TL--Relative Tab Stop

This tab tabs to the next tab stop for both read and write. It is the same as the nTL with n omitted; it tabs to the next tab stop.

The rules and Restrictions for tabbing are:

• Tabbing right beyond the end of an input logical record is an error.

• Tabbing left beyond the beginning of an input logical record leaves the input pointer at the beginning of the record.

• Nondestructive tabbing is implemented for both internal and external formatted I/O. Nondestructive tabbing means that tabbing left or right on output does not destroy previously written portions of a record.

• Tabbing right on output causes unwritten portions of a record to be filled with blanks.

• Tabbing left requires that the logical unit allows a seek. Therefore, it is not allowed in I/O to or from a terminal or pipe.

• Likewise, nondestructive tabbing in either direction is possible only on a unit that can seek. Otherwise, tabbing right or spacing with the X edit specifier writes blanks on the output.

• Tab stops are hard-coded every eight columns.