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fnmatch(3)
NAME
  fnmatch - Matches filename patterns

LIBRARY
  Standard C Library (libc.so, libc.a)

SYNOPSIS
  #include <fnmatch.h>

  int fnmatch(
	  const char *pattern,
	  const char *string,
	  int flags);

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

  fnmatch():  XPG4, XPG4-UNIX

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

PARAMETERS
  pattern   Contains the pattern to which the string parameter is to be
	    compared.

  string    Contains the string to be compared against the pattern parameter.

  flags	    Contains a bit flag specifying the configurable attributes of the
	    comparison to be performed by the fnmatch function.

  The flags parameter modifies the interpretation of the pattern and string
  parameters. It is the bitwise inclusive OR (|) of 0 (zero) or more of the
  following flags, which are defined in the fnmatch.h file.

  FNM_PATHNAME	 Slash in the string parameter only matches slash in the
		 pattern parameter.

  FNM_PERIOD	 Leading period in the string parameter must be exactly
		 matched by period in the pattern parameter.

  FNM_NOESCAPE	 Unless FNM_NOESCAPE is set, preceding a character in pattern
		 with a \ (backslash character) causes fnmatch() to match
		 that character in string.  For example, \\ matches a
		 backslash in string.  If FNM_NOESCAPE is set, \ (backslash)
		 is interpreted as an ordinary character.

  If the FNM_PATHNAME flag is set in the flags parameter, a / (slash) in the
  string parameter is explicitly matched by a / in the pattern parameter.  It
  is not matched by either the * (asterisk) or ? (question-mark) special
  characters, nor by a bracket expression.  If the FNM_PATHNAME flag is not
  set, the / is treated as an ordinary character.

  If FNM_PERIOD is set in the flags parameter, then a leading period in the
  string parameter only matches a period in the pattern parameter; it is not
  matched by either the asterisk or question-mark special characters, nor by
  a bracket expression. A period is determined to be leading according to the
  setting of the FNM_PATHNAME flag, according to the following rules:

    ·  If the FNM_PATHNAME flag is set, a period is leading only if it is the
       first character in the string parameter or if it immediately follows a
       slash.

    ·  If the FNM_PATHNAME flag is not set,  a period is leading only if it
       is the first character of the string parameter.

  If FNM_PERIOD is not set, no special restrictions are placed on matching a
  period.

  A \ (backslash character) quotes the next character, unless FNM_NOESCAPE is
  set.	If FNM_NOESCAPE is set, \ (backslash) is treated as itself.

DESCRIPTION
  The fnmatch() function checks the string specified by the string parameter
  to see if it matches the pattern specified by the pattern parameter.	This
  routine follows the match criteria of the glob() function.

  The fnmatch function is useful when a program needs to perform pattern
  matching, such as when a directory is to be searched for a particular
  string (as is the case with the find command).  A program like the pax
  command can also use the fnmatch() function to perform its pattern matching
  operations.

RETURN VALUES
  If the value in the string parameter matches the pattern specified by the
  pattern parameter, then the fnmatch() function returns 0 (zero). If there
  is no match, the fnmatch() function returns FNM_NOMATCH, which is defined
  in the fnmatch.h file. If an error occurs, the fnmatch() function returns a
  nonzero value.

RELATED INFORMATION
  Functions: glob(3), globfree(3), regcomp(3)

  Standards: standards(5)

Index for Section 3

Alphabetical listing for F

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