---
name: "shtool"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "shtool"
version: "2.0.8-10"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/shtool"
---

# shtool(1)

The GNU Portable Shell Tool

## NAME

shtool - The GNU Portable Shell Tool

## VERSION

GNU shtool .0.8 (18-Jul-2008)

## SYNOPSIS

**shtool** \[ *global\_options* \] *command* \[ *command\_options* \] \[ *command\_args* \]

## DESCRIPTION

**GNU shtool** is a compilation of small but very stable and portable shell scripts into a single shell tool. All ingredients were in successful use over many years in various free software projects. The compiled **shtool** script is intended to be used inside the source tree of those free software packages. There it can take over various (usually non-portable) tasks related to the building and installation of such packages.

## GLOBAL OPTIONS

The following *global options* are available for **shtool**. Any *command*s are ignored if one of them is present on the **shtool** command line.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Displays a short help page describing the usage of **shtool** and it's ingredient *command*s in a compact way.

- **-v**, **--version**

  Displays the version number of **shtool**.

- **-d**, **--debug**

  Displays shell trace messages for debugging purposes.

- **-r**, **--recreate**

  Recreate the **shtool** script with its own individual [**shtoolize**(1)](/shtoolize/1.md) call.

## COMMANDS

The following *command*s are provided by **shtool**. They are all called via "`"shtool"` *command*". Any command options *command\_opts* and arguments *command\_args* are specific to the particular *command* and are described in the corresponding manual page **shtool\_**[*command*(1)](/command/1.md). The commands are listed here sorted by topic, i.e., related commands are listed side-by-side.

- **echo**

  [**echo**(1)](/echo/1.md) style print command providing special expansion constructs (terminal bold mode, environment details, date) and newline control.

- **mdate**

  Pretty-printing of the last modification time of a file or directory.

- **table**

  Pretty-printing a field-separated list as a two-dimensional table.

- **prop**

  Displaying of a processing indication though a running terminal character propeller.

- **move**

  [**mv**(1)](/mv/1.md) style command for renaming/moving multiple files at once and allowing source files just to be deleted if contents did not change.

- **install**

  [**install**(1)](/install/1.md) style command for installing a program, script or data file in a portable way.

- **mkdir**

  [**mkdir**(1)](/mkdir/1.md) style command providing support for automatical parent directory creation, directory permission control and smart skipping if directory already exists.

- **mkln**

  [**ln**(1)](/ln/1.md) style command providing automatic calculation and usage of relative links if possible.

- **mkshadow**

  Creation of a shadow filesystem tree by the help of symbolic links.

- **fixperm**

  Fixing of file permissions in a source tree by cleaning up the permission bits.

- **rotate**

  Rotate a logfile.

- **tarball**

  Roll standardized distribution tarballs.

- **subst**

  Apply [**sed**(1)](/sed/1.md) substitution operations.

- **platform**

  Determines platform identification information.

- **arx**

  Extended archive command which can even put existing archives into an archive.

- **slo**

  Separate linker options by library class.

- **scpp**

  An additional C source file pre-processor for sharing [**cpp**(1)](/cpp/1.md) code, internal variables and internal functions.

- **version**

  Maintain a version information file in either Text, C/C++, Perl or Python. format.

- **path**

  Deal with shell path variables.

## SEE ALSO

[**shtoolize**(1)](/shtoolize/1.md), [**shtool-arx**(1)](/shtool-arx/1.md), [**shtool-echo**(1)](/shtool-echo/1.md), [**shtool-fixperm**(1)](/shtool-fixperm/1.md), [**shtool-install**(1)](/shtool-install/1.md), [**shtool-mdate**(1)](/shtool-mdate/1.md), [**shtool-mkdir**(1)](/shtool-mkdir/1.md), [**shtool-mkln**(1)](/shtool-mkln/1.md), [**shtool-mkshadow**(1)](/shtool-mkshadow/1.md), [**shtool-move**(1)](/shtool-move/1.md), [**shtool-path**(1)](/shtool-path/1.md), [**shtool-platform**(1)](/shtool-platform/1.md), [**shtool-prop**(1)](/shtool-prop/1.md), [**shtool-rotate**(1)](/shtool-rotate/1.md), [**shtool-scpp**(1)](/shtool-scpp/1.md), [**shtool-slo**(1)](/shtool-slo/1.md), [**shtool-subst**(1)](/shtool-subst/1.md), [**shtool-table**(1)](/shtool-table/1.md), [**shtool-tarball**(1)](/shtool-tarball/1.md), [**shtool-version**(1)](/shtool-version/1.md).

## HISTORY

Some scripts contained in GNU **shtool** were already written in 1994 by *Ralf S. Engelschall* for use inside some private source trees. Then they evolved into more elaborated versions over the years and were used in various free software projects like ePerl, WML, iSelect, gFONT, etc. They were complemented with other scripts from the author which he wrote in March 1998 for the \`\`Apache Autoconf-style Interface'' (APACI) for Apache 1.3. In April 1999 the **shtool** package was created out of the accumulated master versions of the scripts and in June 1999 it entered the status of an official GNU program and this way finally joined the group of GNU **autoconf**, GNU **automake** and GNU **libtool**.

## AUTHOR

```
 Ralf S. Engelschall
 rse@engelschall.com
 www.engelschall.com
```