### 8.4.1.1 T Edit Descriptor

The T edit descriptor is a positional tabulation specifier. It takes the form:

    Tn

The term n indicates the character position of the external record. The value of n must be greater than or equal to one.

Input Processing

In an input statement, the T edit descriptor positions the external record to its nth character position. For example, consider that an input statement reads a record containing `ABCXYZ` , and this record is controlled by the following format statement:

    10   FORMAT (T7,A3,T1,A3)

On execution, the input statement first reads the characters XYZ and then reads the characters ABC.

Output Processing

In an output statement, the T edit descriptor specifies that subsequent data transfer begins at the nth character position of the external record. The first position of a record to be printed is usually reserved for a carriage control character, which is not printed. For example:

         PRINT 25

    25   FORMAT (T51,'COLUMN 2',T21,'COLUMN 1')

These statements print the following line (assuming normal carriage control processing):

    Position 20                    Position 50

       |                              |

       COLUMN 1                       COLUMN 2

For more information on carriage control characters, see Section 8.6.

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