split(1)split(1)NAMEsplit - Splits a file into pieces
SYNOPSIS
Current syntax
split [-l line_count] [-a suffix_length] [file | -] [prefix]
split-b n [k|m] [-a suffix_length] [file | -] [prefix]
Obsolescent syntax
split [-number] [-a suffix_length] [file | -] [prefix]
STANDARDS
Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry stan‐
dards as follows:
split: XCU5.0
Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about
industry standards and associated tags.
OPTIONS
Uses suffix_length letters to form the suffix portion of the file names
of the split file. If -a is not specified, the default suffix length
is two letters. If the sum of the prefix and the suffix arguments
would create a file name exceeding NAME_MAX bytes, an error occurs. In
this case, split exits with a diagnostic message and no files are cre‐
ated. Split a file into pieces n bytes in size. Split a file into
pieces n kilobytes (1024 bytes) in size. Split a file into pieces n
megabytes (1048576 bytes) in size. Specifies the number of lines in
each output file. The line_count argument is an unsigned decimal inte‐
ger. The default value is 1000. If the input does not end with a new‐
line character, the partial line is included in the last output file.
Specifies the number of lines in each output file. The default is 1000
lines per output file. If the input does not end with a newline char‐
acter, the partial line is included in the last output file. (Obsoles‐
cent)
OPERANDS
The pathname of the file to be split.
If you do not specify an input file, or if you specify -, the
standard input is used.
DESCRIPTION
The split command reads file and writes it in number-line pieces
(default 1000 lines) to a set of output files.
The size of the output files can be modified by using the -b or -l
options. Each output file is created with a unique suffix consisting
of exactly suffix lowercase letters from the POSIX locale. The letters
of the suffix are used as if they were a base-26 digit system, with the
first suffix to be created consisting of all a characters, the second
with b replacing the last a etc., until a name of all zs is created.
By default, the names of the output files are x, followed by a two-
character suffix from the character set as described above, starting
with aa, ab, ac, etc., and continuing until the suffix zz, for a maxi‐
mum of 676 files.
The value of prefix cannot be longer than the value of NAME_MAX from
<limits.h> minus two.
If the number of files required is greater than the maximum allowed by
the effective suffix length (such that the last allowable file would be
larger than the requested size), split fails after creating the last
possible file with a valid suffix. The split command will not delete
the files it created with valid suffixes. If the file limit is not
exceeded, the last file created contains the remainder of the input
file and thus might be smaller than the requested size.
EXIT STATUS
The following exit values are returned: Successful completion. An
error occurred.
EXAMPLES
To split a file into 1000-line segments, enter: split book
This splits book into 1000-line segments named xaa, xab, xac,
and so forth. To split a file into 50-line segments and specify
the file name prefix, enter: split-l50 book sect
This splits book into 50-line segments named sectaa, sectab,
sectac, and so forth.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The following environment variables affect the execution of split: Pro‐
vides a default value for the internationalization variables that are
unset or null. If LANG is unset or null, the corresponding value from
the default locale is used. If any of the internationalization vari‐
ables contain an invalid setting, the utility behaves as if none of the
variables had been defined. If set to a non-empty string value, over‐
rides the values of all the other internationalization variables.
Determines the locale for the interpretation of sequences of bytes of
text data as characters (for example, single-byte as opposed to multi‐
byte characters in arguments and input files). Determines the locale
for the format and contents of diagnostic messages written to standard
error. Determines the location of message catalogues for the process‐
ing of LC_MESSAGES.
SEE ALSO
Commands: bfs(1), csplit(1)
Standards: standards(5)split(1)
