xargs - construct arg list and execute command

xargs constructs a command line consisting of the command and argument operands specified followed by as many arguments read in sequence from standard input as will fit in length and number constraints specified by the options and the local system. xargs executes the constructed command and waits for its completion. This sequence is repeated until an end-of-file condition is detected on standard input or an invocation of a constructed command line returns an exit status of 255. If command is omitted then the equivalent of /bin/echo is used.

Arguments in the standard input must be separated by unquoted blank characters, or unescaped blank characters or newline characters. A string of zero or more non-double-quote and non-newline characters can be quoted by enclosing them in double-quotes. A string of zero or more non-apostrophe and non-newline characters can be quoted by enclosing them in apostrophes. Any unquoted character can be escaped by preceding it with a backslash. The utility will be executed one or more times until the end-of-file is reached. The results are unspecified if command attempts to read from its standard input.

-e, --eof[=string]

Set the end of file string. The first input line matching this string terminates the input list. There is no eof string if string is omitted. The default eof string is _ if neither --eof nor -E are specified. For backwards compatibility string must immediately follow the -e option flag; -E follows standard option syntax. The option value may be omitted.

-i, --insert|replace[=string]

Replace occurences of string in the command arguments with names read from the standard input. Implies --exit and --lines=1. For backwards compatibility string must immediately follow the -i option flag; -I follows standard option syntax. The option value may be omitted. The default value is {}.

-l, --lines|max-lines[=lines]

Use at most lines lines from the standard input. Lines with trailing blanks logically continue onto the next line. For backwards compatibility lines must immediately follow the -l option flag; -L follows standard option syntax. The option value may be omitted. The default value is 1.

-n, --args|max-args=args

Use at most args arguments per command line. Fewer than args will be used if --size is exceeded.

-p, --interactive|prompt

Prompt to determine if each command should execute. A y or Y recsponse executes, otherwise the command is skipped. Implies --verbose.

-N|0, --null

The file name list is NUL terminated; there is no other special treatment of the list.

-s, --size|max-chars=chars

Use at most chars characters per command. The default is as large as possible.

-t, --trace|verbose

Print the command line on the standard error before executing it.

-x, --exit

Exit if --size is exceeded.

-X, --exact

If --args=args was specified then terminate before the last command if it would run with less than args arguments.

-z, --nonempty|no-run-if-empty

If no file names are found then do not execute the command. By default the command is executed at least once.

-E string

Equivalent to --eof=string.

-I string

Equivalent to --insert=string.

-L number

Equivalent to --lines=number.

0

All invocations of command returned exit status 0.

1-125

A command line meeting the specified requirements could not be assembled, one or more of the invocations of command returned non-0 exit status, or some other error occurred.

126

command was found but could not be executed.

127

command was not found.

find(1), tw(1)

version

xargs (AT&T Research) 2012-04-11

author

Glenn Fowler <gsf@research.att.com>

copyright

Copyright © 1989-2012 AT&T Intellectual Property

license

http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/epl-v10.html