---
name: "recsel"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "recutils"
version: "1.9-2"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/recsel"
---

# recsel(1)

print records from a recfile

## NAME

recsel - print records from a recfile

## SYNOPSIS

**recsel** \[*OPTION*\]... \[*-t TYPE*\] \[*-j FIELD*\] \[*-n INDEXES \| -e RECORD\_EXPR \| -q STR \| -m NUM*\] \[*-c \| (-p\|-P) FIELD\_EXPR*\] \[*FILE*\]...

## DESCRIPTION

Select and print rec data.

- **-d**, **--include-descriptors**

  print record descriptors along with the matched records.

- **-C**, **--collapse**

  do not section the result in records with newlines.

- **-S**, **--sort**=*FIELD*,...

  sort the output by the specified fields.

- **-G**, **--group-by**=*FIELD*,...

  group records by the specified fields.

- **-U**, **--uniq**

  remove duplicated fields in the output records.

- **-s**, **--password**=*STR*

  decrypt confidential fields with the given password.

- **--help**

  print a help message and exit.

- **--version**

  show version and exit.

### Record selection options:

- **-i**, **--case-insensitive**

  make strings case-insensitive in selection expressions.

- **-t**, **--type**=*TYPE*

  operate on records of the specified type only.

- **-e**, **--expression**=*RECORD\_EXPR*

  selection expression.

- **-q**, **--quick**=*STR*

  select records with fields containing a string.

- **-n**, **--number**=*NUM*,...

  select specific records by position, with ranges.

- **-m**, **--random**=*NUM*

  select a given number of random records.

- **-j**, **--join**=*FIELD*

  perform an inner join using the specified field.

### Output options:

- **-p**, **--print**=*FIELDS*

  comma-separated list of fields to print for each matching record.

- **-P**, **--print-values**=*FIELDS*

  as **-p**, but print only the values of the selected fields.

- **-R**, **--print-row**=*FIELDS*

  as **-P**, but separate the values with spaces instead of newlines.

- **-c**, **--count**

  print a count of the matching records instead of the records themselves.

### Special options:

- **--print-sexps**

  print the data in sexps instead of rec format.

## AUTHOR

Written by Jose E. Marchesi.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to: bug-recutils@gnu.org\
 GNU recutils home page: \<https://www.gnu.org/software/recutils/\>\
 General help using GNU software: \<http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2010-2020 Jose E. Marchesi. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later \<http://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

The full documentation for **recsel** is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the **info** and **recsel** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

-

  **info recutils**

should give you access to the complete manual.