A tab character should advance to the next tab stop. Historically tab stops were every 8th character, although smaller values are in common use today and most editors can be configured.
I would expect your output to look like the following:
Understanding Tab Spacing
The algorithm is to start a column count at zero, then increment it for each character output. When you get to a tab, output n-(c%n) spaces where c is the column number (zero based) and n is the tab spacing.
Tab Stops and Alignment
Imagine a ruler with tab stops every 8 spaces. A tab character will align text to the next tab stop.
To calculate where the next tab stop is, take the current column.
nextTabStop = (column + 8) / 8 * 8
The / 8 * 8 part effectively truncates the result to the nearest multiple of 8. For example, if you’re at column 11, then (11 + 8) is 19 and 19 / 8 is 2, and 2 * 8 is 16. So the next tab stop from column 11 is at column 16.
Customizing Tab Stops
A Tab character shifts over to the next tab stop. By default, there is one every 8 spaces. But in most shells you can easily edit it to be whatever number of spaces you want (profile preferences in Linux, set tabstop in Vim).
Tab Spacing in Output Terminals
By default, an output terminal consists of 25 rows and 80 columns. A set of 8 columns is called a frame, so your output terminal has a total of 10 frames on each row. Whenever the compiler sees ‘ ‘, it moves the cursor to the next available frame. So ‘ ‘ can sometimes seem to give 3 spaces, other times 1, it all depends on how far the next frame is.
FAQs
1. What is the default tab spacing?
By default, a tab character advances to the next tab stop, which historically was every 8th character. However, this can be customized in most editors and shells.
2. How can I configure tab stops in Vim?
In Vim, you can set tab stops by modifying the tabstop variable in your configuration.
3. Why do tab characters seem to give different spaces?
Tab characters can appear to give different spaces because they align text to the next available tab stop, which can vary based on the context and settings.
4. What is the significance of tab spacing in output terminals?
In output terminals, tab spacing determines the movement of the cursor to the next available frame, which can affect the visual spacing of tab characters in the output.
5. What is the impact of tab width on code readability?
The impact of tab width on code readability can vary based on individual preferences and project requirements. It’s important to adhere to the coding style established within a project for consistency.