csplit creates zero or more output files containing sections of the given input
file, or the standard input if the
name
- is given. By default,
csplit prints the number of bytes written to each output file after it has been created.
The contents of the output files are determined by the pattern arguments. An error occurs if a pattern argument refers to a
nonexistent line of the input file, such as if no remaining line matches a given regular expression. After all the given patterns
have been matched, any remaining output is copied into one last output file. The types of pattern arguments are:
- line
- Create an output file containing the current line up to (but not including) line line (a
positive integer) of the input file. If followed by a repeat count, also create an output file containing the next line
lines of the input file once for each repeat.
- /regexp/[offset]
Create an output file containing the current line up to (but not
including) the next line of the input file that contains a match for regexp. The optional offset is a + or -
followed by a positive integer. If it is given, the input up to the matching line plus or minus offset is put into the
output file, and the line after that begins the next section of input.
- %regexp%[offset]
Like the previous type, except that it does not create an output
file, so that section of the input file is effectively ignored.
- {repeat-count}
Repeat the previous pattern repeat-count (a positive integer)
additional times. An asterisk may be given in place of the (integer) repeat count, in which case the preceeding pattern is repeated
as many times as necessary until the input is exausted.
The output file names consist of a prefix followed by a suffix. By default, the suffix is merely an ascending linear sequence of
two-digit decimal numbers starting with 00 and ranging up to 99, however this default may be overridden by either the
--digits
option or by the
--suffix-format option (see below.) In any case, concatenating the output files in sorted order by
file name produces the original input file, in order. The default output file name prefix is
xx.
By default, if csplit encounters an error or receives a hangup, interrupt, quit, or terminate signal, it removes any output
files that it has created so far before it exits.