


TAIL(1)             UNIX Programmer's Manual		  TAIL(1)



NAME
     tail - deliver the last part of a file

SYNOPSIS
     tail +_number[l_b_c_][r_f_] [ file ]

DESCRIPTION
     _T_a_i_l copies the named file to the standard output beginning
     at a designated place.  If no file is named, the standard
     input is used.

     Copying begins at distance +_n_u_m_b_e_r from the beginning, or
     -_n_u_m_b_e_r from the end of the input.  _N_u_m_b_e_r is counted in
     units of lines, blocks or characters, according to the
     appended option l, b or c. When no units are specified,
     counting is by lines.

     Specifying r causes tail to print lines from the end of the
     file in reverse order.  The default for r is to print the
     entire file this way.  Specifying f causes _t_a_i_l to not quit
     at end of file, but rather wait and try to read repeatedly
     in hopes that the file will grow.

SEE ALSO
     dd(1)

BUGS
     Tails relative to the end of the file are treasured up in a
     buffer, and thus are limited in length.

     Various kinds of anomalous behavior may happen with charac-
     ter special files.























Printed 11/26/99	  March 6, 1986                         1



