About This Manual

This manual describes several Compaq Tru64^TM UNIX^® (formerly DIGITAL UNIX) commands and utilities, including facilities for text and string manipulation, macro and program generation, and source file management.

Audience

Although this book is intended primarily for programmers, much of the material about grep (Chapter 1), awk (Chapter 2), sed (Chapter 3), and RCS and SCCS (Chapter 6) is useful for moderately experienced users.

Organization

This manual is organized as follows:

Chapter 1	Introduces the concept of regular expressions and describes the rules for forming them, and describes `grep`, a command that uses regular expressions for searching text files.
Chapter 2	Describes the `awk` command and its text-processing language.
Chapter 3	Describes the `sed` stream editor, a noninteractive tool for rapidly performing complex and repetitive editing tasks.
Chapter 4	Describes the `lex` and `yacc` programs for generating lexical analyzers and parsers for processing input to a program.
Chapter 5	Describes the `m4` macro preprocessor and explains how to create macros that can be used in programs or in other files such as documentation source.
Chapter 6	Describes how to manage libraries of source files by using the Source Code Control System (SCCS) or the Revision Control System (RCS).
Chapter 7	Describes how to use the `make` utility to build and maintain complex programs and applications.

Related Documents

This manual is an adjunct to the Programmer's Guide; neither manual requires that you have the other in order to use its contents.

Icons on Tru64 UNIX Printed Books

The printed version of the Tru64 UNIX documentation uses letter icons on the spines of the books to help specific audiences quickly find the books that meet their needs. (You can order the printed documentation from Compaq.) The following list describes this convention:

G	Books for general users
S	Books for system and network administrators
P	Books for programmers
D	Books for device driver writers
R	Books for reference page users

Some books in the documentation help meet the needs of several audiences. For example, the information in some system books is also used by programmers. Keep this in mind when searching for information on specific topics.

The Documentation Overview provides information on all of the books in the Tru64 UNIX documentation set.

Reader's Comments

Compaq welcomes any comments and suggestions you have on this and other Tru64 UNIX manuals.

You can send your comments in the following ways:

Fax: 603-884-0120 Attn: UBPG Publications, ZKO3-3/Y32

Internet electronic mail: readers_comment@zk3.dec.com
A Reader's Comment form is located on your system in the following location:
```
/usr/doc/readers_comment.txt
```

Mail:
Compaq Computer Corporation
UBPG Publications Manager
ZKO3-3/Y32
110 Spit Brook Road
Nashua, NH 03062-2698

A Reader's Comment form is located in the back of each printed manual. The form is postage paid if you mail it in the United States.

Please include the following information along with your comments:

The full title of the book and the order number. (The order number is printed on the title page of this book and on its back cover.)

The section numbers and page numbers of the information on which you are commenting.

The version of Tru64 UNIX that you are using.

If known, the type of processor that is running the Tru64 UNIX software.

The Tru64 UNIX Publications group cannot respond to system problems or technical support inquiries. Please address technical questions to your local system vendor or to the appropriate Compaq technical support office. Information provided with the software media explains how to send problem reports to Compaq.

Conventions

The following typographical conventions are used in this manual:

% $: A percent sign represents the C shell system prompt. A dollar sign represents the system prompt for the Bourne, Korn, and POSIX shells.
#: A number sign represents the superuser prompt.
% cat: Boldface type in interactive examples indicates typed user input.
file: Italic (slanted) type indicates variable values, placeholders, and function argument names.
[ | ] { | }: In syntax definitions, brackets indicate items that are optional and braces indicate items that are required. Vertical bars separating items inside brackets or braces indicate that you choose one item from among those listed.
colored text: In syntax definitions, literal elements are colored green. Variable values, placeholders, and function argument names are colored red. No special colored text is used outside of syntax descriptions.
. . .: In syntax definitions, a horizontal ellipsis indicates that the preceding item can be repeated one or more times.
cat(1): A cross-reference to a reference page includes the appropriate section number in parentheses. For example, cat(1) indicates that you can find information on the cat command in Section 1 of the reference pages.
[Return]: In an example, a key name enclosed in a box indicates that you press that key.
[Ctrl/x]: This symbol indicates that you hold down the first named key while pressing the key or mouse button that follows the slash. In examples, this key combination is enclosed in a box (for example, [Ctrl/C] ).