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xargs(1)							      xargs(1)

NAME
       xargs - construct argument lists and execute command

SYNOPSIS
       [options] [command [initial-arguments]]

DESCRIPTION
       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 environ‐
       ment variable.  If command is omitted, is used.

       Arguments  read	in  from  standard  input are defined to be contiguous
       strings of characters delimited by one or more blanks,  tabs,  or  new‐
       lines; 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 By default, the size of the  argument  list  is
       limited	to  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 option.

       Each  argument list is constructed starting with the initial-arguments,
       followed by some number of arguments read from standard	input  (excep‐
       tion:  see  or  option).	  The  and 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 contin‐
       uously from standard input until an internal buffer is full, then  com‐
       mand  is	 executed with the accumulated args.  This process is repeated
       until there are no more args.  When there are option conflicts (such as
       or versus the last option has precedence.

   Options
       The option values are:

       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 num‐
		      ber remain.  A line is considered to end with the	 first
		      newline  the  last character of the line is a blank or a
		      tab; a trailing blank/tab signals	 continuation  through
		      the  next	 nonempty  line.  The and options are mutually
		      exclusive.  The last one specified takes effect.

       This option is equivalent to the
		      option.  is assumed if number is omitted or is given  as
		      the empty string ().  Option is forced.

       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.	  Con‐
		      structed	arguments must not grow larger than 255 bytes,
		      and option is also forced.  The and options are mutually
		      exclusive.  The last one specified takes effect.

       This option is equivalent to the
		      option.  is assumed if replstr is omitted or is given as
		      the empty string ().

       Execute	      command using as many standard input arguments as possi‐
		      ble,  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 num‐
		      ber arguments remaining.	If option is also coded,  each
		      number arguments must fit in the size limitation or ter‐
		      minates execution.

       The maximum total size of each argument list is set to
		      size bytes; size must be a positive  integer  less  than
		      (see  limits(5), sysconf(2)).  If is not coded, 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.

       Trace mode: The
		      command and each constructed argument list are echoed to
		      standard error just prior to their execution.

       Prompt mode: The user is asked whether to execute
		      command  prior to each invocation.  Trace mode is turned
		      on to print the command instance to  be  executed,  fol‐
		      lowed by a prompt.  An affirmative reply (by default, an
		      affirmative reply is optionally  followed	 by  anything)
		      executes	the command; anything else, including pressing
		      Return, skips that particular invocation of command.

       Causes	      to terminate if any argument list would be greater  than
		      size  bytes.   is forced by the options and When none of
		      the options or is coded, the total length of  all	 argu‐
		      ments must be within the size limit.

       eofstr	      is  taken as the logical end-of-file string.  Underscore
		      is assumed for the logical  string  if  neither  nor  is
		      used.  The value with eofstr given as the empty string (
		      "" ) turns off the logical string capability (underscore
		      is  taken literally).  reads standard input until either
		      end-of-file or the logical string is encountered.

       Specify a logical end-of-file string to replace the default underscore
		      character.  Equivalent to the option above.

       terminates if it receives a return code of −1 from  command  or	if  it
       cannot  execute	command.   When	 command is a shell program, it should
       explicitly (see sh(1)) with an appropriate value to avoid  accidentally
       returning with −1.

RETURN VALUE
       exits with one of the following values:

	      All invocations of
			command completed successfully.

	      One or more invocations of
			command did not complete successfully.

	      The	command specified was found but could not be invoked.

	      The	command specified could not be found.

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
   Environment Variables
       determines  the space characters and the interpretation of text as sin‐
       gle- and/or multibyte characters.

       determines the language in which messages are displayed, and the	 local
       language	 equivalent  of an affirmative reply when the prompt option is
       specified.

       If or is not specified in the  environment  or  is  set	to  the	 empty
       string, the value of is used as a default for each unspecified or empty
       variable.  If is not specified or is set to the empty string, a default
       of "C" (see lang(5)) is used instead of

       If  any	internationalization  variable	contains  an  invalid setting,
       behaves as if all internationalization variables are set to  "C".   See
       environ(5).

   International Code Set Support
       Single- and multibyte character code sets are supported.

EXAMPLES
       Move  all  files from directory to directory and echo each move command
       just before doing it:

       Combine the output of the parenthesized commands onto  one  line,  then
       echo to the end of file

       Ask  the	 user  which files in the current directory are to be archived
       then archive them into one at a time:

       or many at a time:

       Execute (see diff(1)) with successive  pairs  of	 arguments  originally
       typed as shell arguments:

SEE ALSO
       sh(1).

STANDARDS CONFORMANCE
								      xargs(1)
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