PTX(1)

📦
version 9.10 · 5 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

✨ PTX(1) ✨

okay so bestie, this is ptx, and it hangs out in the User Commands section of the manual (that's the 1 in the (1), iykyk 💅). It's giving very much "let me alphabetize your whole vibe."

💖 NAME 💖

ptx — produce a permuted index of file contents. that's the whole job. she does one thing and she devours. 🎀

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

ptx [OPTION]... [INPUT]...   (without -G)
ptx -G [OPTION]... [INPUT [OUTPUT]]

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

So what she actually does: output a permuted index, including context, of the words in the input files. Every word gets its moment, with its little context bubble around it. main character treatment for each one, fr fr. 👑

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input. (Yes king, - means "I'm piping it in", the classic move. 🫶)

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. Like, non-negotiable. the argument is coming with you whether you like it or not. 😭

🎀 the options, one by one, no skipping 🎀

  • -A, --auto-reference — output automatically generated references. she'll make the refs for you, no cap. ⭐
  • -G, --traditional — behave more like System V ptx. old-school energy, vintage behavior, throwback era 🙈
  • -F, --flag-truncation=STRING — use STRING for flagging line truncations. The default is /. so if you don't pick a STRING, / is what you get, okay? 💜
  • -M, --macro-name=STRING — macro name to use instead of xx. because xx was just the placeholder bestie, you can rename her. 🦋
  • -O, --format=roff — generate output as roff directives. roff girlies rise up. 🔥
  • -R, --right-side-refs — put references at right, not counted in -w. right side, and she's not getting counted in -w either, sneaky but valid. 💅
  • -S, --sentence-regexp=REGEXP — for end of lines or end of sentences. hand her a REGEXP and she'll know where the sentences end. periodt. 🍓
  • -T, --format=tex — generate output as TeX directives. TeX stans, this one's for you. 🌈
  • -W, --word-regexp=REGEXP — use REGEXP to match each keyword. your regex, your rules. ✨
  • -b, --break-file=FILE — word break characters in this FILE. tell her which characters break a word, via FILE. 🧚
  • -f, --ignore-case — fold lower case to upper case for sorting. so she doesn't get weird about capitalization, iconic behavior honestly. 💖
  • -g, --gap-size=NUMBER — gap size in columns between output fields. how much personal space the columns get. 🌸
  • -i, --ignore-file=FILE — read ignore word list from FILE. words in here? skipped. not invited. bye. 💀
  • -o, --only-file=FILE — read only word list from this FILE. opposite vibe: only these words make the cut. 💜
  • -r, --references — first field of each line is a reference. first field, reference, that's the deal. 🎀
  • -t, --typeset-mode — change the default width from 72 to 100. so like, 72 normally, but 100 in this mode. glow up. ⭐
  • -w, --width=NUMBER — output width in columns, reference excluded. and reminder: the reference is NOT counted in this. 🙈
  • --help — display this help and exit. the "help me bestie" button. 🫶
  • --version — output version information and exit. the "who even are you" button. 👑

👑 AUTHOR 👑

Written by F. Pinard. (the original girlie who built the vibes. we stan. 💖)

😭 REPORTING BUGS 😭

if something's broken, tell them, don't just suffer in silence bestie 😭

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

Packaged by Ubuntu (9.10-1ubuntu2) Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

and that's the whole page, bestie — this one's GNU coreutils 9.10, dated August 2026, and it's PTX(1) in the User Commands section. go permute something. slay. 💅✨🎀💖

📦 where this page comes from