standards.info: Option Table

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Table of Long Options

   Here is a table of long options used by GNU programs.  It is surely
incomplete, but we aim to list all the options that a new program might
want to be compatible with.  If you use names not already in the table,
please send <gnu@gnu.org> a list of them, with their meanings, so we
can update the table.
`after-date'
     `-N' in `tar'.
`all'
     `-a' in `du', `ls', `nm', `stty', `uname', and `unexpand'.
`all-text'
     `-a' in `diff'.
`almost-all'
     `-A' in `ls'.
`append'
     `-a' in `etags', `tee', `time'; `-r' in `tar'.
`archive'
     `-a' in `cp'.
`archive-name'
     `-n' in `shar'.
`arglength'
     `-l' in `m4'.
`ascii'
     `-a' in `diff'.
`assign'
     `-v' in `gawk'.
`assume-new'
     `-W' in Make.
`assume-old'
     `-o' in Make.
`auto-check'
     `-a' in `recode'.
`auto-pager'
     `-a' in `wdiff'.
`auto-reference'
     `-A' in `ptx'.
`avoid-wraps'
     `-n' in `wdiff'.
`backward-search'
     `-B' in `ctags'.
`basename'
     `-f' in `shar'.
`batch'
     Used in GDB.
`baud'
     Used in GDB.
`before'
     `-b' in `tac'.
`binary'
     `-b' in `cpio' and `diff'.
`bits-per-code'
     `-b' in `shar'.
`block-size'
     Used in `cpio' and `tar'.
`blocks'
     `-b' in `head' and `tail'.
`break-file'
     `-b' in `ptx'.
`brief'
     Used in various programs to make output shorter.
`bytes'
     `-c' in `head', `split', and `tail'.
`c++'
     `-C' in `etags'.
`catenate'
     `-A' in `tar'.
`cd'
     Used in various programs to specify the directory to use.
`changes'
     `-c' in `chgrp' and `chown'.
`classify'
     `-F' in `ls'.
`colons'
     `-c' in `recode'.
`command'
     `-c' in `su'; `-x' in GDB.
`compare'
     `-d' in `tar'.
`compat'
     Used in `gawk'.
`compress'
     `-Z' in `tar' and `shar'.
`concatenate'
     `-A' in `tar'.
`confirmation'
     `-w' in `tar'.
`context'
     Used in `diff'.
`copyleft'
     `-W copyleft' in `gawk'.
`copyright'
     `-C' in `ptx', `recode', and `wdiff'; `-W copyright' in `gawk'.
`core'
     Used in GDB.
`count'
     `-q' in `who'.
`count-links'
     `-l' in `du'.
`create'
     Used in `tar' and `cpio'.
`cut-mark'
     `-c' in `shar'.
`cxref'
     `-x' in `ctags'.
`date'
     `-d' in `touch'.
`debug'
     `-d' in Make and `m4'; `-t' in Bison.
`define'
     `-D' in `m4'.
`defines'
     `-d' in Bison and `ctags'.
`delete'
     `-D' in `tar'.
`dereference'
     `-L' in `chgrp', `chown', `cpio', `du', `ls', and `tar'.
`dereference-args'
     `-D' in `du'.
`diacritics'
     `-d' in `recode'.
`dictionary-order'
     `-d' in `look'.
`diff'
     `-d' in `tar'.
`digits'
     `-n' in `csplit'.
`directory'
     Specify the directory to use, in various programs.  In `ls', it
     means to show directories themselves rather than their contents.
     In `rm' and `ln', it means to not treat links to directories
     specially.
`discard-all'
     `-x' in `strip'.
`discard-locals'
     `-X' in `strip'.
`dry-run'
     `-n' in Make.
`ed'
     `-e' in `diff'.
`elide-empty-files'
     `-z' in `csplit'.
`end-delete'
     `-x' in `wdiff'.
`end-insert'
     `-z' in `wdiff'.
`entire-new-file'
     `-N' in `diff'.
`environment-overrides'
     `-e' in Make.
`eof'
     `-e' in `xargs'.
`epoch'
     Used in GDB.
`error-limit'
     Used in `makeinfo'.
`error-output'
     `-o' in `m4'.
`escape'
     `-b' in `ls'.
`exclude-from'
     `-X' in `tar'.
`exec'
     Used in GDB.
`exit'
     `-x' in `xargs'.
`exit-0'
     `-e' in `unshar'.
`expand-tabs'
     `-t' in `diff'.
`expression'
     `-e' in `sed'.
`extern-only'
     `-g' in `nm'.
`extract'
     `-i' in `cpio'; `-x' in `tar'.
`faces'
     `-f' in `finger'.
`fast'
     `-f' in `su'.
`fatal-warnings'
     `-E' in `m4'.
`file'
     `-f' in `info', `gawk', Make, `mt', and `tar'; `-n' in `sed'; `-r'
     in `touch'.
`field-separator'
     `-F' in `gawk'.
`file-prefix'
     `-b' in Bison.
`file-type'
     `-F' in `ls'.
`files-from'
     `-T' in `tar'.
`fill-column'
     Used in `makeinfo'.
`flag-truncation'
     `-F' in `ptx'.
`fixed-output-files'
     `-y' in Bison.
`follow'
     `-f' in `tail'.
`footnote-style'
     Used in `makeinfo'.
`force'
     `-f' in `cp', `ln', `mv', and `rm'.
`force-prefix'
     `-F' in `shar'.
`format'
     Used in `ls', `time', and `ptx'.
`freeze-state'
     `-F' in `m4'.
`fullname'
     Used in GDB.
`gap-size'
     `-g' in `ptx'.
`get'
     `-x' in `tar'.
`graphic'
     `-i' in `ul'.
`graphics'
     `-g' in `recode'.
`group'
     `-g' in `install'.
`gzip'
     `-z' in `tar' and `shar'.
`hashsize'
     `-H' in `m4'.
`header'
     `-h' in `objdump' and `recode'
`heading'
     `-H' in `who'.
`help'
     Used to ask for brief usage information.
`here-delimiter'
     `-d' in `shar'.
`hide-control-chars'
     `-q' in `ls'.
`idle'
     `-u' in `who'.
`ifdef'
     `-D' in `diff'.
`ignore'
     `-I' in `ls'; `-x' in `recode'.
`ignore-all-space'
     `-w' in `diff'.
`ignore-backups'
     `-B' in `ls'.
`ignore-blank-lines'
     `-B' in `diff'.
`ignore-case'
     `-f' in `look' and `ptx'; `-i' in `diff' and `wdiff'.
`ignore-errors'
     `-i' in Make.
`ignore-file'
     `-i' in `ptx'.
`ignore-indentation'
     `-I' in `etags'.
`ignore-init-file'
     `-f' in Oleo.
`ignore-interrupts'
     `-i' in `tee'.
`ignore-matching-lines'
     `-I' in `diff'.
`ignore-space-change'
     `-b' in `diff'.
`ignore-zeros'
     `-i' in `tar'.
`include'
     `-i' in `etags'; `-I' in `m4'.
`include-dir'
     `-I' in Make.
`incremental'
     `-G' in `tar'.
`info'
     `-i', `-l', and `-m' in Finger.
`initial'
     `-i' in `expand'.
`initial-tab'
     `-T' in `diff'.
`inode'
     `-i' in `ls'.
`interactive'
     `-i' in `cp', `ln', `mv', `rm'; `-e' in `m4'; `-p' in `xargs';
     `-w' in `tar'.
`intermix-type'
     `-p' in `shar'.
`jobs'
     `-j' in Make.
`just-print'
     `-n' in Make.
`keep-going'
     `-k' in Make.
`keep-files'
     `-k' in `csplit'.
`kilobytes'
     `-k' in `du' and `ls'.
`language'
     `-l' in `etags'.
`less-mode'
     `-l' in `wdiff'.
`level-for-gzip'
     `-g' in `shar'.
`line-bytes'
     `-C' in `split'.
`lines'
     Used in `split', `head', and `tail'.
`link'
     `-l' in `cpio'.
`lint'
`lint-old'
     Used in `gawk'.
`list'
     `-t' in `cpio'; `-l' in `recode'.
`list'
     `-t' in `tar'.
`literal'
     `-N' in `ls'.
`load-average'
     `-l' in Make.
`login'
     Used in `su'.
`machine'
     No listing of which programs already use this; someone should
     check to see if any actually do, and tell <gnu@gnu.org>.
`macro-name'
     `-M' in `ptx'.
`mail'
     `-m' in `hello' and `uname'.
`make-directories'
     `-d' in `cpio'.
`makefile'
     `-f' in Make.
`mapped'
     Used in GDB.
`max-args'
     `-n' in `xargs'.
`max-chars'
     `-n' in `xargs'.
`max-lines'
     `-l' in `xargs'.
`max-load'
     `-l' in Make.
`max-procs'
     `-P' in `xargs'.
`mesg'
     `-T' in `who'.
`message'
     `-T' in `who'.
`minimal'
     `-d' in `diff'.
`mixed-uuencode'
     `-M' in `shar'.
`mode'
     `-m' in `install', `mkdir', and `mkfifo'.
`modification-time'
     `-m' in `tar'.
`multi-volume'
     `-M' in `tar'.
`name-prefix'
     `-a' in Bison.
`nesting-limit'
     `-L' in `m4'.
`net-headers'
     `-a' in `shar'.
`new-file'
     `-W' in Make.
`no-builtin-rules'
     `-r' in Make.
`no-character-count'
     `-w' in `shar'.
`no-check-existing'
     `-x' in `shar'.
`no-common'
     `-3' in `wdiff'.
`no-create'
     `-c' in `touch'.
`no-defines'
     `-D' in `etags'.
`no-deleted'
     `-1' in `wdiff'.
`no-dereference'
     `-d' in `cp'.
`no-inserted'
     `-2' in `wdiff'.
`no-keep-going'
     `-S' in Make.
`no-lines'
     `-l' in Bison.
`no-piping'
     `-P' in `shar'.
`no-prof'
     `-e' in `gprof'.
`no-regex'
     `-R' in `etags'.
`no-sort'
     `-p' in `nm'.
`no-split'
     Used in `makeinfo'.
`no-static'
     `-a' in `gprof'.
`no-time'
     `-E' in `gprof'.
`no-timestamp'
     `-m' in `shar'.
`no-validate'
     Used in `makeinfo'.
`no-wait'
     Used in `emacsclient'.
`no-warn'
     Used in various programs to inhibit warnings.
`node'
     `-n' in `info'.
`nodename'
     `-n' in `uname'.
`nonmatching'
     `-f' in `cpio'.
`nstuff'
     `-n' in `objdump'.
`null'
     `-0' in `xargs'.
`number'
     `-n' in `cat'.
`number-nonblank'
     `-b' in `cat'.
`numeric-sort'
     `-n' in `nm'.
`numeric-uid-gid'
     `-n' in `cpio' and `ls'.
`nx'
     Used in GDB.
`old-archive'
     `-o' in `tar'.
`old-file'
     `-o' in Make.
`one-file-system'
     `-l' in `tar', `cp', and `du'.
`only-file'
     `-o' in `ptx'.
`only-prof'
     `-f' in `gprof'.
`only-time'
     `-F' in `gprof'.
`output'
     In various programs, specify the output file name.
`output-prefix'
     `-o' in `shar'.
`override'
     `-o' in `rm'.
`overwrite'
     `-c' in `unshar'.
`owner'
     `-o' in `install'.
`paginate'
     `-l' in `diff'.
`paragraph-indent'
     Used in `makeinfo'.
`parents'
     `-p' in `mkdir' and `rmdir'.
`pass-all'
     `-p' in `ul'.
`pass-through'
     `-p' in `cpio'.
`port'
     `-P' in `finger'.
`portability'
     `-c' in `cpio' and `tar'.
`posix'
     Used in `gawk'.
`prefix-builtins'
     `-P' in `m4'.
`prefix'
     `-f' in `csplit'.
`preserve'
     Used in `tar' and `cp'.
`preserve-environment'
     `-p' in `su'.
`preserve-modification-time'
     `-m' in `cpio'.
`preserve-order'
     `-s' in `tar'.
`preserve-permissions'
     `-p' in `tar'.
`print'
     `-l' in `diff'.
`print-chars'
     `-L' in `cmp'.
`print-data-base'
     `-p' in Make.
`print-directory'
     `-w' in Make.
`print-file-name'
     `-o' in `nm'.
`print-symdefs'
     `-s' in `nm'.
`printer'
     `-p' in `wdiff'.
`prompt'
     `-p' in `ed'.
`query-user'
     `-X' in `shar'.
`question'
     `-q' in Make.
`quiet'
     Used in many programs to inhibit the usual output.  *Note:* every
     program accepting `--quiet' should accept `--silent' as a synonym.
`quiet-unshar'
     `-Q' in `shar'
`quote-name'
     `-Q' in `ls'.
`rcs'
     `-n' in `diff'.
`re-interval'
     Used in `gawk'.
`read-full-blocks'
     `-B' in `tar'.
`readnow'
     Used in GDB.
`recon'
     `-n' in Make.
`record-number'
     `-R' in `tar'.
`recursive'
     Used in `chgrp', `chown', `cp', `ls', `diff', and `rm'.
`reference-limit'
     Used in `makeinfo'.
`references'
     `-r' in `ptx'.
`regex'
     `-r' in `tac' and `etags'.
`release'
     `-r' in `uname'.
`reload-state'
     `-R' in `m4'.
`relocation'
     `-r' in `objdump'.
`rename'
     `-r' in `cpio'.
`replace'
     `-i' in `xargs'.
`report-identical-files'
     `-s' in `diff'.
`reset-access-time'
     `-a' in `cpio'.
`reverse'
     `-r' in `ls' and `nm'.
`reversed-ed'
     `-f' in `diff'.
`right-side-defs'
     `-R' in `ptx'.
`same-order'
     `-s' in `tar'.
`same-permissions'
     `-p' in `tar'.
`save'
     `-g' in `stty'.
`se'
     Used in GDB.
`sentence-regexp'
     `-S' in `ptx'.
`separate-dirs'
     `-S' in `du'.
`separator'
     `-s' in `tac'.
`sequence'
     Used by `recode' to chose files or pipes for sequencing passes.
`shell'
     `-s' in `su'.
`show-all'
     `-A' in `cat'.
`show-c-function'
     `-p' in `diff'.
`show-ends'
     `-E' in `cat'.
`show-function-line'
     `-F' in `diff'.
`show-tabs'
     `-T' in `cat'.
`silent'
     Used in many programs to inhibit the usual output.  *Note:* every
     program accepting `--silent' should accept `--quiet' as a synonym.
`size'
     `-s' in `ls'.
`sort'
     Used in `ls'.
`source'
     `-W source' in `gawk'.
`sparse'
     `-S' in `tar'.
`speed-large-files'
     `-H' in `diff'.
`split-at'
     `-E' in `unshar'.
`split-size-limit'
     `-L' in `shar'.
`squeeze-blank'
     `-s' in `cat'.
`start-delete'
     `-w' in `wdiff'.
`start-insert'
     `-y' in `wdiff'.
`starting-file'
     Used in `tar' and `diff' to specify which file within a directory
     to start processing with.
`statistics'
     `-s' in `wdiff'.
`stdin-file-list'
     `-S' in `shar'.
`stop'
     `-S' in Make.
`strict'
     `-s' in `recode'.
`strip'
     `-s' in `install'.
`strip-all'
     `-s' in `strip'.
`strip-debug'
     `-S' in `strip'.
`submitter'
     `-s' in `shar'.
`suffix'
     `-S' in `cp', `ln', `mv'.
`suffix-format'
     `-b' in `csplit'.
`sum'
     `-s' in `gprof'.
`summarize'
     `-s' in `du'.
`symbolic'
     `-s' in `ln'.
`symbols'
     Used in GDB and `objdump'.
`synclines'
     `-s' in `m4'.
`sysname'
     `-s' in `uname'.
`tabs'
     `-t' in `expand' and `unexpand'.
`tabsize'
     `-T' in `ls'.
`terminal'
     `-T' in `tput' and `ul'.  `-t' in `wdiff'.
`text'
     `-a' in `diff'.
`text-files'
     `-T' in `shar'.
`time'
     Used in `ls' and `touch'.
`to-stdout'
     `-O' in `tar'.
`total'
     `-c' in `du'.
`touch'
     `-t' in Make, `ranlib', and `recode'.
`trace'
     `-t' in `m4'.
`traditional'
     `-t' in `hello'; `-W traditional' in `gawk'; `-G' in `ed', `m4',
     and `ptx'.
`tty'
     Used in GDB.
`typedefs'
     `-t' in `ctags'.
`typedefs-and-c++'
     `-T' in `ctags'.
`typeset-mode'
     `-t' in `ptx'.
`uncompress'
     `-z' in `tar'.
`unconditional'
     `-u' in `cpio'.
`undefine'
     `-U' in `m4'.
`undefined-only'
     `-u' in `nm'.
`update'
     `-u' in `cp', `ctags', `mv', `tar'.
`usage'
     Used in `gawk'; same as `--help'.
`uuencode'
     `-B' in `shar'.
`vanilla-operation'
     `-V' in `shar'.
`verbose'
     Print more information about progress.  Many programs support this.
`verify'
     `-W' in `tar'.
`version'
     Print the version number.
`version-control'
     `-V' in `cp', `ln', `mv'.
`vgrind'
     `-v' in `ctags'.
`volume'
     `-V' in `tar'.
`what-if'
     `-W' in Make.
`whole-size-limit'
     `-l' in `shar'.
`width'
     `-w' in `ls' and `ptx'.
`word-regexp'
     `-W' in `ptx'.
`writable'
     `-T' in `who'.
`zeros'
     `-z' in `gprof'.