OS Manuals

/usr/bin/csplit

GNU core utilities

From coreutils 9.12-r7 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running csplit --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: /usr/bin/csplit [OPTION]... FILE PATTERN...
Output pieces of FILE separated by PATTERN(s) to files 'xx00', 'xx01', ...,
and output byte counts of each piece to standard output.

Read standard input if FILE is -

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.
  -b, --suffix-format=FORMAT
         use sprintf FORMAT instead of %02d
  -f, --prefix=PREFIX
         use PREFIX instead of 'xx'
  -k, --keep-files
         do not remove output files on errors
      --suppress-matched
         suppress the lines matching PATTERN
  -n, --digits=DIGITS
         use specified number of digits instead of 2
  -s, --quiet, --silent
         do not print counts of output file sizes
  -z, --elide-empty-files
         suppress empty output files
      --help
         display this help and exit
      --version
         output version information and exit

Each PATTERN may be:
  INTEGER            copy up to but not including specified line number
  /REGEXP/[OFFSET]   copy up to but not including a matching line
  %REGEXP%[OFFSET]   skip to, but not including a matching line
  {INTEGER}          repeat the previous pattern specified number of times
  {*}                repeat the previous pattern as many times as possible

A line OFFSET is an integer optionally preceded by '+' or '-'

Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/csplit>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) csplit invocation'
Options (9)
OptionDescriptionSource
-b, --suffix-format FORMATuse sprintf FORMAT instead of %02dhelp + man
-f, --prefix PREFIXuse PREFIX instead of 'xx'help + man
-k, --keep-filesdo not remove output files on errorshelp + man
--suppress-matchedsuppress the lines matching PATTERNhelp + man
-n, --digits DIGITSuse specified number of digits instead of 2help + man
-s, --quiet, --silentdo not print counts of output file sizeshelp + man
-z, --elide-empty-filessuppress empty output fileshelp + man
--helpdisplay this help and exithelp + man
--versionoutput version information and exithelp + man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.