Find a name in a file...

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

I want to create a script that could find a certain text string (a name) in most files through an entire directory including the subfolders. Is that possible?

I am running this on Solaris 8, and if I have asked this in the wrong topic area, please let me know.

Thanks.

2

Try this:

find . type f -exec basename {} \;
3 
find /dir/to/search -type f -exec grep "search string" {} /dev/null \;
4

Yeah right, Vino's script does what OP has asked, I just rushed into reply without properly reading the query.

5

Also

find /dir/to/search -type f | xargs grep "search string"
6

Thanks all. Worked as needed.

7

What's the /dev/null bit for? I've used find a lot and not seen that before. What do you know that I don't? :confused:

8

That is a virtual file that can be written to. It will print the output onto your screen. The data written to this file gets discarded.

9

It used to fool grep into listing the filename where a match occurs, instead of just the matching line. However you will never get a match from /dev/null

try:

grep `hostname` /etc/hosts

then

grep `hostname` /etc/hosts /dev/null

And you'll see what I mean.

10

Oh I see now, useful to know thanks.

11

Hi Reborg,
i too tried ur commands but can you just tell me why we need that single quote .. it has not worked without those..

-Chanakya

12

with the command `hostname` you are searching for the output of the command hostname in the /etc/hosts and /dev/null...

note the back tilts - command executed and the output is used

say if the node name is unixcom
much similiar to searching like

>hostname
unixcom

>grep unixcom /etc/hosts /dev/null

13

Thanks Madan now i got it..