This is consistent with vim's expandtab behavior. >From nvi2 (Craig Leres): https://github.com/lichray/nvi2/commit/7d3f43559026e0927032a105b217850feaefec66
I know most of us don't use expandtab but it is helpful when dealing with a codebase that is space-indented. Since the option originated with vim we should be as compatible as possible... - todd Index: docs/USD.doc/vi.man/vi.1 =================================================================== RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/vi/docs/USD.doc/vi.man/vi.1,v retrieving revision 1.79 diff -u -p -u -r1.79 vi.1 --- docs/USD.doc/vi.man/vi.1 8 Mar 2021 02:47:29 -0000 1.79 +++ docs/USD.doc/vi.man/vi.1 13 Apr 2021 15:44:26 -0000 @@ -2356,8 +2356,12 @@ characters to when inserting, replacing or shifting text, autoindenting, indenting with .Aq Ic control-T , -or outdenting with -.Aq Ic control-D . +outdenting with +.Aq Ic control-D , +or +when filtering lines with the +.Cm !\& +command. .It Cm exrc , ex Bq off Read the startup files in the local directory. .It Cm extended Bq off Index: ex/ex_bang.c =================================================================== RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/vi/ex/ex_bang.c,v retrieving revision 1.11 diff -u -p -u -r1.11 ex_bang.c --- ex/ex_bang.c 18 Apr 2017 01:45:35 -0000 1.11 +++ ex/ex_bang.c 13 Apr 2021 15:44:26 -0000 @@ -171,6 +171,10 @@ ex_bang(SCR *sp, EXCMD *cmdp) if (!F_ISSET(sp, SC_VI) && !F_ISSET(sp, SC_EX_SILENT)) (void)ex_puts(sp, "!\n"); + /* Apply expandtab to the new text */ + if (O_ISSET(sp, O_EXPANDTAB)) + ex_retab(sp, cmdp); + /* * XXX * The ! commands never return an error, so that autoprint always Index: ex/ex_shift.c =================================================================== RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/vi/ex/ex_shift.c,v retrieving revision 1.9 diff -u -p -u -r1.9 ex_shift.c --- ex/ex_shift.c 30 Apr 2020 10:40:21 -0000 1.9 +++ ex/ex_shift.c 13 Apr 2021 15:44:26 -0000 @@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ #include "../common/common.h" -enum which {LEFT, RIGHT}; +enum which {RETAB, LEFT, RIGHT}; static int shift(SCR *, EXCMD *, enum which); /* @@ -48,6 +48,18 @@ ex_shiftr(SCR *sp, EXCMD *cmdp) } /* + * ex_retab -- Expand tabs (if enabled) + * + * + * PUBLIC: int ex_retab(SCR *, EXCMD *); + */ +int +ex_retab(SCR *sp, EXCMD *cmdp) +{ + return (shift(sp, cmdp, RETAB)); +} + +/* * shift -- * Ex shift support. */ @@ -109,7 +121,9 @@ shift(SCR *sp, EXCMD *cmdp, enum which r break; /* Calculate the new indent amount. */ - if (rl == RIGHT) + if (rl == RETAB) + newcol = oldcol; + else if (rl == RIGHT) newcol = oldcol + sw; else { newcol = oldcol < sw ? 0 : oldcol - sw; Index: include/ex_extern.h =================================================================== RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/vi/include/ex_extern.h,v retrieving revision 1.16 diff -u -p -u -r1.16 ex_extern.h --- include/ex_extern.h 27 May 2016 09:18:12 -0000 1.16 +++ include/ex_extern.h 13 Apr 2021 15:44:26 -0000 @@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ int ex_set(SCR *, EXCMD *); int ex_shell(SCR *, EXCMD *); int ex_exec_proc(SCR *, EXCMD *, char *, const char *, int); int proc_wait(SCR *, pid_t, const char *, int, int); +int ex_retab(SCR *, EXCMD *); int ex_shiftl(SCR *, EXCMD *); int ex_shiftr(SCR *, EXCMD *); int ex_source(SCR *, EXCMD *);