The command-line syntax for top consists of:
-hv|-bcEeHiOSs1 -d secs -n max -u|U user -p pids -o field -w
[cols]
The typically mandatory switch (`-') and even whitespace are
completely optional.
-h | -v :Help/Version
Show library version and the usage prompt, then quit.
-b :Batch-mode operation
Starts top in Batch mode, which could be useful for sending
output from top to other programs or to a file. In this
mode, top will not accept input and runs until the
iterations limit you've set with the `-n' command-line
option or until killed.
-c :Command-line/Program-name toggle
Starts top with the last remembered `c' state reversed.
Thus, if top was displaying command lines, now that field
will show program names, and vice versa. See the `c'
interactive command for additional information.
-d :Delay-time interval as: -d ss.t (secs.tenths)
Specifies the delay between screen updates, and overrides
the corresponding value in one's personal configuration file
or the startup default. Later this can be changed with the
`d' or `s' interactive commands.
Fractional seconds are honored, but a negative number is not
allowed. In all cases, however, such changes are prohibited
if top is running in Secure mode, except for root (unless
the `s' command-line option was used). For additional
information on Secure mode see topic 6d. SYSTEM Restrictions
File.
-e :Enforce-Task-Memory-Scaling as: -e k | m | g | t | p
Instructs top to force task area memory to be scaled as:
k - kibibytes
m - mebibytes
g - gibibytes
t - tebibytes
p - pebibytes
Later this can be changed with the `e' command toggle.
-E :Enforce-Summary-Memory-Scaling as: -E k | m | g | t | p |
e
Instructs top to force summary area memory to be scaled as:
k - kibibytes
m - mebibytes
g - gibibytes
t - tebibytes
p - pebibytes
e - exbibytes
Later this can be changed with the `E' command toggle.
-H :Threads-mode operation
Instructs top to display individual threads. Without this
command-line option a summation of all threads in each
process is shown. Later this can be changed with the `H'
interactive command.
-i :Idle-process toggle
Starts top with the last remembered `i' state reversed.
When this toggle is Off, tasks that have not used any CPU
since the last update will not be displayed. For additional
information regarding this toggle see topic 4c. TASK AREA
Commands, SIZE.
-n :Number-of-iterations limit as: -n number
Specifies the maximum number of iterations, or frames, top
should produce before ending.
-o :Override-sort-field as: -o fieldname
Specifies the name of the field on which tasks will be
sorted, independent of what is reflected in the
configuration file. You can prepend a `+' or `-' to the
field name to also override the sort direction. A leading
`+' will force sorting high to low, whereas a `-' will
ensure a low to high ordering.
This option exists primarily to support automated/scripted
batch mode operation.
-O :Output-field-names
This option acts as a form of help for the above -o option.
It will cause top to print each of the available field names
on a separate line, then quit. Such names are subject to
NLS (National Language Support) translation.
-p :Monitor-PIDs mode as: -pN1 -pN2 ... or -pN1,N2,N3 ...
Monitor only processes with specified process IDs. However,
when combined with Threads mode (`H'), all processes in the
thread group (see TGID) of each monitored PID will also be
shown.
This option can be given up to 20 times, or you can provide
a comma delimited list with up to 20 pids. Co-mingling both
approaches is permitted.
A pid value of zero will be treated as the process id of the
top program itself once it is running.
This is a command-line option only and should you wish to
return to normal operation, it is not necessary to quit and
restart top -- just issue any of these interactive
commands: `=', `u' or `U'.
The `p', `u' and `U' command-line options are mutually
exclusive.
-s :Secure-mode operation
Starts top with secure mode forced, even for root. This
mode is far better controlled through a system configuration
file (see topic 6. FILES).
-S :Cumulative-time toggle
Starts top with the last remembered `S' state reversed.
When Cumulative time mode is On, each process is listed with
the cpu time that it and its dead children have used. See
the `S' interactive command for additional information
regarding this mode.
-u | -U :User-filter-mode as: -u | -U number or name
Display only processes with a user id or user name matching
that given. The `-u' option matches on effective user
whereas the `-U' option matches on any user (real,
effective, saved, or filesystem).
Prepending an exclamation point (`!') to the user id or name
instructs top to display only processes with users not
matching the one provided.
The `p', `u' and `U' command-line options are mutually
exclusive.
-w :Output-width-override as: -w [ number ]
In Batch mode, when used without an argument top will format
output using the COLUMNS= and LINES= environment variables,
if set. Otherwise, width will be fixed at the maximum 512
columns. With an argument, output width can be decreased or
increased (up to 512) but the number of rows is considered
unlimited.
In normal display mode, when used without an argument top
will attempt to format output using the COLUMNS= and LINES=
environment variables, if set. With an argument, output
width can only be decreased, not increased. Whether using
environment variables or an argument with -w, when not in
Batch mode actual terminal dimensions can never be exceeded.
Note: Without the use of this command-line option, output
width is always based on the terminal at which top was
invoked whether or not in Batch mode.
-1 :Single/Separate-Cpu-States toggle
Starts top with the last remembered Cpu States portion of
the summary area reversed. Either all cpu information will
be displayed in a single line or each cpu will be displayed
separately, depending on the state of the NUMA Node command
toggle ('2').
See the `1' and '2' interactive commands for additional
information.
