csplit Command#

The csplit command splits the FILE file, separated with the PATTERN, and outputs the results to files xx00, xx01, and so on. It also outputs the byte counts of each file to the standard output.

Syntax#

csplit [OPTION]... FILE PATTERN...

Parameters#

• -b, --suffix-format=FORMAT: Use the sprintf FORMAT format instead of %02d.
• -f, --prefix=PREFIX: Use PREFIX as a substitute for xx.
• -k, --keep-files: Do not delete the output files in case of errors.
• -m, --suppress-matched: Suppress the lines matching PATTERN.
• -n, --digits=DIGITS: Use the specified number of digits instead of 2.
• -s, --quiet, --silent: Do not print the count of output file sizes.
• -z, --elide-empty-files: Remove empty output files.
• --help: Output help information.
• --version: Output version information.

Patterns#

If the file is specified as a hyphen -, csplit will read from the standard input. Each pattern can be:

• INTEGER: Copy up to the specified line number, but not including the specified line number.
• /REGEXP/[OFFSET]: Copy up to but not including the matching line.
• %REGEXP%[OFFSET]: Skip to but not including the matching line.
• {INTEGER}: Repeat the specified number of times of the previous pattern.
• {*}: Repeat the previous pattern as many times as possible.

Examples#

The file list.txt contains the following content:

Using the csplit command to split this file into two parts, with the second part starting from the third line.

csplit list.txt 3
# 21
# 34

cat xx00
# 1. Apples
# 2. Bananas

cat xx01
# 3. Oranges
# 4. Pineapples
# 5. Guava

Using the csplit command to split this file into three parts.

csplit list.txt 2 3
# 21
# 34

cat xx00
# 1. Apples

cat xx01
# 2. Bananas

cat xx02
# 3. Oranges
# 4. Pineapples
# 5. Guava

Using a custom split prefix aa instead of the default xx split prefix.

csplit list.txt -f aa 3
# 21
# 34

ls
# aa00  aa01 list.txt

Using three digits instead of the default two digits.

csplit list.txt -n 3 3
# 21
# 34

ls
# list.txt  xx000  xx001

Using a pattern to define the split rule and repeat the specified number of times of the previous pattern.

csplit list.txt 2 {1}
# 10
# 22
# 23

ls xx*
# xx00  xx01  xx02

Daily Question#

Reference#