Some ways of searching all files (for a given string).

Considering renaming this file, to include a Cli (Command LIne) prefix, and then maybe: CliSearchMultipleFilesForAString.

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grep

Looks like it can be done with grep:

grep -r -e new4 -H -f /etc/sysconfig/*

• -H -- lists the name of the file
• -e -- the search pattern follows -e
• -f -- get the patterns from a file (?? -- that doesn't seem to be what happens above)
• -R or -r -- recursive

Using pattern new4 search all files in /etc/sysconfig and show me the filename next to any matches/images/whitepixel.gif -- from http://www1.jpartner.com/public/documentation/platform/linux/grep.htm

One caution: be careful searching /* -- you will end up searching /dev and /proc, and at least one of those seems to get you lost in a quagmire.

for

Not sure it can be done with for, or not as easily as grep

(starting with stuff from http://www.cglug.org/presentations/scripting.html)

This looks like a start, but AFAIK, it only does one directory:

for file in *; do cat $file; done | grep -H at2000 | less

I can, successively modify the * to */*, then */*/*, I guess, or maybe find a way to put that in a loop, possibly with the backticks or something.

Here's a potentially useful trick, especially with -R or -d options for ls:

for filename in `ls` ...

Contributors

• () RandyKramer - 18 Mar 2003
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