. Text Flow interacts with BOUNDS in an ISPF compliant manner. However, if this presents a problem for you, you can try using the Text Margin line command instead.

See TM / TMM - Set Text Margin and Word Processing Support for more information.

A note about using TF/TFF and TM/TMM to format text

The Text Flow command TF/TFF and the Text Margin command TM/TMM use a simplified definition of "words". A "word" is any string delimited by blanks or by the beginning or end of a line. It is not necessary to change the definition of the WORD string or the Normal Characters string for these commands to work correctly.

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