look(1) - NetBSD Manual Pages

LOOK(1)                 NetBSD General Commands Manual                 LOOK(1)


NAME

     look -- display lines beginning with a given string


SYNOPSIS

     look [-df] [-t termchar] string [file]


DESCRIPTION

     The look utility displays any lines in file which contain string as a
     prefix.  As look performs a binary search, the lines in file must be
     sorted.

     If file is not specified, the file /usr/share/dict/words is used, only
     alphanumeric characters are compared and the case of alphabetic charac-
     ters is ignored.

     Options:

     -d      Dictionary character set and order, i.e. only alphanumeric char-
             acters are compared.

     -f      Ignore the case of alphabetic characters.

     -t      Specify a string termination character, i.e. only the characters
             in string up to and including the first occurrence of termchar
             are compared.

     The look utility exits 0 if one or more lines were found and displayed, 1
     if no lines were found, and >1 if an error occurred.


FILES

     /usr/share/dict/words  the dictionary


COMPATIBILITY

     The original manual page stated that tabs and blank characters partici-
     pated in comparisons when the -d option was specified.  This was incor-
     rect and the current man page matches the historic implementation.


SEE ALSO

     grep(1), sort(1)


HISTORY

     look appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX.

NetBSD 10.99                     June 14, 1993                    NetBSD 10.99