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

SYNOPSIS
  strings [-ao] [-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:  XPG4, XPG4-UNIX

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

OPTIONS
  -a  Searches an entire object file, rather than just the initialized data
      space.

  -n number
      Sets the minimum string length to number rather than the default of 4.

  -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 to number rather than the default of 4.
      (Obsolescent)

  -   Searches an entire object file, rather than 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.

  [DIGITAL]  Unless the -a option is given, strings only looks in the
  initialized data space of object files.

NOTES
  [DIGITAL]  The -t format option should be used when multiple files are
  specified as input.  Without this option, there is no way 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
      multbyte 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)