look

SYNOPSIS

     look [-dfa] [-t termchar] string [file]

DESCRIPTION

     The look utility displays any lines in file which contain string as a
     prefix.  As look performs a binary search, the lines in file must be
     sorted.

     If file is not specified, the file /usr/dict/words is used, only alphanu-
     meric characters are compared and the case of alphabetic characters is
     ignored.

     Options:

     -d      Dictionary character set and order, i.e. only alphanumeric char-
             acters are compared.

     -f      Ignore the case of alphabetic characters.

     -a      Use the alternate dictionary /usr/dict/web2

     -t      Specify a string termination character, i.e. only the characters
             in string up to and including the first occurrence of termchar
             are compared.

     The look utility exits 0 if one or more lines were found and displayed, 1
     if no lines were found, and >1 if an error occurred.

FILES

     /usr/dict/words  the dictionary
     /usr/dict/web2   the alternate dictionary

SEE ALSO

     grep(1),  sort(1)

COMPATIBILITY

     The original manual page stated that tabs and blank characters partici-
     pated in comparisons when the -d option was specified.  This was incor-
     rect and the current man page matches the historic implementation.

HISTORY

     Look appeared in Version 7 AT&T Unix.

BSD Experimental                 June 14, 1993                               1