CM304

DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION
ANDHRA PRADESH
Name : A V N L Sarojini
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Computer Engineering
Institute : A.A.N.M. & V.V.R.S.R. Poly.,
Gudlavalleru.
Year/Semester : III Semester
Subject : UNIX & C
Subject Code : CM-304
Topic : Shell Programming &
Filtering Techniques
Duration : 50 Min
Sub Topic : Usage of grep
Teacher Aids : PPT
CM304.22 1
Objective
On completion of this period you would be able to

know
 grep command
 grep command options
 Searching for a pattern using grep command
 Introduction to Regular expression.
CM304.22 2
Recap
 UNIX provides sort command to sort the contents of

a file.
 UNIX offers a special tool to handle duplicate

records using unique command.
 Unix provides a feature by which you can save the

standard output in a file, as well as display it on the
terminal (or pipe into a another command) this is
made possible by the tee command.
CM304.22 3
Searching for a pattern using grep command
 A frequent requirement of the end user (or) the

programmer is to look for a pattern in a file.
 The grep command (sometimes referred to as the

Global Regular Expression Print) performs mainly
pattern searching.
CM304.22 4
 The grep command looks for the occurrence of the

pattern in its input file and by default outputs the lines
containing the pattern.
Syntax:
$grep <options> <pattern(or) expression> file(s)
CM304.22 5
Example: $cat >emp1.lst

2567 | karthick | director | sales | 15000
2576 | Divya | manager| sales | 15000
3587 | pavan | director | production | 50000
$grep director emp1.lst

2567 | karthick | director | sales | 15000
3587 | pavan | director | production | 50000
CM304.22 6
Example: cat >emp2.lst

3589 | srivani | manager | production | 45000
3245 | mohan krishna | director | purchase | 50000
$grep manager emp1.lst emp2.lst

emp1.lst :2576 | divya | manager| sales | 15000
emp2.lst :3589 | srivani | manager | production | 45000
CM304.22 7
Example: $grep Rama Rao emp.1st ---> grep treats

“Rao” as filename.
When the pattern consists of more than one word,

then it must be enclosed in single (or) double quotes.
$grep “Rama Rao” emp.1st
CM304.22 8
grep options: Most of the grep options are shared by

its other members also (egrep and fgrep).
Options used by grep family.
Option Description
-c Displays count of the number of occurrences.
-l Displays list of filenames only.
-n Displays line number along with the line.
CM304.22 9
Option Description
-v Displays all but the lines matching the
expression.
-i Ignores case of matching.
CM304.22 10
-c (count the occurrences):

Example : $grep -c ‘director’ emp?.lst
emp1.lst:2
emp2.lst:1
The above example reveals that there are two in

emp1.lst and one in emp2.lst.
CM304.22 11
-n (number): used to display line numbers.
Example: grep -n sales emp1.lst

1 : 2567 | karthick | director | sales | 15000
2 : 2576 | divya | manager| sales | 15000
CM304.22 12
-l (displays only the names of files).
Example: grep -l production *.1st

emp1.lst
emp2.lst
CM304.22 13
-v (inverse) selects all but the lines containing the

pattern.
Example: $grep -v ‘director’ emp1.lst

2576 | divya | manager| sales | 15000
CM304.22 14
-i (ignore) option ignores case for pattern matching.
Example: grep -i ‘divya’ emp1.lst

2576 | Divya | manager| sales | 15000
CM304.22 15
Regular Expression
 A regular expression is a string of ordinary and

metacharacters which can be used to match more than
one type of pattern.
 Regular expression can be used to make more complex

and meaning full search.
CM304.22 16
Regular Expression
Regular expression used by grep command are
Expression Meaning
ch * Matches zero or more occurrences of the

previous character ch
Matches a single character.
.
[pqr] Matches a single character p, q (or) r
CM304.22 17
Regular Expression
Regular expression used by grep command are
Expression Meaning
[^pqr] Matches single character which is not p, q

(or) r.
ptn $ Matches the pattern ptn at the end of the
line.
^ ptn Matches the pattern ptn at the beginning of
the line.
CM304.22 18
Summary
 The grep command is useful in look for a pattern in a

file.
 The grep command looks for the occurrence of the

pattern in its input file and by default outputs the lines
containing the pattern.
 When the pattern consists of more than one word,

CM304.22 19
Summary
 Most of the grep options are shared by its other

members also (egrep and fgrep).
 A regular expression is a string of ordinary and

metacharacters which can be used to match more than
one type of pattern.
 Regular expression can be used to make more

complex and meaning full search.
CM304.22 20
Quiz
1.When the pattern consists of more than one word,

[TRUE / FALSE]
CM304.22 21
Quiz
1.When the pattern consists of more than one word,

[TRUE / FALSE]
CM304.22 22
Quiz
2. Grep command is case sensitive when searching

for a pattern in file
[TRUE / FALSE]
CM304.22 23
Quiz
2. Grep command is case sensitive when searching

for a pattern in file
[TRUE / FALSE]
CM304.22 24
Quiz
3.While constructing regular expression we can use * to

match a single character.
[TRUE / FALSE]
CM304.22 25
Quiz
3.While constructing regular expression we can use * to

match a single character.
[TRUE / FALSE]
CM304.22 26
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Explain briefly about ‘grep’ command and its various

options.
2. Explain briefly about searching for a pattern using
grep command.
3. List the various expressions and their meanings of
regular expression.
CM304.22 27

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DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

On completion of this period you would be able to

 UNIX provides sort command to sort the contents of

 UNIX offers a special tool to handle duplicate

 Unix provides a feature by which you can save the

 A frequent requirement of the end user (or) the

 The grep command (sometimes referred to as the

 The grep command looks for the occurrence of the

$grep <options> <pattern(or) expression> file(s)

Example: $cat >emp1.lst

$grep director emp1.lst

Example: cat >emp2.lst

$grep manager emp1.lst emp2.lst

Example: $grep Rama Rao emp.1st ---> grep treats

When the pattern consists of more than one word,

$grep “Rama Rao” emp.1st

grep options: Most of the grep options are shared by

Options used by grep family.

-c (count the occurrences):

The above example reveals that there are two in

-n (number): used to display line numbers.

Example: grep -n sales emp1.lst

-l (displays only the names of files).

Example: grep -l production *.1st

-v (inverse) selects all but the lines containing the

Example: $grep -v ‘director’ emp1.lst

Example: grep -i ‘divya’ emp1.lst

 A regular expression is a string of ordinary and

 Regular expression can be used to make more complex

Regular expression used by grep command are

ch * Matches zero or more occurrences of the

[^pqr] Matches single character which is not p, q

 The grep command is useful in look for a pattern in a

 The grep command looks for the occurrence of the

 When the pattern consists of more than one word,

 Most of the grep options are shared by its other

 A regular expression is a string of ordinary and

 Regular expression can be used to make more

1.When the pattern consists of more than one word,

1.When the pattern consists of more than one word,

2. Grep command is case sensitive when searching

2. Grep command is case sensitive when searching

3.While constructing regular expression we can use * to

3.While constructing regular expression we can use * to

1. Explain briefly about ‘grep’ command and its various

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