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

--help: display this help and exit
-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
-I: ignore binary files
-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@nongnu.org
Zutils home page: http://www.nongnu.org/zutils/zutils.html

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