Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`col(1)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

On Solnix, col is the illumos col at /usr/bin/col, with the synopsis col [-bfpx]. It has no -l or -h option, which Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD all document, and its page says it cannot back up more than 128 lines.

The manual pages

Solnix: col(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: col(1) util-linux-2.42.3
FreeBSD: col(1) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: col(1) 8.0
NetBSD: col(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos col at /usr/bin/col. No other variants are shipped. The package is pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
all four	`-l` buffer size	The Solnix col has no `-l` option. The Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages document `-l` num to buffer at least num lines (default 128). Solnix says col cannot back up more than 128 lines, with no way to change it. Source: Solnix col(1) SYNOPSIS, NOTES; Linux col(1) -l; FreeBSD col(1) -l; OpenBSD col(1) -l; NetBSD col(1) -l
all four	`-h` option	The Solnix col has no `-h`. On Linux, `-h` outputs tabs instead of multiple spaces. On FreeBSD and NetBSD, `-h` means do not output multiple spaces instead of tabs (default). On OpenBSD, `-h` compresses spaces into tabs (default). A script passing `-h` fails on Solnix. Source: Solnix col(1) SYNOPSIS; Linux col(1) -h; FreeBSD col(1) -h; NetBSD col(1) -h; OpenBSD col(1) -h
Linux	long options	Linux col accepts long options (`--no-backspaces`, `--fine`, `--pass`, `--spaces`, `--tabs`, `--lines`, `--help`, `--version`). The Solnix page documents only `-b`, `-f`, `-p` and `-x`, with no `--help` or `--version`. Source: Linux col(1) OPTIONS; Solnix col(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS
OpenBSD	`-p` missing on OpenBSD	Solnix col has `-p`, which outputs unknown escape sequences as regular characters, subject to overprinting. The OpenBSD synopsis has no `-p` and says unrecognized escape sequences are discarded. Source: Solnix col(1) -p; OpenBSD col(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION
Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD	tab handling default	Solnix converts blanks to tabs wherever possible unless `-x` is given, and `-x` assumes tab stops where n modulo 8 equals 1. Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD pages describe `-x` as outputting multiple spaces, and do not state the tab-stop spacing. Source: Solnix col(1) DESCRIPTION, -x; Linux col(1) -x; FreeBSD col(1) -x; NetBSD col(1) -x
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	accepted escape sequences	FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD also accept the traditional BSD forms ESC-BELL, ESC-BACKSPACE and ESC-TAB. The Solnix page lists only ESC-7, ESC-8, ESC-9, VT, SO and SI. Source: Solnix col(1) DESCRIPTION table; FreeBSD col(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD col(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD col(1) DESCRIPTION
all four	limits	The Solnix page states col cannot handle more than 800 characters per line and ignores vertical motions that would back up over the first line. The other pages state no per-line limit and warn when input backs up to the last flushed line. Source: Solnix col(1) NOTES; Linux col(1) NOTES; FreeBSD col(1) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD col(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD col(1) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	environment variables	Solnix col honours LC_CTYPE, LC_MESSAGES and NLSPATH. FreeBSD and NetBSD list LANG, LC_ALL and LC_CTYPE. The Linux and OpenBSD pages have no environment section. Source: Solnix col(1) ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES; FreeBSD col(1) ENVIRONMENT; NetBSD col(1) ENVIRONMENT

Standards

POSIX: col is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: ATTRIBUTES: CSI is enabled. The page cites no other standard.
Linux: The col utility conforms to the Single UNIX Specification, Version 2. The -l option is an extension to the standard.
FreeBSD: The col utility conforms to Version 2 of the Single UNIX Specification (“SUSv2”).
NetBSD: The col utility conforms to Version 2 of the Single UNIX Specification (“SUSv2”).

Writing portable scripts

Use only -b, -f and -x in portable scripts. -l and -h are missing on Solnix, and -p is missing on OpenBSD.
Do not rely on -l to enlarge the buffer on Solnix. Keep multi-line overlays within 128 lines and 800 characters per line.

Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.