Spooled output has a tab not spaces

[oldman]

The problem:

When outputing a file

the spacing between the fields contains tabs rather then pure spaces.

FIRST COUPLE LINES OF SQL
Set echo off pagesize 0 head off feed off veri off
SELECT
SCHD4_PART || ' ; '


The field is 20chars long.
02-084_____________;

But when doing a vi in unix on the file , the first space is actually a space, then there is a tab , then several more spaces?!?!?
Why , and how can i make the "space" all real spaces.

I've tried TRIM and PAD with no luck !!

[Shestakov]

select replace('abc'||chr(9)||'def'||chr(9)||'AAA', chr(9), rpad(' ',4, ' ')) from dual;

where 4 - tabspace parameter

select replace(UR_STRING, chr(9), rpad(' ',3,' ')) from dual;

[oldman]

Pretty new at this....sorry in advance....

But what i gather from your reply is that i would be reformating the column in the table..

If this is the case, i can't.

If this isn't the case then i don't understand the answer

Basically what i'm trying to achieve is to output a file that can be read by another program , the program is sensitive to tab'd spaces ..

[Shestakov]

Explain first post:

1. In ur source text (or table) had tabspace parameter = X (for example 3)
-- 1 tab symbol replaced 3 space symbols

for restore ur table with needed format u should use some tabspace parameter as in source text.

in statment: select replace(SOURCE_TEXT, chr(9), rpad(' ',3,' ')) from dual;

chr(9) - symbol TAB
3 - tabspace parameter (u can change it as u need)
' ' - blank symbol

[itl]

I just registered here after finding a better solution to this problem. I googled 'rpad tab' and found this as the third link in the search results.

I had the EXACT same issue, where I was seeing tabs in the file on a unix system. You need to tweak your sqlplus settings for output:
SET TAB OFF

Problem solved!