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strings(1)
NAME
  strings - Finds strings in an ASCII or binary file

SYNOPSIS
  strings [-aco] [-t format] [-n number] [file...]

  Obsolescent syntax

  strings [-] [-t format] [-number] [file...]

STANDARDS
  Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry standards
  as follows:

  strings:  XCU5.0

  Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about
  industry standards and associated tags.

OPTIONS
  -a  Searches an entire object file, not just the initialized data space.

  -c  Searches only the comment section of the object file.

  -n number
      Sets the minimum string length (default: 4) to number.

  -o  Precedes each string by its offset (in octal) in the file.

  -t format
      Writes each string preceded by its byte offset from the start of the
      file. The format is dependent on the single character used as the
      format argument, as follows:

      d	  The offset is written in decimal.

      o	  The offset is written in octal.

      x	  The offset is written in hexadecimal.

  -number
      Sets the minimum string length (default: 4) to number.  (Obsolescent)

  -   Searches an entire object file, not just the initialized data space.
      (Obsolescent)

OPERANDS
  file
      The name of a file to be searched for strings.

      If you do not specify a file argument, strings reads from standard
      input.

DESCRIPTION
  A string is any sequence of 4 or more printing characters ending with a
  newline or null character. The strings command is useful for identifying
  random object files.

  [Tru64 UNIX]	If file specifies an archive file, output is generated for
  each archive member as if the command had been run on each archive member
  as a separate file. If -t is specified, the file offsets shown are relative
  to the beginning of the archive.

  [Tru64 UNIX]	The -a and -c options modify the default behavior of
  searching only in the initialized data space of object files.

NOTES
  [Tru64 UNIX]	The -t format option should be used when multiple files are
  specified as input. Without this option, it is not possible to determine
  which string is associated with which file.

EXIT STATUS
  The following exit values are returned:

  0   Successful completion.

  >0  An error occurred.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
  The following environment variables affect the execution of strings:

  LANG
      Provides a default value for the internationalization variables that
      are unset or null. If LANG is unset or null, the corresponding value
      from the default locale is used. If any of the internationalization
      variables contain an invalid setting, the utility behaves as if none of
      the variables had been defined.

  LC_ALL
      If set to a non-empty string value, overrides the values of all the
      other internationalization variables.

  LC_CTYPE
      Determines the locale for the interpretation of sequences of bytes of
      text data as characters (for example, single-byte as opposed to
      multibyte characters in arguments and input files) and to identify
      printable strings.

  LC_MESSAGES
      Determines the locale for the format and contents of diagnostic
      messages written to standard error.

  NLSPATH
      Determines the location of message catalogues for the processing of
      LC_MESSAGES.

SEE ALSO
  Commands:  nm(1), od(1)

  Standards:  standards(5)

Index for Section 1

Alphabetical listing for S

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