LOOK(1) BSD General Commands Manual LOOK(1)
NAME
look(1,8,3 Search::Dict) -- display lines beginning with a given string(3,n)
SYNOPSIS
look(1,8,3 Search::Dict) [-dfa] [-t termchar] string(3,n) [file(1,n)]
DESCRIPTION
The look(1,8,3 Search::Dict) utility displays any lines in(1,8) file(1,n) which contain string(3,n) as a
prefix. As look(1,8,3 Search::Dict) performs a binary search, the lines in(1,8) file(1,n) must be
sorted (where sort(1,3)(1) got the same options -d and/or -f that look(1,8,3 Search::Dict) is
invoked with).
If file(1,n) is not specified, the file(1,n) /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(7,n,1 builtins) and order, i.e. only alphanumeric char-
acters are compared.
-f Ignore the case of alphabetic characters.
-a Use the alternate dictionary /usr/share/dict/web2
-t Specify a string(3,n) termination character, i.e. only the characters
in(1,8) string(3,n) up to and including the first occurrence of termchar
are compared.
The look(1,8,3 Search::Dict) utility exits 0 if(3,n) one or more lines were found and displayed, 1
if(3,n) no lines were found, and >1 if(3,n) an error(8,n) occurred.
FILES
/usr/share/dict/words the dictionary
/usr/share/dict/web2 the alternate dictionary
SEE ALSO
grep(1), sort(1,3)(1)
COMPATIBILITY
The original manual page stated that tabs and blank characters partici-
pated in(1,8) comparisons when the -d option was specified. This was incor-
rect and the current man(1,5,7) page matches the historic implementation.
HISTORY
Look appeared in(1,8) Version 7 AT&T Unix.
BSD June 14, 1993 BSD