UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I am trying to find patterns in files using grep -l -e. I specifically am searching for abc. I want any file that has abc in it, but not just the letters abc. I am searching for a pattern a followed by b followed by c. I have tried egrep -l and also I have tried the following:

Code:

grep -el '\(abc\)\$'

This will return abc but if there are more characters it will return those too.

I have patterns such as the following

Code:

abc_vol12
abc_vol13
abc_vol15

in with other patterns and I want only these to be selected (found). In addition I was trying to find out how to negate the search. Not sure if grep is the right tool for this.

I'm not sure I understand.

Could you not find a followed by b followed by c with just:

Code:

grep abc ...

-v negates results:

Code:

# cat file
abc
def
# grep abc file
abc
# grep -v abc file
def

-l (ell) will return the filename(s) with matches, instead of the matches themselves.

If you want only to extract the exact abc match (assuming that's variable, and thus useful), use the -o option, if available, otherwise switch to sed, or another tool.

Use the -q option if you only care about the result, and not the output.

I'm going to guess that you also want to match abcfoo, acbcfoo and afoobfooc but not afoocfoob?
If so, try this:

Code:

# echo "fooafoobfoocfoo" | grep -e 'a.*b.*c'
fooafoobfoocfoo
# echo "fooafoocfoobfoo" | grep -e 'a.*b.*c'
#