---
name: "ptx"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "coreutils"
version: "9.12-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ptx"
---

# ptx(1)

produce a permuted index of file contents

## NAME

ptx - produce a permuted index of file contents

## SYNOPSIS

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

## DESCRIPTION

Output a permuted index, including context, of the words in the input files.

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

- **-A, --auto-reference**

  output automatically generated references

- **-G, --traditional**

  behave more like System V 'ptx'

- **-F, --flag-truncation=STRING**

  use STRING for flagging line truncations. The default is '/'

- **-M, --macro-name=STRING**

  macro name to use instead of 'xx'

- **-O, --format=roff**

  generate output as roff directives

- **-R, --right-side-refs**

  put references at right, not counted in **-w**

- **-S, --sentence-regexp=REGEXP**

  for end of lines or end of sentences

- **-T, --format=tex**

  generate output as TeX directives

- **-W, --word-regexp=REGEXP**

  use REGEXP to match each keyword

- **-b, --break-file=FILE**

  word break characters in this FILE

- **-f, --ignore-case**

  fold lower case to upper case for sorting

- **-g, --gap-size=NUMBER**

  gap size in columns between output fields

- **-i, --ignore-file=FILE**

  read ignore word list from FILE

- **-o, --only-file=FILE**

  read only word list from this FILE

- **-r, --references**

  first field of each line is a reference

- **-t, --typeset-mode**

  change the default width from 72 to 100

- **-w, --width=NUMBER**

  output width in columns, reference excluded

- **--help**

  display this help and exit

- **--version**

  output version information and exit

## AUTHOR

Written by F. Pinard.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to: \<bug-coreutils@gnu.org\>.\
 Report any translation bugs to: \<https://translationproject.org/team/\>.\
 GNU coreutils home page: \<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/\>\
 General help using GNU software: \<https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/\>

## COPYRIGHT

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.

## SEE ALSO

Full documentation \<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/ptx\>\
 or available locally via: info '(coreutils) ptx invocation'