(coreutils.info)chgrp invocation

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13.2 `chgrp': Change group ownership
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`chgrp' changes the group ownership of each given FILE to GROUP (which
can be either a group name or a numeric group ID) or to the group of an
existing reference file.  Synopsis:

     chgrp [OPTION]... {GROUP | --reference=REF_FILE} FILE...

   If GROUP is intended to represent a numeric group ID, then you may
specify it with a leading `+'.  Note: Disambiguating names and IDs.

   The program accepts the following options.  Also see Note: Common
options.

`-c'
`--changes'
     Verbosely describe the action for each FILE whose group actually
     changes.

`-f'
`--silent'
`--quiet'
     Do not print error messages about files whose group cannot be
     changed.

`--dereference'
     Do not act on symbolic links themselves but rather on what they
     point to.  This is the default.

`-h'
`--no-dereference'
     Act on symbolic links themselves instead of what they point to.
     This mode relies on the `lchown' system call.  On systems that do
     not provide the `lchown' system call, `chgrp' fails when a file
     specified on the command line is a symbolic link.  By default, no
     diagnostic is issued for symbolic links encountered during a
     recursive traversal, but see `--verbose'.

`--preserve-root'
     Fail upon any attempt to recursively change the root directory,
     `/'.  Without `--recursive', this option has no effect.  Note:
     Treating / specially.

`--no-preserve-root'
     Cancel the effect of any preceding `--preserve-root' option.
     Note: Treating / specially.

`--reference=REF_FILE'
     Change the group of each FILE to be the same as that of REF_FILE.
     If REF_FILE is a symbolic link, do not use the group of the
     symbolic link, but rather that of the file it refers to.

`-v'
`--verbose'
     Output a diagnostic for every file processed.  If a symbolic link
     is encountered during a recursive traversal on a system without
     the `lchown' system call, and `--no-dereference' is in effect,
     then issue a diagnostic saying neither the symbolic link nor its
     referent is being changed.

`-R'
`--recursive'
     Recursively change the group ownership of directories and their
     contents.

`-H'
     If `--recursive' (`-R') is specified and a command line argument
     is a symbolic link to a directory, traverse it.  Note: Traversing
     symlinks.

`-L'
     In a recursive traversal, traverse every symbolic link to a
     directory that is encountered.  Note: Traversing symlinks.

`-P'
     Do not traverse any symbolic links.  This is the default if none
     of `-H', `-L', or `-P' is specified.  Note: Traversing symlinks.


   An exit status of zero indicates success, and a nonzero value
indicates failure.

   Examples:

     # Change the group of /u to "staff".
     chgrp staff /u

     # Change the group of /u and subfiles to "staff".
     chgrp -hR staff /u