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(textutils.info)wc invocation


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`wc': Print byte, word, and line counts
=======================================

   `wc' counts the number of bytes, whitespace-separated words, and
newlines in each given FILE, or standard input if none are given or for
a FILE of `-'.  Synopsis:

     wc [OPTION]... [FILE]...

   `wc' prints one line of counts for each file, and if the file was
given as an argument, it prints the file name following the counts.  If
more than one FILE is given, `wc' prints a final line containing the
cumulative counts, with the file name `total'.  The counts are printed
in this order: newlines, words, bytes.  By default, each count is
output right-justified in a 7-byte field with one space between fields
so that the numbers and file names line up nicely in columns.  However,
POSIX requires that there be exactly one space separating columns.  You
can make `wc' use the POSIX-mandated output format by setting the
`POSIXLY_CORRECT' environment variable.

   By default, `wc' prints all three counts.  Options can specify that
only certain counts be printed.  Options do not undo others previously
given, so

     wc --bytes --words

prints both the byte counts and the word counts.

   With the `--max-line-length' option, `wc' prints the length of the
longest line per file, and if there is more than one file it prints the
maximum (not the sum) of those lengths.

   The program accepts the following options.  Also see Note: Common
options.

`-c'
`--bytes'
`--chars'
     Print only the byte counts.

`-w'
`--words'
     Print only the word counts.

`-l'
`--lines'
     Print only the newline counts.

`-L'
`--max-line-length'
     Print only the maximum line lengths.


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