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NAME

zgrep - search compressed files for a regular expression

SYNOPSIS

zgrep [options] <pattern> [files]

DESCRIPTION

zgrep is a front end to the program grep that allows transparent search on any combination of compressed and uncompressed files. If any file given is compressed, its decompressed content is used. If a file given does not exist, and its name does not end with one of the known extensions, zgrep tries the compressed file names corresponding to the formats supported until one is found. If a file fails to decompress, zgrep continues searching the rest of the files.

If a file is specified as ’-’, data are read from standard input, decompressed if needed, and fed to grep. Data read from standard input must be of the same type; all uncompressed or all in the same compressed format.

If no files are specified, recursive searches examine the current working directory, and nonrecursive searches read standard input.

’zgrep --verbose -V’ prints the version of the grep program used.

The formats supported are bzip2, gzip, lzip, xz, and zstd.

Exit status is 0 if match, 1 if no match, 2 if trouble. Some options only work if the grep program used supports them.

OPTIONS

-V, --version

output version information and exit

-a, --text

treat all files as text

-A, --after-context=<n>

print <n> lines of trailing context

-b, --byte-offset

print the byte offset of each line

-B, --before-context=<n>

print <n> lines of leading context

-c, --count

only print a count of matching lines per file

-C, --context=<n>

print <n> lines of output context

--color[=<when>]

show matched strings in color

-e, --regexp=<pattern>

use <pattern> as the pattern to match

-E, --extended-regexp

<pattern> is an extended regular expression

-f, --file=<file>

obtain patterns from <file>

-F, --fixed-strings

<pattern> is a set of newline-separated strings

-G, --basic-regexp

<pattern> is a basic regular expression (default)

-h, --no-filename

suppress the prefixing file name on output

-H, --with-filename

print the file name for each match

-i, --ignore-case

ignore case distinctions

-l, --files-with-matches

only print names of files containing matches

-L, --files-without-match

only print names of files containing no matches

--label=<label>

use <label> as file name for standard input

--line-buffered

flush output on every line

-m, --max-count=<n>

stop after <n> matches

-M, --format=<list>

process only the formats in <list>

-n, --line-number

print the line number of each line

-N, --no-rcfile

don’t read runtime configuration file

-o, --only-matching

show only the part of a line matching <pattern>

-O, --force-format=<fmt>

force the input format

-P, --perl-regexp

<pattern> is a Perl regular expression

-q, --quiet, --silent

suppress all messages

-r, --recursive

operate recursively on directories

-R, --dereference-recursive

recursively follow symbolic links

-s, --no-messages

suppress error messages

-T, --initial-tab

make tabs line up (if needed)

-U, --binary

don’t strip CR characters at EOL (DOS/Windows)

-v, --invert-match

select non-matching lines

--verbose

verbose mode (show error messages)

-w, --word-regexp

match only whole words

-x, --line-regexp

match only whole lines

-Z, --null

print 0 byte (ASCII NUL) after file name

--bz2=<command>

set compressor and options for bzip2 format

--gz=<command>

set compressor and options for gzip format

--lz=<command>

set compressor and options for lzip format

--xz=<command>

set compressor and options for xz format

--zst=<command>

set compressor and options for zstd format

Valid formats for options ’-M’ and ’-O’ are ’bz2’, ’gz’, ’lz’, ’xz’, ’zst’, and ’un’ for uncompressed.

Numbers may be followed by a multiplier: k = kB = 10^3 = 1000, Ki = KiB = 2^10 = 1024, M = 10^6, Mi = 2^20, G = 10^9, Gi = 2^30, etc...

REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to zutils-bug [AT] nongnu.org
Zutils home page: http://www.nongnu.org/zutils/zutils.html

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2024 Antonio Diaz Diaz. License GPLv2+: GNU GPL version 2 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>;
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO

The full documentation for zgrep is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and zgrep programs are properly installed at your site, the command

info zutils

should give you access to the complete manual.