NAME

zgrep - search compressed files for a regular expression

SYNOPSIS

zgrep [ options] <pattern> [files]

DESCRIPTION

zgrep is a front end to the program grep that allows transparent search on any combination of compressed and uncompressed files. If any file given is compressed, its decompressed content is used. If a file given does not exist, and its name does not end with one of the known extensions, zgrep tries the compressed file names corresponding to the formats supported. If a file fails to decompress, zgrep continues searching the rest of the files.
If a file is specified as '-', data are read from standard input, decompressed if needed, and fed to grep. Data read from standard input must be of the same type; all uncompressed or all in the same compressed format.
If no files are specified, recursive searches examine the current working directory, and nonrecursive searches read standard input.
'zgrep --verbose -V' prints the version of the grep program used.
The formats supported are bzip2, gzip, lzip, xz, and zstd.
Exit status is 0 if match, 1 if no match, 2 if trouble. Some options only work if the grep program used supports them.

OPTIONS

--help
display this help and exit
-V, --version
output version information and exit
-a, --text
treat all files as text
-A, --after-context=<n>
print <n> lines of trailing context
-b, --byte-offset
print the byte offset of each line
-B, --before-context=<n>
print <n> lines of leading context
-c, --count
only print a count of matching lines per file
-C, --context=<n>
print <n> lines of output context
--color[=<when>]
show matched strings in color
-e, --regexp=<pattern>
use <pattern> as the pattern to match
-E, --extended-regexp
<pattern> is an extended regular expression
-f, --file=<file>
obtain patterns from <file>
-F, --fixed-strings
<pattern> is a set of newline-separated strings
-G, --basic-regexp
<pattern> is a basic regular expression (default)
-h, --no-filename
suppress the prefixing file name on output
-H, --with-filename
print the file name for each match
-i, --ignore-case
ignore case distinctions
-I
ignore binary files
-l, --files-with-matches
only print names of files containing matches
-L, --files-without-match
only print names of files containing no matches
--label=<label>
use <label> as file name for standard input
--line-buffered
flush output on every line
-m, --max-count=<n>
stop after <n> matches
-M, --format=<list>
process only the formats in <list>
-n, --line-number
print the line number of each line
-N, --no-rcfile
don't read runtime configuration file
-o, --only-matching
show only the part of a line matching <pattern>
-O, --force-format=<fmt>
force the input format
-P, --perl-regexp
<pattern> is a Perl regular expression
-q, --quiet, --silent
suppress all messages
-r, --recursive
operate recursively on directories
-R, --dereference-recursive
recursively follow symbolic links
-s, --no-messages
suppress error messages
-T, --initial-tab
make tabs line up (if needed)
-U, --binary
don't strip CR characters at EOL (DOS/Windows)
-v, --invert-match
select non-matching lines
--verbose
verbose mode (show error messages)
-w, --word-regexp
match only whole words
-x, --line-regexp
match only whole lines
-Z, --null
print 0 byte (ASCII NUL) after file name
--bz2=<command>
set compressor and options for bzip2 format
--gz=<command>
set compressor and options for gzip format
--lz=<command>
set compressor and options for lzip format
--xz=<command>
set compressor and options for xz format
--zst=<command>
set compressor and options for zstd format
Valid formats for options '-M' and '-O' are 'bz2', 'gz', 'lz', 'xz', 'zst', and 'un' for uncompressed.
Numbers may be followed by a multiplier: k = kB = 10^3 = 1000, Ki = KiB = 2^10 = 1024, M = 10^6, Mi = 2^20, G = 10^9, Gi = 2^30, etc...

REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to [email protected]
 
Zutils home page: http://www.nongnu.org/zutils/zutils.html Copyright © 2023 Antonio Diaz Diaz. License GPLv2+: GNU GPL version 2 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
 
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO

The full documentation for zgrep is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and zgrep programs are properly installed at your site, the command
info zutils
should give you access to the complete manual.