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Get size of a file using ls on all UNIX OSes

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# 1  
Old 05-02-2013
Get size of a file using ls on all UNIX OSes
to get the most granular size of a file, you can do so with:
Code:
solaris hosts:

ls -l /tmp/filea | awk '{print $4}'

Code:
linux hosts:

ls -l /tmp/filea | awk '{print $5}'

Is there a more universal command that will give the file size?

i'm leery of this ls command because the fields in which the file size can be found differs on sunos and linux, and i'm not even sure if it is also like that with other unix oses.

so, is there a command that can accomplish the above without needing to check a field/column which, for all we know, wont be the same on another unix os.

i've tried "du -s". but that doesn't seem to work across all unix systems.
Last edited by SkySmart; 05-02-2013 at 07:06 PM..
# 2  
Old 05-02-2013
Code:
wc -c file

will give the file size in bytes.
This User Gave Thanks to hanson44 For This Post:
SkySmart
# 3  
Old 05-02-2013
It must read the entire file to do so, so would be a big problem for big files...
This User Gave Thanks to Corona688 For This Post:
SkySmart
# 4  
Old 05-02-2013
Reading a non-cached file, on generic Dell OptiPlex 380:
Code:
$ time wc -c 2011.bb
4234978 2011.bb

real    0m0.009s
user    0m0.000s
sys     0m0.004s

This User Gave Thanks to hanson44 For This Post:
SkySmart
# 5  
Old 05-02-2013
Code:
Last login: Thu May  2 21:50:22 on ttys000
Barrys-MacBook-Pro:~ barrywalker$ ls -l SCOPE.GIF
-rw-r--r--  1 barrywalker  staff  17424 11 May  2012 SCOPE.GIF
Barrys-MacBook-Pro:~ barrywalker$ printf `wc -c SCOPE.GIF`
17424Barrys-MacBook-Pro:~ barrywalker$ printf `wc -c SCOPE.GIF` > length.txt
Barrys-MacBook-Pro:~ barrywalker$ ls -l length.txt
-rw-r--r--  1 barrywalker  staff  5  2 May 22:04 length.txt
Barrys-MacBook-Pro:~ barrywalker$ less length.txt

Note the length on line 5, 5 characters long...
Also on line 5 gives the same as a file...
Line 7 proves the file length.txt is 5 characters long...

Last line gives...
Code:
17424
length.txt (END)

IMPORTANT NOTE...
"wc -c filename" gives below...

Code:
Barrys-MacBook-Pro:~ barrywalker$ wc -c SCOPE.GIF
   17424 SCOPE.GIF
Barrys-MacBook-Pro:~ barrywalker$

Note the spaces and filname...
This User Gave Thanks to wisecracker For This Post:
SkySmart
# 6  
Old 05-02-2013
Quote:
Originally Posted by Corona688
It must read the entire file to do so, so would be a big problem for big files...
True. Too much overhead.
But the following is smart like ls -l:
Code:
du -sk file

gives size in kbytes.
NB du -sk directory is recursive and prints the sum, du -k directory also gives the individual sizes.
This User Gave Thanks to MadeInGermany For This Post:
SkySmart
# 7  
Old 05-02-2013
ok. so it looks like "wc -c" is the answer here? it gives the exact same numbers as "ls -l". difference is, with "wc -c", the file size will always be in the first column. that's perfect! not too sure about the potential overhead though, if there ever is one.
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