Linux Command Reference

Synopsis

pr [OPTION]... [FILE]...
pr [+PAGE] [-COLUMN] [-abcdfFmrtv] [-e[CHAR[WIDTH]]] [-h HEADER]
   [-i[CHAR[WIDTH]]] [-J] [-l PAGE_LENGTH] [-n[SEP[DIGITS]]]
   [-N LINE_NUMBER] [-o MARGIN] [-s[CHAR]] [-S[STRING]]
   [-w PAGE_WIDTH] [-W PAGE_WIDTH] [FILE]...

Description

The pr command formats files for printing or display, creating paginated output with headers, footers, page numbers, and multiple columns. Originally designed for preparing text files for line printers in the early Unix days, pr remains essential for creating professional-looking printed output from plain text files.

Think of pr as a bridge between raw text and formatted documents. It can convert simple text files into paginated reports with headers showing filename and page numbers, create multi-column layouts (like newspapers), add line numbers, control page length and width, merge files side-by-side, and format data for printing or terminal display. While modern word processors have replaced pr for most document creation, it remains invaluable for quick text formatting, creating printable reports from scripts, formatting code listings, and preparing text data for display or archival.

Key Concepts

Pagination: Divides text into pages with default 66 lines per page (11 inches at 6 lines/inch).
Headers: Automatically adds 5-line header with filename, date, time, and page number at top of each page.
Footers: Creates 5-line footer (blank by default) at bottom of each page.
Multi-Column: Can format text in multiple columns side-by-side, useful for lists and comparisons.
Line Numbering: Can add line numbers to each line with customizable format.
Merging: Can merge multiple files side-by-side in columns with -m option.

Detailed Examples

Example 1

Basic Pagination with Headers

Use pr with default settings to paginate a file with headers showing filename, date/time, and page numbers. This is the most common use case for preparing files for printing.

                    # Create a sample file
seq 1 100 | awk '{print "Line " $1 ": This is sample text"}' > sample.txt

# Basic pr - adds headers and pagination
pr sample.txt

# View first page only
pr sample.txt | head -66

# Save formatted output
pr sample.txt > sample_formatted.txt

# Print to default printer
pr sample.txt | lpr

# Display with less (better for viewing)
pr sample.txt | less

# See the header structure
pr sample.txt | head -10

# Compare before and after
echo "=== Original file (first 10 lines) ==="
head -10 sample.txt
echo ""
echo "=== After pr (first 10 lines) ==="
pr sample.txt | head -10
                

Output:

=== After pr (first 10 lines) ===


2025-12-14 17:30                    sample.txt                     Page 1




Line 1: This is sample text
Line 2: This is sample text

Note:

pr adds a 5-line header (2 blank, header line with date/filename/page, 2 blank) and 5-line footer at bottom. Default page length is 66 lines. The header shows current date/time, centered filename, and right-aligned page number.

Example 2

Custom Headers and Page Settings

Customize headers, page length, and page width to match your printing needs or display requirements. Control how the document appears when printed or viewed.

                    # Custom header with -h
pr -h "Monthly Sales Report" sales.txt

# Disable header/footer with -t
pr -t sample.txt

# Set page length to 30 lines with -l
pr -l 30 sample.txt

# Set page width to 80 columns with -w
pr -w 80 sample.txt

# Combine options: custom header, shorter pages
pr -h "Project Documentation" -l 40 -w 100 docs.txt

# Create letterhead-style output
pr -h "ACME Corporation - Internal Memo" \
   -l 60 -w 80 memo.txt

# Omit pagination (continuous output) with -t
pr -t -w 80 continuous.txt

# Set starting page number with +PAGE
pr +3 sample.txt  # Start from page 3

# Custom date in header (using shell)
pr -h "Report - $(date +%Y-%m-%d)" data.txt

# Professional report format
pr -h "Quarterly Analysis - Q4 2025" \
   -l 55 \
   -w 85 \
   -o 5 \
   report.txt
                

Output with custom header:




2025-12-14 17:30            Monthly Sales Report                Page 1




[content here]


# With -t (no header/footer):
Line 1: This is sample text
Line 2: This is sample text
[continuous content, no page breaks]

# Starting from page 3:


2025-12-14 17:30                    sample.txt                     Page 3




[content from page 3 onwards]

Note:

The -h flag sets custom header text (replaces filename). Use -t to suppress headers/footers entirely for continuous output. Page length (-l) includes header and footer. Default is 66 lines (11" paper × 6 lines/inch). Set -l 60 for actual 1-inch margins.

Example 3

Multi-Column Output

Format text in multiple columns for space-efficient printing. Perfect for lists, directories, indexes, or creating newspaper-style layouts.

                    # Create a list of items
seq 1 50 | awk '{print "Item " $1}' > items.txt

# Two columns
pr -2 items.txt

# Three columns
pr -3 items.txt

# Four columns with custom width
pr -4 -w 132 items.txt

# Set column separator with -s
pr -2 -s"|" items.txt

# Adjust spacing between columns
pr -3 -s"  " items.txt  # Two spaces

# Directory listing in columns
ls -1 /usr/bin | pr -5 -t -w 100

# Create phone directory format
cat > contacts.txt << 'EOF'
Alice Smith - 555-0101
Bob Jones - 555-0102
Charlie Brown - 555-0103
David Wilson - 555-0104
Eve Davis - 555-0105
Frank Miller - 555-0106
EOF

pr -2 -h "Contact Directory" -l 40 contacts.txt

# Newspaper-style layout
pr -3 -s" | " -w 120 -h "Daily News Digest" news.txt

# Create index from keywords
sort keywords.txt | pr -4 -t -w 100 > index.txt
                

Two-column output:




2025-12-14 17:30                    items.txt                      Page 1




Item 1                          Item 26
Item 2                          Item 27
Item 3                          Item 28
Item 4                          Item 29
Item 5                          Item 30
...

# Three columns with separator:
Item 1  |  Item 18  |  Item 35
Item 2  |  Item 19  |  Item 36
Item 3  |  Item 20  |  Item 37

# Directory in 5 columns (no header with -t):
file1      file26     file51     file76     file101
file2      file27     file52     file77     file102
file3      file28     file53     file78     file103

Note:

Column count specified with -NUMBER (e.g., -3 for 3 columns). pr fills columns vertically (down then across). Use -a for across filling. Default column separator is space; change with -s. Width is divided evenly among columns.

Example 4

Merging Files Side-by-Side

Use -m to merge multiple files side-by-side in columns. This is different from multi-column mode - each file occupies one column, perfect for comparisons or parallel display.

                    # Create comparison files
cat > version1.txt << 'EOF'
Function: login
- Validate user
- Check password
- Create session
- Log activity
EOF

cat > version2.txt << 'EOF'
Function: login
- Validate user
- Check password hash
- Create secure session
- Log activity
- Send notification
EOF

# Merge side by side
pr -m -t version1.txt version2.txt

# With separator
pr -m -t -s" | " version1.txt version2.txt

# Three files side by side
pr -m -t file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

# Compare old and new with headers
pr -m -h "Version Comparison" -s" || " \
   old_code.c new_code.c

# Merge with custom width
pr -m -w 150 -s"  |  " left.txt right.txt

# Create before/after documentation
pr -m -t -h "Migration Guide" \
   -s" => " \
   old_syntax.txt new_syntax.txt

# Side-by-side diff alternative
pr -m -t -w 120 original.txt modified.txt | less

# Merge multiple logs for comparison
pr -m -t -s" | " \
   server1.log server2.log server3.log | \
   head -50

# Create bilingual document
pr -m -h "English | Spanish" -s" | " \
   english.txt spanish.txt
                

Merged output:

# With separator:
Function: login          | Function: login
- Validate user          | - Validate user
- Check password         | - Check password hash
- Create session         | - Create secure session
- Log activity           | - Log activity
                         | - Send notification

# Three files:
File1 Line 1             File2 Line 1             File3 Line 1
File1 Line 2             File2 Line 2             File3 Line 2
File1 Line 3             File2 Line 3             File3 Line 3

# Before => After syntax:
old_function() => new_function()
  param1       =>   param1, param2
  return 0     =>   return result

Note:

The -m flag merges files horizontally, one file per column. Different from -NUMBER which splits a single file into columns. Perfect for comparisons, translations, or viewing related files together. Use -s to set separator between columns.

Example 5

Line Numbering

Add line numbers to output with -n. Essential for code listings, legal documents, or any content requiring line references. Customize numbering format and separator.

                    # Create sample code
cat > script.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
echo "Starting process..."
for i in {1..10}; do
    echo "Processing item $i"
done
echo "Complete"
EOF

# Basic line numbering
pr -n -t script.sh

# Specify number width (5 digits)
pr -n5 -t script.sh

# Custom separator after number (: instead of tab)
pr -n: -t script.sh

# Line numbers with width and separator
pr -n:5 -t script.sh

# Numbered code listing with header
pr -n -h "Script Listing" -l 60 script.sh

# Start numbering from specific line with -N
pr -N 100 -n -t script.sh

# Number only non-blank lines (combine with awk)
cat script.sh | \
    awk '{if (NF) {printf "%3d %s\n", ++n, $0} else print}' | \
    pr -t -h "Code Listing"

# Create numbered documentation
pr -n: -h "API Documentation" -l 50 api_docs.txt

# Number lines in multiple columns
pr -n -2 -w 100 data.txt

# Professional code listing
pr -n: \
   -h "script.sh - Production Code" \
   -l 60 \
   -w 85 \
   -o 5 \
   script.sh
                

Output with line numbers:

# Basic -n:
     1  #!/bin/bash
     2  echo "Starting process..."
     3  for i in {1..10}; do
     4      echo "Processing item $i"
     5  done
     6  echo "Complete"

# With custom separator -n::
     1:#!/bin/bash
     2:echo "Starting process..."
     3:for i in {1..10}; do
     4:    echo "Processing item $i"
     5:done
     6:echo "Complete"

# Starting from 100 (-N 100):
   100  #!/bin/bash
   101  echo "Starting process..."
   102  for i in {1..10}; do

Note:

The -n flag adds line numbers. Format: -n[SEP[WIDTH]] where SEP is separator (default tab) and WIDTH is number field width (default 5). Use -N to start numbering from a specific line. Great for code reviews and legal documents.

Example 6

Controlling Margins and Indentation

Adjust left margins, control indentation, and set page width to create professional layouts with proper spacing for binding or aesthetic purposes.

                    # Set left margin with -o (offset)
pr -o 10 -t sample.txt

# Large left margin for binding
pr -o 15 -h "Bound Document" report.txt

# Combine margin with custom width
pr -o 8 -w 72 text.txt

# Create indented report format
pr -o 12 -h "Executive Summary" \
   -l 55 -w 80 summary.txt

# Professional letter format
pr -o 10 \
   -h "ACME Corporation" \
   -l 60 \
   -w 70 \
   letter.txt

# Set offset for hole-punch binding (3-hole)
pr -o 8 -l 60 manual.txt

# Tab expansion with -e
cat > tabs.txt << 'EOF'
Name	Age	City
Alice	25	NYC
Bob	30	LA
EOF

pr -t -e tabs.txt  # Expand tabs to spaces

# Set custom tab stops
pr -t -e8 tabs.txt  # Tabs every 8 spaces

# Convert spaces to tabs with -i
pr -t -i tabs_output.txt

# Create formatted table with margins
pr -o 10 -e8 -w 90 -h "Employee Directory" employees.csv

# Double-spaced output with line spacing
awk '{print; print ""}' text.txt | pr -o 10 -l 80
                

Output with offset:

# With -o 10 (10-space left margin):
          Line 1: This is sample text
          Line 2: This is sample text
          Line 3: This is sample text

# Professional letter (-o 10 -w 70):


          2025-12-14 17:30    ACME Corporation              Page 1




          Dear Customer,

          Thank you for your recent inquiry...

# Tab expansion (-e8):
Name    Age     City
Alice   25      NYC
Bob     30      LA

Note:

The -o flag adds left margin (offset) in spaces. Useful for binding margins or centering text on page. The -e flag expands tabs to spaces (default 8-space tabs). The -i flag does reverse (spaces to tabs). The -w flag sets total page width including margins.

Example 7

Creating Reports and Documentation

Combine pr options to create professional reports, technical documentation, and formatted output suitable for distribution or archival. Real-world report formatting examples.

                    # Create sales report
cat > sales_data.txt << 'EOF'
Q1 Sales: $125,000
Q2 Sales: $142,000
Q3 Sales: $138,000
Q4 Sales: $165,000
Total: $570,000
EOF

# Professional report format
pr -h "2025 Annual Sales Report" \
   -l 60 \
   -w 80 \
   -o 10 \
   sales_data.txt > sales_report.txt

# Technical documentation with line numbers
pr -n: \
   -h "System Configuration Guide" \
   -l 55 \
   -w 85 \
   -o 8 \
   config_guide.txt

# Meeting minutes
pr -h "Team Meeting - $(date +%Y-%m-%d)" \
   -l 50 \
   -w 75 \
   meeting_notes.txt

# Code review document
pr -n \
   -h "Code Review - PR #1234" \
   -l 60 \
   -w 100 \
   changes.diff

# Multi-file report compilation
{
    cat executive_summary.txt
    echo ""
    cat methodology.txt
    echo ""
    cat results.txt
    echo ""
    cat conclusions.txt
} | pr -h "Research Report - Full Document" -l 60 -o 10

# Create comparison report
pr -m -h "Q3 vs Q4 Comparison" \
   -s" | " \
   -w 120 \
   -l 55 \
   q3_data.txt q4_data.txt

# Generate printable manual
for file in intro.txt setup.txt usage.txt troubleshooting.txt; do
    pr -h "User Manual - $(basename $file .txt | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z')" \
       -l 60 -o 10 -w 80 "$file"
    echo ""
done > complete_manual.txt

# Financial statement
pr -h "Balance Sheet - December 2025" \
   -o 15 \
   -l 55 \
   -w 85 \
   -n: \
   balance_sheet.txt

# Create table of contents
{
    echo "TABLE OF CONTENTS"
    echo ""
    find docs/ -name "*.txt" -exec basename {} \; | \
        sort | nl -w3 -s". "
} | pr -h "Documentation Index" -t
                

Professional report output:




          2025-12-14 17:30   2025 Annual Sales Report          Page 1




          Q1 Sales: $125,000
          Q2 Sales: $142,000
          Q3 Sales: $138,000
          Q4 Sales: $165,000
          Total: $570,000




# With line numbers (technical doc):


2025-12-14 17:30    System Configuration Guide               Page 1




     1:Server Configuration
     2:==================
     3:
     4:Primary Server: 192.168.1.10
     5:Backup Server: 192.168.1.11

Note:

Combine multiple pr options for professional output: -h for custom headers, -o for margins, -l for page length, -w for width, -n for line numbers. Pipe multiple files through pr for consistent formatting across document sections.

Example 8

Pipeline Integration and Automation

Use pr in pipelines with other commands to create formatted output from dynamic data. Essential for automated report generation and system administration tasks.

                    # Format command output
ps aux | pr -h "Process List - $(hostname)" -l 60

# System status report
{
    echo "=== System Information ==="
    uname -a
    echo ""
    echo "=== Disk Usage ==="
    df -h
    echo ""
    echo "=== Memory Usage ==="
    free -h
} | pr -h "System Status - $(date +%Y-%m-%d)" -o 5

# Format log analysis
grep ERROR /var/log/syslog | \
    tail -50 | \
    pr -h "Recent Errors - $(date)" -n -t

# Directory tree printing
tree /home/user/project | pr -h "Project Structure" -t

# Git log formatting
git log --oneline -20 | \
    pr -h "Recent Commits - $(git branch --show-current)" -t

# Database query results
mysql -e "SELECT * FROM users LIMIT 50" mydb | \
    pr -h "User List" -t -w 120

# Network statistics
netstat -tuln | \
    pr -h "Active Connections" -l 40 -t

# Format cron jobs
crontab -l | pr -h "Scheduled Tasks - $USER" -t -n

# Create backup report
{
    echo "Backup Report - $(date)"
    echo "===================="
    echo ""
    find /backup -type f -mtime -1 -ls
} | pr -l 60 -o 8 > backup_report.txt

# Format multiple logs side by side
pr -m -t -s" | " -w 150 \
   <(tail -20 app.log) \
   <(tail -20 error.log) \
   <(tail -20 access.log)

# Automated daily report
cat > daily_report.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
{
    echo "Daily System Report"
    echo "Generated: $(date)"
    echo ""
    
    echo "=== Top 10 Processes ==="
    ps aux --sort=-%mem | head -11
    echo ""
    
    echo "=== Recent Logins ==="
    last -10
    echo ""
    
    echo "=== Disk Usage Warnings ==="
    df -h | awk '$5+0 > 80 {print}'
} | pr -h "Daily Report - $(hostname)" -l 60 -o 5 | \
    mail -s "Daily Report" admin@example.com
EOF

chmod +x daily_report.sh
                

Pipeline output examples:

# Process list:


2025-12-14 17:30    Process List - server01                  Page 1




USER       PID %CPU %MEM    VSZ   RSS TTY      STAT START   TIME COMMAND
root         1  0.0  0.1  16896  8156 ?        Ss   Dec13   0:02 /sbin/init

# Side-by-side logs:
[app.log]           | [error.log]          | [access.log]
INFO: Starting      | ERROR: Connection    | 192.168.1.100 GET /
DEBUG: Loading cfg  | ERROR: Timeout       | 192.168.1.101 POST /api
INFO: Ready         | WARN: Retry attempt  | 192.168.1.102 GET /data

# Git commits with header:
Recent Commits - main

a1b2c3d Fix authentication bug
e4f5g6h Add new feature
i7j8k9l Update documentation

Note:

pr works seamlessly in pipelines reading from stdin. Perfect for formatting command output, creating reports from scripts, or processing data streams. Use -t to suppress headers for cleaner pipeline output. Combine with process substitution for parallel file viewing.

Example 9

Advanced Formatting Tricks

Advanced pr techniques including form feeds, page breaks, across-then-down column filling, and creative combinations for specialized formatting needs.

                    # Fill columns across then down with -a
cat > items.txt << 'EOF'
Item1
Item2
Item3
Item4
Item5
Item6
EOF

# Default (down then across)
pr -3 -t items.txt

# Across then down
pr -3 -a -t items.txt

# Preserve form feeds with -f
cat > sections.txt << 'EOF'
Section 1 content
^L
Section 2 content
^L
Section 3 content
EOF

pr -f -h "Multi-Section Document" sections.txt

# Join lines with -J (no separator between columns)
pr -2 -J -t file1.txt file2.txt

# Omit page trailers (just header, no footer spacing)
pr -F -h "Compact Format" data.txt

# Double spacing effect
awk '{print; print ""}' text.txt | pr -t

# Landscape printing (wide format)
pr -w 132 -l 40 -h "Wide Report" landscape_data.txt

# Custom separator string with -S
pr -2 -S"<==>" -t file1.txt file2.txt

# Create columnar index
sort glossary.txt | \
    pr -4 -a -t -w 120 -s"  " > index.txt

# Format for 3-hole punch with alignment
pr -o 8 -w 77 \
   -h "Binder Document" \
   -l 60 \
   manual.txt

# Create newsletter format
pr -3 -s" | " \
   -h "Monthly Newsletter - $(date +%B %Y)" \
   -l 55 \
   -w 120 \
   articles.txt

# Merge different file types
pr -m -t -w 140 \
   <(cat notes.txt) \
   <(cat data.csv | column -t -s,) \
   <(cat checklist.txt)

# Create printer test page
{
    echo "Printer Test Page"
    echo "================="
    echo ""
    for i in {1..10}; do
        echo "Test line $i: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
    done
    echo ""
    echo "Font samples: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
    echo "Numbers: 0123456789"
    echo "Symbols: !@#$%^&*()_+-=[]{}|;':\"<>?,./"
} | pr -h "Printer Test" -o 10 -l 60
                

Advanced formatting output:

# Down then across (default):
Item1    Item3    Item5
Item2    Item4    Item6

# Across then down (-a):
Item1    Item2    Item3
Item4    Item5    Item6

# Custom separator -S"<==>":
File1 Line1<==>File2 Line1
File1 Line2<==>File2 Line2
File1 Line3<==>File2 Line3

# Newsletter format:
Monthly Newsletter - December 2025

Article1 | Article2 | Article3
Text...  | Text...  | Text...

Note:

The -a flag fills columns across then down (like reading left-to-right). The -J flag joins lines without separators. The -F flag omits footers for denser output. The -S flag sets separator string between columns. The -f flag handles form feeds (^L) for section breaks.

Example 10

Complete Report Generation System

A comprehensive script that generates professional reports using pr with multiple formatting options, template support, and automated distribution. Production-ready for business reporting.

                    #!/bin/bash
# File: report_generator.sh
# Professional report generation system using pr

set -euo pipefail

# ============================================
# Configuration
# ============================================
readonly REPORT_DIR="./reports"
readonly TEMPLATE_DIR="./templates"
readonly OUTPUT_DIR="./output"
readonly DEFAULT_WIDTH=85
readonly DEFAULT_LENGTH=60
readonly DEFAULT_MARGIN=10

# ============================================
# Ensure directories exist
# ============================================
mkdir -p "$REPORT_DIR" "$TEMPLATE_DIR" "$OUTPUT_DIR"

# ============================================
# Logging
# ============================================
log() {
    echo "[$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')] $*"
}

# ============================================
# Template Functions
# ============================================
create_header() {
    local title="$1"
    local date="${2:-$(date '+%Y-%m-%d')}"
    
    cat << EOF
$title
Generated: $date
Company: ACME Corporation
========================================
EOF
}

# ============================================
# Report Formatting Functions
# ============================================
format_basic_report() {
    local input="$1"
    local output="$2"
    local title="$3"
    
    log "Formatting basic report: $title"
    
    pr -h "$title" \
       -l "$DEFAULT_LENGTH" \
       -w "$DEFAULT_WIDTH" \
       -o "$DEFAULT_MARGIN" \
       "$input" > "$output"
}

format_comparison_report() {
    local file1="$1"
    local file2="$2"
    local output="$3"
    local title="$4"
    
    log "Creating comparison report: $title"
    
    pr -m \
       -h "$title" \
       -s" | " \
       -l "$DEFAULT_LENGTH" \
       -w 140 \
       -o 8 \
       "$file1" "$file2" > "$output"
}

format_code_listing() {
    local input="$1"
    local output="$2"
    local title="$3"
    
    log "Formatting code listing: $title"
    
    pr -n: \
       -h "$title" \
       -l 66 \
       -w 100 \
       -o 8 \
       "$input" > "$output"
}

format_columnar_list() {
    local input="$1"
    local output="$2"
    local title="$3"
    local columns="${4:-3}"
    
    log "Creating $columns-column list: $title"
    
    pr -$columns \
       -a \
       -h "$title" \
       -l "$DEFAULT_LENGTH" \
       -w "$DEFAULT_WIDTH" \
       "$input" > "$output"
}

format_executive_summary() {
    local input="$1"
    local output="$2"
    
    log "Formatting executive summary"
    
    {
        create_header "EXECUTIVE SUMMARY"
        echo ""
        cat "$input"
    } | pr -o 15 \
           -l 55 \
           -w 80 \
           -t > "$output"
}

# ============================================
# Multi-Section Report
# ============================================
compile_multi_section_report() {
    local report_name="$1"
    shift
    local sections=("$@")
    
    local output="$OUTPUT_DIR/${report_name}_$(date +%Y%m%d).txt"
    
    log "Compiling multi-section report: $report_name"
    
    > "$output"  # Clear output file
    
    local section_num=1
    for section_file in "${sections[@]}"; do
        local section_name=$(basename "$section_file" .txt)
        
        log "  Processing section $section_num: $section_name"
        
        pr -h "Section $section_num: $section_name" \
           -l "$DEFAULT_LENGTH" \
           -w "$DEFAULT_WIDTH" \
           -o "$DEFAULT_MARGIN" \
           "$section_file" >> "$output"
        
        ((section_num++))
    done
    
    log "Report compiled: $output"
    echo "$output"
}

# ============================================
# Generate Sample Data
# ============================================
generate_sample_data() {
    log "Generating sample data..."
    
    # Sales data
    cat > "$REPORT_DIR/sales_q3.txt" << 'EOF'
Q3 2025 Sales Summary
=====================

North Region: $245,000
South Region: $189,000
East Region:  $312,000
West Region:  $276,000

Total Q3: $1,022,000
EOF
    
    cat > "$REPORT_DIR/sales_q4.txt" << 'EOF'
Q4 2025 Sales Summary
=====================

North Region: $267,000
South Region: $198,000
East Region:  $334,000
West Region:  $289,000

Total Q4: $1,088,000
EOF
    
    # Employee list
    seq 1 50 | awk '{print "Employee " $1}' > "$REPORT_DIR/employees.txt"
    
    # Meeting notes
    cat > "$REPORT_DIR/meeting_notes.txt" << 'EOF'
Team Meeting - Strategic Planning

Attendees: Management Team
Duration: 2 hours

Key Discussion Points:
- Q4 performance exceeded expectations
- New product launch scheduled for Q1 2026
- Hiring plan for expansion
- Budget allocation review

Action Items:
- Finalize Q1 budget (Owner: Finance)
- Draft product launch plan (Owner: Marketing)
- Begin recruitment process (Owner: HR)
EOF
    
    log "Sample data generated"
}

# ============================================
# Report Generation Workflows
# ============================================
generate_all_reports() {
    log "========================================="
    log "Starting report generation"
    log "========================================="
    
    # Generate sample data
    generate_sample_data
    
    # Basic reports
    format_basic_report \
        "$REPORT_DIR/sales_q3.txt" \
        "$OUTPUT_DIR/sales_q3_formatted.txt" \
        "Q3 Sales Report"
    
    format_basic_report \
        "$REPORT_DIR/sales_q4.txt" \
        "$OUTPUT_DIR/sales_q4_formatted.txt" \
        "Q4 Sales Report"
    
    # Comparison report
    format_comparison_report \
        "$REPORT_DIR/sales_q3.txt" \
        "$REPORT_DIR/sales_q4.txt" \
        "$OUTPUT_DIR/sales_comparison.txt" \
        "Q3 vs Q4 Sales Comparison"
    
    # Employee list (3 columns)
    format_columnar_list \
        "$REPORT_DIR/employees.txt" \
        "$OUTPUT_DIR/employee_directory.txt" \
        "Employee Directory" \
        3
    
    # Meeting notes
    format_executive_summary \
        "$REPORT_DIR/meeting_notes.txt" \
        "$OUTPUT_DIR/meeting_summary.txt"
    
    # Compile comprehensive report
    local comprehensive=$(compile_multi_section_report \
        "Annual_Report" \
        "$REPORT_DIR/sales_q3.txt" \
        "$REPORT_DIR/sales_q4.txt" \
        "$REPORT_DIR/meeting_notes.txt")
    
    log "========================================="
    log "Report generation complete"
    log "========================================="
    log "Output directory: $OUTPUT_DIR"
    log "Files generated:"
    ls -lh "$OUTPUT_DIR"
    
    echo ""
    echo "Preview of comparison report:"
    head -30 "$OUTPUT_DIR/sales_comparison.txt"
}

# ============================================
# Main
# ============================================
main() {
    case "${1:-generate}" in
        generate)
            generate_all_reports
            ;;
        clean)
            log "Cleaning output directory..."
            rm -rf "$OUTPUT_DIR"/*
            log "Clean complete"
            ;;
        *)
            echo "Usage: $0 {generate|clean}"
            exit 1
            ;;
    esac
}

main "$@"
                

Script execution output:

[2025-12-14 17:45:00] =========================================
[2025-12-14 17:45:00] Starting report generation
[2025-12-14 17:45:00] =========================================
[2025-12-14 17:45:00] Generating sample data...
[2025-12-14 17:45:00] Sample data generated
[2025-12-14 17:45:00] Formatting basic report: Q3 Sales Report
[2025-12-14 17:45:00] Formatting basic report: Q4 Sales Report
[2025-12-14 17:45:00] Creating comparison report: Q3 vs Q4 Sales...
[2025-12-14 17:45:01] Creating 3-column list: Employee Directory
[2025-12-14 17:45:01] Formatting executive summary
[2025-12-14 17:45:01] Compiling multi-section report: Annual_Report
[2025-12-14 17:45:01]   Processing section 1: sales_q3
[2025-12-14 17:45:01]   Processing section 2: sales_q4
[2025-12-14 17:45:01]   Processing section 3: meeting_notes
[2025-12-14 17:45:01] Report compiled: ./output/Annual_Report_20251214.txt
[2025-12-14 17:45:01] =========================================
[2025-12-14 17:45:01] Report generation complete
[2025-12-14 17:45:01] =========================================

Preview of comparison report:


          2025-12-14 17:45   Q3 vs Q4 Sales Comparison         Page 1




          Q3 2025 Sales Summary | Q4 2025 Sales Summary
          ===================== | =====================
                                |
          North Region: $245,000 | North Region: $267,000
          South Region: $189,000 | South Region: $198,000
          East Region:  $312,000 | East Region:  $334,000
          West Region:  $276,000 | West Region:  $289,000

Note:

This production system demonstrates real-world report generation with pr: multiple report types, template support, comparison views, columnar lists, multi-section compilation, and automated formatting. Perfect for business reporting, documentation generation, and automated report distribution.

Tips & Best Practices

Default Page Length is 66 Lines

Standard page is 66 lines (11 inches × 6 lines/inch). Header uses 5 lines, footer uses 5 lines, leaving 56 for content. Adjust with -l. For actual printing, use -l 60 for 1-inch margins.

Use -t for Pipeline Output

The -t flag suppresses headers and footers, creating continuous output. Essential when using pr in pipelines or when you don't want pagination. Combine with other options for formatting only.

Multi-Column vs Merge

Use -NUMBER (e.g., -3) to split one file into columns. Use -m to merge multiple files side-by-side. Different use cases: -3 for lists/indexes, -m for comparisons/translations.

Combine with lpr for Printing

Pipe pr output to lpr for direct printing: pr -h "Report" file.txt | lpr. pr formats the text, lpr sends it to printer. Perfect for quick formatted printing.

Set Margins with -o

The -o flag adds left margin (offset) in spaces. Essential for binding margins or centering on page. Common values: -o 8 for 3-hole punch, -o 10 for binding, -o 15 for professional reports.

Line Numbering Format

Use -n for line numbers. Format: -n[SEP[WIDTH]]. Example: -n:5 creates 5-digit numbers with colon separator. Great for code listings and legal documents requiring line references.

Across vs Down Column Filling

Default fills columns vertically (down then across). Use -a for horizontal filling (across then down). Choose based on how you want items ordered in multi-column output.

Width Includes Margins

Total page width (-w) includes margins (-o). If you set -w 80 -o 10, content area is 70 characters. Plan accordingly when setting dimensions for specific printers or displays.

Custom Separators Between Columns

Use -s to set column separator (default is space). For clarity, try -s" | " or -s" ". Use -S for multi-character separators. Great for making columns visually distinct.

Synopsis

Description

Key Concepts

Detailed Examples

Basic Pagination with Headers

Custom Headers and Page Settings

Multi-Column Output

Merging Files Side-by-Side

Line Numbering

Controlling Margins and Indentation

Creating Reports and Documentation

Pipeline Integration and Automation

Advanced Formatting Tricks

Complete Report Generation System

Tips & Best Practices

Related Commands