'\" t
.\"     Title: bits
.\"    Author: [see the "AUTHOR(S)" section]
.\" Generator: Asciidoctor 2.0.23
.\"      Date: 2025-03-29
.\"    Manual: User Commands
.\"    Source: util-linux 2.41
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "BITS" "1" "2025-03-29" "util\-linux 2.41" "User Commands"
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.SH "NAME"
bits \- convert bit masks from/to various formats
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.sp
\fBbits\fP [\fB\-h\fP] [\fB\-V\fP] [\fB\-w\fP \fI<NUM>\fP] [\fI<MODE>\fP] [\fI<MASK_OR_LIST>\fP...]
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.sp
The \fBbits\fP utility converts bit masks into various formats. It supports
combining multiple masks together using bitwise operations.
.SH "POSITIONAL ARGUMENTS"
.sp
\fI<MASK_OR_LIST>\fP
.RS 4
A set of bits specified as a hexadecimal mask value (e.g. \fI0xeec2\fP) or as
a comma\-separated list of bit IDs.
.RE
.sp
If no argument is specified, the sets of bits will be read from standard input;
one group per line.
.sp
Consecutive ids can be compressed as ranges (e.g. \fI5,6,7,8,9,10\fP \(-> \fI5\-10\fP).
.sp
Optionally, if an argument starts with a comma, it will be parsed as a single
hexadecimal mask split in 32bit groups (e.g. \fI,00014000,00000000,00020000\fP \(->
\fI17,78,80\fP).
.sp
By default all groups will be OR\(cqed together. If a group has one of the
following prefixes, it will be combined with the resulting mask using
a different binary operation:
.sp
\fB&\fP\fI<MASK_OR_LIST>\fP
.RS 4
The group will be combined with a binary AND operation. I.e. all bits that are
set to 1 in the group AND the combined groups so far will be preserved to 1.
All other bits will be reset to 0.
.RE
.sp
\fB^\fP\fI<MASK_OR_LIST>\fP
.RS 4
The group will be combined with a binary XOR operation. I.e. all bits that are
set to 1 in the group AND to 0 the combined groups so far (or the other way
around) will be set to 1. Bits that are both to 1 or both to 0 will be reset to
0.
.RE
.sp
\fB~\fP\fI<MASK_OR_LIST>\fP
.RS 4
All bits set to 1 in the group will be cleared (reset to 0) in the combined
groups so far.
.RE
.SH "OPTIONS"
.sp
\fB\-w\fP \fI<NUM>\fP, \fB\-\-width\fP \fI<NUM>\fP
.RS 4
Maximum number of bits in the masks handled by \fBbits\fP (default \fI8192\fP). Any
bit larger than this number will be truncated.
.RE
.sp
\fB\-h\fP, \fB\-\-help\fP
.RS 4
Display help text and exit.
.RE
.sp
\fB\-V\fP, \fB\-\-version\fP
.RS 4
Display version and exit.
.RE
.SH "CONVERSION MODE"
.sp
One of the following conversion modes can be specified. If not specified, it
defaults to \fB\-m\fP, \fB\-\-mask\fP.
.sp
\fB\-m\fP, \fB\-\-mask\fP
.RS 4
Print the combined args as a hexadecimal mask value (default).
.RE
.sp
\fB\-g\fP, \fB\-\-grouped\-mask\fP
.RS 4
Print the combined args as a hexadecimal mask value in 32bit comma separated
groups.
.RE
.sp
\fB\-b\fP, \fB\-\-binary\fP
.RS 4
Print the combined args as a binary mask value.
.RE
.sp
\fB\-l\fP, \fB\-\-list\fP
.RS 4
Print the combined args as a list of bit IDs. Consecutive IDs are compressed as
ranges.
.RE
.SH "EXAMPLES"
.sp
.if n .RS 4
.nf
.fam C
~$ bits \-\-mask 4,5\-8 16,30
0x400101f0

~$ bits \-\-list 0xeec2
1,6,7,9\-11,13\-15

~$ bits \-\-binary 4,5\-8 16,30
0b100_0000_0000_0001_0000_0001_1111_0000

~$ bits \-\-list ,00300000,03000000,30000003
0,1,28,29,56,57,84,85

~$ bits \-\-list 1,2,3,4 ~3\-10
1,2

~$ bits \-\-list 1,2,3,4 ^3\-10
1,2,5\-10

~$ bits \-\-grouped\-mask 2,22,74,79
8400,00000000,00400004

~$ bits \-\-width 64 \-\-list 2,22,74,79
2,22
.fam
.fi
.if n .RE
.SH "AUTHORS"
.sp
Robin Jarry.
.SH "REPORTING BUGS"
.sp
For bug reports, use the \c
.URL "https://github.com/util\-linux/util\-linux/issues" "issue tracker" "."
.SH "AVAILABILITY"
.sp
The \fBbits\fP command is part of the util\-linux package which can be downloaded from \c
.URL "https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util\-linux/" "Linux Kernel Archive" "."