UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# @(#) s1	Demonstrate avoidance of argument list too long: use xargs.

# Uncomment to run script as external user.
# export PATH="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin"
# Infrastructure details, environment, commands for forum posts. 
set +o nounset
pe() { for i;do printf "%s" "$i";done; printf "\n"; }
pl() { pe;pe "-----" ;pe "$*"; }
LC_ALL=C ; LANG=C ; export LC_ALL LANG
pe ; pe "Environment: LC_ALL = $LC_ALL, LANG = $LANG"
pe "(Versions displayed with local utility \"version\")"
c=$( ps | grep $$ | awk '{print $NF}' )
version >/dev/null 2>&1 && s=$(_eat $0 $1) || s=""
[ "$c" = "$s" ] && p="$s" || p="$c"
version >/dev/null 2>&1 && version "=o" $p find xargs grep
set -o nounset

# Sample data files, using head & tail as a last resort.
pe
specimen *.sql \
|| { pe "(head/tail)"; head -n 5 data*; pe " ||"; tail -n 5 data*; }

pe
pe " Results:"
find . -name '*.sql' |
xargs grep -l "hit"

exit 0

% ./s1

Environment: LC_ALL = C, LANG = C
(Versions displayed with local utility "version")
OS, ker|rel, machine: Linux, 2.6.26-2-amd64, x86_64
Distribution        : Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 
GNU bash 3.2.39
find (GNU findutils) 4.4.0
xargs (GNU findutils) 4.4.0
GNU grep 2.5.3

Whole: 5:0:5 of 1 lines in file "t1.sql"
hit

Whole: 5:0:5 of 1 lines in file "t2.sql"
hit

Whole: 5:0:5 of 1 lines in file "t3.sql"
hit

Whole: 5:0:5 of 1 lines in file "t4.sql"
buzz! Thanks for playing.

Whole: 5:0:5 of 1 lines in file "t5.sql"
hit

 Results:
./t5.sql
./t1.sql
./t2.sql
./t3.sql