xargs.1 (2010 09)

x
xargs(1) xargs(1)
NAME
xargs - construct argument lists and execute command
SYNOPSIS
xargs [options ][command [initial-arguments]]
DESCRIPTION
xargs combines the fixed initial-arguments with arguments read from standard input to execute the
specified command one or more times. The number of arguments read for each command invocation and
the manner in which they are combined are determined by the options specified.
command, which can be a shell file, is searched for, using the
$PATH environment variable. If command
is omitted,
/usr/bin/echo
is used.
Arguments read in from standard input are defined to be contiguous strings of characters delimited by
one or more blanks, tabs, or newlines; empty lines are always discarded. Spaces and tabs can be embed-
ded as part of an argument if escaped or quoted. Characters enclosed in quotes (single or double) are
taken literally, and the delimiting quotes are removed. Outside of quoted strings, a backslash (
\)escapes
the next character.
The amount of memory available for the execution of command is limited by the system parameter
ARG_MAX. By default, the size of the argument list is limited to LINE_MAX bytes. See limits (5) and
sysconf (2) for a description of these system parameters and how their values can be determined. To
increase the available argument list space, use the
-s option.
Each argument list is constructed starting with the initial-arguments, followed by some number of argu-
ments read from standard input (exception: see
-i or -I option). The -i
, -I, -l, -L, and -n options
determine how arguments are selected for each command invocation. When none of these options is
specified, the initial-arguments are followed by arguments read continuously from standard input until
an internal buffer is full, then command is executed with the accumulated args. This process is repeated
until there are no more args. When there are option conflicts (such as
-l
or -L versus -n), the last
option has precedence.
Options
The option values are:
-L number command is executed for each nonempty number lines of arguments from standard input.
The last invocation of command will be with fewer lines of arguments if fewer than
number remain. A line is considered to end with the first newline unless the last charac-
ter of the line is a blank or a tab; a trailing blank/tab signals continuation through the
next nonempty line. The
-L, -l, and -n options are mutually exclusive. The last one
specified takes effect.
-l [number] This option is equivalent to the -L
option. 1 is assumed if number is omitted or is
given as the empty string (
""). Option -x is forced.
-I replstr Insert mode: command is executed for each line from standard input, taking the entire
line as a single arg, inserting it in initial-arguments for each occurrence of replstr .A
maximum of 5 arguments in initial-arguments can each contain one or more instances of
replstr . Blanks and tabs at the beginning of each line are discarded. Constructed argu-
ments must not grow larger than 255 bytes, and option -x is also forced. The -I and
-i options are mutually exclusive. The last one specified takes effect.
-i [repstr] This option is equivalent to the -I option. {} is assumed if replstr is omitted or is
given as the empty string ("").
-n number Execute command using as many standard input arguments as possible, up to number
arguments maximum. Fewer arguments are used if their total size is greater than size
bytes, and for the last invocation if there are fewer than number arguments remaining.
If option -x is also coded, each number arguments must fit in the size limitation or
xargs terminates execution.
-s size The maximum total size of each argument list is set to size bytes; size must be a positive
integer less than LINE_MAX (see limits (5), sysconf (2)). If -s is not coded, LINE_MAX
is taken as the default. Note that the bytes count for size includes one extra bytes for
each argument and the count of bytes in the command name.
HP-UX 11i Version 3: September 2010 − 1 − Hewlett-Packard Company 1