flip

convert text files between UNIX style and PC style 

Command

SYNOPSIS

flip -d [-bc] [file...]

flip -u [-bc] [file...]

DESCRIPTION

flip converts text files from UNIX format to PC format or vice versa. You must specify one of -d (for PC) or -u (for UNIX), otherwise flip automatically senses and assumes your local system type.

flip does not change files that are already of the specified format; hence, using wildcards on the command line to include groups of files or the contents of an entire directory results in all writable files being converted to (or remaining in) the proper format.

Timestamps and file permissions are always preserved in their original state.

Options

-b 

forces the conversion of files containing binary characters. Normally, flip returns an error if it encounters a binary character.

-c 

sends the converted results to standard output rather than overwriting the original file. This option is useful when working with files for which you do not have write permissions, or when piping and redirecting the output elsewhere.

-d 

converts file to use PC format line delimiters. This option changes all instances of a single Line Feed character into a Carriage Return/Line Feed combination. Stand alone Carriage Returns are not affected.

-u 

converts file to use UNIX format line delimiters. This option changes all instances of a Carriage Return/Line Feed combination into a single Line Feed character. Stand alone Carriage Returns are not affected.

EXAMPLES

flip -d myfile.txt

converts myfile.txt to PC format. 

flip -ubc myfile.txt > newfile.txt

converts myfile.txt to UNIX format while ignoring any binary characters, and redirects the output to newfile.txt. In this example myfile.txt does not change.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

TK_NTLINKS_OFF 

MKS Toolkit supports hard links under 10/2016/2019/11/2022/2025 on NTFS file systems. There is a slight loss of performance for this support. If you do not require hard link support, you should set and export the environment variable TK_NTLINKS_OFF to disable this support.

If this variable is not set, flip can not convert any file with more than one link.

DIAGNOSTICS

Possible exit status values are:

0 

Successful completion.

>0 

An error occurred.

PORTABILITY

Windows 10. Windows Server 2016. Windows Server 2019. Windows 11. Windows Server 2022. Windows Server 2025.

AVAILABILITY

PTC MKS Toolkit for Power Users
PTC MKS Toolkit for System Administrators
PTC MKS Toolkit for Developers
PTC MKS Toolkit for Interoperability
PTC MKS Toolkit for Professional Developers
PTC MKS Toolkit for Professional Developers 64-Bit Edition
PTC MKS Toolkit for Enterprise Developers
PTC MKS Toolkit for Enterprise Developers 64-Bit Edition

PTC MKS Toolkit 10.5 Documentation Build 40.