%% 
%%  A DANTE-Edition example
%% 
%%  Example 06-00-45 on page 210.
%% 
%%  Copyright (C) 2010 Herbert Voss
%% 
%%  It may be distributed and/or modified under the conditions
%%  of the LaTeX Project Public License, either version 1.3
%%  of this license or (at your option) any later version.
%% 
%%  See http://www.latex-project.org/lppl.txt for details.
%% 
%% 
%% ==== 
% Show page(s) 1
%% 
\documentclass[]{article}
\pagestyle{empty}
\setlength\textwidth{375.57637pt}
\setlength\parindent{0pt}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[ngerman]{babel}
\makeatletter
\newcounter{tempI}
\newcommand*\Ceiling[3]{%
  \@tempdima#1\relax\@tempdimb#2\relax
  \@tempdimc\z@\@tempcnta\z@
  \loop
  \ifdim \@tempdimc<\@tempdima
    \advance\@tempdimc\@tempdimb
    \advance\@tempcnta\@ne
  \repeat
  #3=\@tempcnta \ignorespaces
}
\newcommand*\show@Value[2]{%
  \@tempcnta=#2\relax
  \advance\@tempcnta-#1\relax
  \makebox[0pt][c]{\the\@tempcnta}%
}
\newcommand*\Lineal[1][\linewidth]{%
  \noindent
  \begingroup
    \thinlines \unitlength=1mm \normalfont\scriptsize\sffamily
    \settoheight\@tempdima{0}\advance\@tempdima2.7\unitlength
    \picture(#1\@gobble,\@tempdima\@gobble)%
      \put(0,0){\line(1,0){#1\@gobble}}
      \Ceiling{#1}{\unitlength}{\value{tempI}}
      \multiput(0,0)(1,0){\value{tempI}}{\line(0,1){1}}
      \Ceiling{#1}{5\unitlength}{\value{tempI}}
      \multiput(0,0)(5,0){\value{tempI}}{\line(0,1){2}}
      \Ceiling{#1}{10\unitlength}{\value{tempI}}
      \multiput(0,0)(10,0){\value{tempI}}{%
        \put(0,0){\line(0,1){2.7}}
        \put(0,3){\show@Value{\@multicnt}{\value{tempI}}}}
    \endpicture
  \endgroup \ignorespaces}
\newenvironment{testArea}%
  {\list{}{%
   \rightmargin=1.5mm\relax
   \leftmargin-\rightmargin
   \advance\linewidth2\rightmargin
   \topsep\z@
   \itemsep\parskip
   \parsep\parskip
   \partopsep\parskip
   \let\makelabel\@gobble}%
   \item[]%
   \minipage{\linewidth}\normalfont\itshape
   \Lineal\par}%
  {\endminipage\endlist}
\newcommand*\Pfeil{%
  \picture(0,0)%
    \put(0,0){\vector(0,1){1.5\ht\strutbox\@gobble}}
  \endpicture}
\makeatother

\usepackage{tabto}

\begin{document}
\begin{testArea}% see preamble of the example -> CTAN
  \NumTabs{4}
  duck \tab goose \tab turkey \tab coot   \par
       \tab       \tab        \tab grouse
\end{testArea}

\bigskip
\begin{testArea}
  \TabPositions{1.5cm,5cm,8cm}
  duck \tab goose \tab turkey \tab coot   \par
       \tab       \tab        \tab grouse
\end{testArea}

\bigskip
\begin{testArea}
  duck      \tabto{1.5cm} goose  \tabto{5cm}  turkey \tabto{8cm}
  coot \par \tabto{8cm}   grouse \tabto*{4cm} pelican
\end{testArea}
\end{document}