Fgrep literal string from a file

UNIX for Beginners Q & A
1

have a file1

aaa-bbb-ccc-abcd
aaa-bbb-ccc-bacd
aaa-bbb-ccc-aaad
aaa-bbb-ccc-a

have another file2

aaa-bbb-ccc-a file

using the fgrep command, trying to have only the literal string returned.

fgrep -f file2 file1

is returning

aaa-bbb-ccc-abcd
aaa-bbb-ccc-aaad
aaa-bbb-ccc-a

Only looking for

aaa-bbb-ccc-a

any ideas?

2

The literal string aaa-bbb-ccc-a file that is in file2 does not appear anywhere in file1 . Why do you think there should be any output???

If file2 contained:

aaa-bbb-ccc-a

instead of:

aaa-bbb-ccc-a file

then the command:

fgrep -x -f file2 file1

or:

grep -Fx -f file2 file1

should do what you want.

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