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Finding Files

3.3.2.3 Limiting Command Size

xargs gives you control over how many arguments it passes to the command each time it executes it. By default, it uses up to ARG_MAX - 2k, or 20k, whichever is smaller, characters per command. It uses as many lines and arguments as fit within that limit. The following options modify those values.

--no-run-if-empty

-r

If the standard input does not contain any nonblanks, do not run the command. By default, the command is run once even if there is no input.

--max-lines[=max-lines]

-l[max-lines]

Use at most max-lines nonblank input lines per command line; max-lines defaults to 1 if omitted. Trailing blanks cause an input line to be logically continued on the next input line, for the purpose of counting the lines. Implies `-x'.

--max-args=max-args

-n max-args

Use at most max-args arguments per command line. Fewer than max-args arguments will be used if the size (see the `-s' option) is exceeded, unless the `-x' option is given, in which case xargs will exit.

--max-chars=max-chars

-s max-chars

Use at most max-chars characters per command line, including the command and initial arguments and the terminating nulls at the ends of the argument strings.

--max-procs=max-procs

-P max-procs

Run up to max-procs processes at a time; the default is 1. If max-procs is 0, xargs will run as many processes as possible at a time. Use the `-n', `-s', or `-l' option with `-P'; otherwise chances are that the command will be run only once.