NAME

       bits - convert bit masks from/to various formats

SYNOPSIS

       bits [-h] [-V] [-w <NUM>] [<MODE>] [<MASK_OR_LIST>...]

DESCRIPTION

       The bits utility converts bit masks into various formats. It supports combining multiple masks together
       using bitwise operations.

POSITIONAL ARGUMENTS

       <MASK_OR_LIST>
           A set of bits specified as a hexadecimal mask value (e.g. 0xeec2) or as a comma-separated list of bit
           IDs.

       If no argument is specified, the sets of bits will be read from standard input; one group per line.

       Consecutive ids can be compressed as ranges (e.g. 5,6,7,8,9,10 → 5-10).

       Optionally, if an argument starts with a comma, it will be parsed as a single hexadecimal mask split in
       32bit groups (e.g. ,00014000,00000000,00020000 → 17,78,80).

       By default all groups will be OR’ed together. If a group has one of the following prefixes, it will be
       combined with the resulting mask using a different binary operation:

       &<MASK_OR_LIST>
           The group will be combined with a binary AND operation. I.e. all bits that are set to 1 in the group
           AND the combined groups so far will be preserved to 1. All other bits will be reset to 0.

       ^<MASK_OR_LIST>
           The group will be combined with a binary XOR operation. I.e. all bits that are set to 1 in the group
           AND to 0 the combined groups so far (or the other way around) will be set to 1. Bits that are both to
           1 or both to 0 will be reset to 0.

       ~<MASK_OR_LIST>
           All bits set to 1 in the group will be cleared (reset to 0) in the combined groups so far.

OPTIONS

       -w <NUM>, --width <NUM>
           Maximum number of bits in the masks handled by bits (default 8192). Any bit larger than this number
           will be truncated.

       -h, --help
           Display help text and exit.

       -V, --version
           Display version and exit.

CONVERSION MODE

       One of the following conversion modes can be specified. If not specified, it defaults to -m, --mask.

       -m, --mask
           Print the combined args as a hexadecimal mask value (default).

       -g, --grouped-mask
           Print the combined args as a hexadecimal mask value in 32bit comma separated groups.

       -b, --binary
           Print the combined args as a binary mask value.

       -l, --list
           Print the combined args as a list of bit IDs. Consecutive IDs are compressed as ranges.

EXAMPLES

           ~$ bits --mask 4,5-8 16,30
           0x400101f0

           ~$ bits --list 0xeec2
           1,6,7,9-11,13-15

           ~$ bits --binary 4,5-8 16,30
           0b100_0000_0000_0001_0000_0001_1111_0000

           ~$ bits --list ,00300000,03000000,30000003
           0,1,28,29,56,57,84,85

           ~$ bits --list 1,2,3,4 ~3-10
           1,2

           ~$ bits --list 1,2,3,4 ^3-10
           1,2,5-10

           ~$ bits --grouped-mask 2,22,74,79
           8400,00000000,00400004

           ~$ bits --width 64 --list 2,22,74,79
           2,22

AUTHORS

       Robin Jarry.

REPORTING BUGS

       For bug reports, use the issue tracker <https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/issues>.

AVAILABILITY

       The bits command is part of the util-linux package which can be downloaded from Linux Kernel Archive
       <https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/>.

util-linux 2.41.2                                  2025-09-22                                            BITS(1)