SPLIT(1) User Commands SPLIT(1) NAME split - split a file into pieces SYNOPSIS split [OPTION]... [INPUT [PREFIX]] DESCRIPTION Output fixed-size pieces of INPUT to PREFIXaa, PREFIXab, ...; default size is 1000 lines, and default PREFIX is `x'. With no INPUT, or when INPUT is -, read standard input. Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. -a, --suffix-length=N use suffixes of length N (default 2) -b, --bytes=SIZE put SIZE bytes per output file -C, --line-bytes=SIZE put at most SIZE bytes of lines per output file -d, --numeric-suffixes use numeric suffixes instead of alphabetic -e, --elide-empty-files do not generate empty output files with `-n' --filter=COMMAND write to shell COMMAND; file name is $FILE -l, --lines=NUMBER put NUMBER lines per output file -n, --number=CHUNKS generate CHUNKS output files. See below -u, --unbuffered immediately copy input to output with `-n r/...' --verbose print a diagnostic just before each output file is opened --help display this help and exit --version output version information and exit SIZE may be (or may be an integer optionally followed by) one of following: KB 1000, K 1024, MB 1000*1000, M 1024*1024, and so on for G, T, P, E, Z, Y. CHUNKS may be: N split into N files based on size of input K/N output Kth of N to stdout l/N split into N files without splitting lines l/K/N output Kth of N to stdout without splitting lines r/N like `l' but use round robin distribution r/K/N likewise but only output Kth of N to stdout AUTHOR Written by Torbjorn Granlund and Richard M. Stallman. REPORTING BUGS Report split bugs to bug-coreutils@gnu.org GNU coreutils home page: General help using GNU software: Report split translation bugs to COPYRIGHT Copyright © 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later . This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. SEE ALSO The full documentation for split is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and split programs are properly installed at your site, the command info coreutils 'split invocation' should give you access to the complete manual. GNU coreutils 8.12.197-032bb September 2011 SPLIT(1)