FINDSTR

Search for strings in files.

FINDSTR /?

FINDSTR [/A:color_attribute] [/B | /E] [/C:string] [/D:dir1;dir2;...] [/F:file] [/G:file] [/I] [/P] [/L | /R] [/M] [/N] [/O] [/OFFLINE] [/S] [/V | /X] [string(s)] [pathname(s)]

pathname(s) (NT3.1)

The file(s) to search.

string(s) (NT3.1)

Text to search for. If multiple words (separated by spaces) in string, can match ANY ONE of the words.

/? (NTXP)

Display help.

/A:color_attribute (NT2000)

Specifies color attribute with two hex digits. See Color.

/B (NT3.1)

Match pattern if at the Beginning of a line.

/C:string (NT3.1)

Use string as a literal search string. If multiple words (separated by spaces) in string, must match ALL of the words.

/D:dir1;dir2;... (NT2000)

Search a semicolon-delimited list of directories.

/E (NT3.1)

Match pattern if at the END of a line.

/F:file (NT3.1)

Get a list of pathname(s) from a file (/ stands for console). Multiple files (each file on a new line) to search can be specified with a source file.

/G:file (NT3.1)

Get search string from a file (/ stands for console). Multiple search criteria (each item on a new line) can be specified with a file.

/I (NT3.1)

Case-insensitive search.

/L (NT3.1)

Use search string(s) literally.

/M (NT3.1)

Print only the filename if a file contains a match.

/N (NT3.1)

Print the line number before each line that matches.

/O (NT3.1)

Print character offset before each matching line.

/OFFLINE (NTXP)

Processes files with offline attribute set.

/P (NT4)

Skip any file that contains non-printable characters.

/R (NT3.1)

Use search string(s) as regular expressions. This switch is not required. FINDSTR will interpret all metacharacters as regular expressions unless the /L switch is used:

• . Wildcard: any character
• * Repeat: zero or more occurances of previous character or class
• ^ Line position: beginning of line
• $ Line position: end of line
• [class] Character class: any one character in set
• [^class] Inverse class: any one character not in set
• [x-y] Range: any characters within the specified range
• \x Escape: literal use of metacharacter x
• \<xyz Word position: beginning of
• xyz\> Word position: end of word

/S (NT3.1)

Search current folder and subfolders.

/V (NT3.1)

Print only lines that do NOT contain a match.

/X (NT3.1)

Print lines that match exactly.

FIND - Search for a text string in a file.
MUNGE - Find and Replace text within file(s).
Equivalent Linux BASH commands:
grep - Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern.
gawk - Find and Replace text within file(s).
tr - Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters.

none.

search for "granny" OR "Smith" in MyFile.txt:

    FINDSTR "granny Smith" MyFile.txt

Search for "granny Smith" in MyFile.txt (effectively the same as the FIND command):

    FINDSTR /C:"granny Smith" MyFile.txt

Search every file in the current folder and all subfolders for the word "Smith", regardless of upper/lower case:

    FINDSTR /S /I smith" *.*

To find every line containing the word SMITH, preceeded by any number of spaces, and to prefix each line found with a consecutive number:

    FINDSTR /B /N /C:" *smith" *.*

Finding a string only if surrounded by the standard delimiters To find the word "computer", but not the words "supercomputer" or "computerise":

    FINDSTR "\<computer\>" MyFile.txt

Now assume you want to find not only the word "computer", but also any other words that begin with the letters comp, such as "computerise" or "compete":

    FINDSTR "\<comp.*" MyFile.txt

Use the search criteria in CRIT.TXT and search the files listed in FILES.TXT then store the results in the file RESULTS.OUT:

    FINDSTR /G:CRIT.TXT /F:FILES.TXT > RESULTS.OUT

• 0 The search was completed successfully and at least one match was found
• 1 The search was completed successfully, but no matches were found
OR search was not completed successfully.

External

DOS

none

Windows

none

Windows NT

NT3.1 NT3.5 NT3.51 NT4 NT2000 NTXP NT2003