How to convert line breaks in a text file between the Windows and Unix/Linux formats?

linux windows unix

40,466

Solution 1

You're probably looking for dos2unix, unix2dos, todos or fromdos depending on your distribution. Ubuntu/Debian package todos/fromdos as part of the tofrodos package from memory.

Solution 2

One option is to use unix2dos (and dos2unix for going back) on the command line.

Another is to use a text editor:
For vi: :set ff=dos to set the line endings to be dos line endings.
For emacs: C-x [ENTER] f dos [ENTER]

For your favourite GUI based editor (eg. jedit) I recommend checking the manual or Google.

Lastly if you don't want to deal with a text editor and just do it using more common utilities and such (or don't have unix2dos installed):

tr -d '\r' < infile > outfile to go from Windows -> Unix
awk 'sub("$", "\r")' unixfile.txt > winfile.txt to go from Unix -> Windows as tr can not go from Unix to Windows.

Solution 3

Edit it in Vim and use the set fileformat command.

MS-DOS/Windows (CR+LF breaks) to *nix (LF only breaks)
```
:set fileformat=unix
:wq
```
*nix to MS-DOS/Windows
```
:set fileformat=dos
:wq
```

Solution 4

This is what I use, similar to Chealion, to convert Windows to Unix line endings:

tr -d \\015 < windows > unix

Solution 5

Doing this with POSIX is tricky:

POSIX Sed does not support \r or \15. Even if it did, the in place option -i is not POSIX
POSIX Awk does support \r and \15, however the -i inplace option is not POSIX
d2u and dos2unix are not POSIX utilities, but ex is
POSIX ex does not support \r, \15, \n or \12

To remove carriage returns:

awk 'BEGIN{RS="\1";ORS="";getline;gsub("\r","");print>ARGV[1]}' file

To add carriage returns:

awk 'BEGIN{RS="\1";ORS="";getline;gsub("\n","\r&");print>ARGV[1]}' file

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40,466

fermin

Updated on September 17, 2022

Comments

fermin over 1 year

How do I convert line breaks in a text file between the Windows and Unix/Linux formats?

I have a *nix environment, but that I need to import and export data with the Windows-style line breaks. I thought there would be a standard utility or command to do this, but I can't seem to find it.
fermin about 15 years

dos2unix made the trick, however thanks for tr utility, it could have saved so much time in the past!
CesarB almost 15 years

Be careful when using that if the file does not already have a line break at the last line; vim will add one unless you know how to tell it not to.
womble over 12 years

In case anyone comes across this question looking for Windows solutions, the upstream site for dos2unix is waterlan.home.xs4all.nl/dos2unix.html, and it works in Windows as well.
ott-- over 11 years

The poster wanted unix to windows line endings. And you're some years late with you answer.
Josh over 11 years

Who cares if it's "years late"? It still works, and it's still applicable to the question. I was just adding another option for readers that come upon it, like myself. Also, his question asks for Windows -> Unix, and his description asks for Unix -> Windows. shrug
ott-- over 11 years

Right. Maybe you add the other tr-command for converting unix to windows then.
ott-- over 11 years

I tried to undo the downvote, but it said that it's locked until the article is edited.
Rory O'Kane over 11 years

You can install dos2unix/unix2dos on Mac OS X using Homebrew. With Homebrew installed, the command is brew install dos2unix, which uses this formula.
Alois Mahdal almost 11 years

@ott-- no problem, I upvoted for you. ...wait, now I can't upvote for me! ...dang... :)
Techmag over 8 years

After hours of trying every other solution this was the lifesaver I needed. Confirmed behaviour on OS X Yosemite with hexdump -C -- also confirmed this is not sticky -- it is set per vi session