5 ms·

Can you explain to me what apropos does?

by xutopia 14y ago

shazow 14y ago
This is why `man` came before `apropos`. :P http://www.unix.com/man-page/Linux/1/apropos/ http://www.unix.com/man-page/Linux/1/apropos/
anextio 14y ago
It searches for a keyword in the manpages and tells you what page contains the text. $ apropos printf fmtcheck(3) - sanitizes user-supplied printf(3)-style format string format(ntcl) - Format a string in the style of sprintf fwkpfv(1) - FireWire kprintf viewer fwprintf(3), swprintf(3), vfwprintf(3), vswprintf(3), vwprintf(3), wprintf(3) - formatted wide character output conversion printf(1) - formatted output printf(3), fprintf(3), sprintf(3), snprintf(3), asprintf(3), dprintf(3), vprintf(3), vfprintf(3), vsprintf(3), vsnprintf(3), vasprintf(3), vdprintf(3) - formatted output conversion wprintf_l(3), fwprintf_l(3), swprintf_l(3), vwprintf_l(3), vfwprintf_l(3), vswprintf_l(3) - formatted wide character output conversion
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
Symmetry 14y ago
It lets you find other commands, basically. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apropos_(Unix) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apropos_(Unix)
jdludlow 14y ago
$ man apropos apropos searches a set of database files containing short descriptions of system commands for keywords and displays the result on the standard output. It answers the question "I wonder how to do [this English word]." For example: "I wonder how I copy a file." $ apropos copy Dumps out all of the matching entries from the man pages for the word "copy". If you just wanted general commands, as opposed to library functions, and assuming your system organizes man page sections in the typical manner, you can filter it down with: $ apropos copy | grep "(1)" cp (1) - copy files and directories cpio (1) - copy files to and from archives
- greyfade 14y ago
  Instead of using `grep "(1)"`, use the `-s` switch: $ apropos -s1 copy bsdcpio (1) - copy files to and from archives cp (1) - copy files and directories dd (1) - convert and copy a file ....
  - barrkel 14y ago
    I think it's better to use grep. Knowing the options to apropos has very low value. Knowing grep has lots and lots of value.
    - tomp 14y ago
      I agree. I have no idea how to use `find`. I always do `find . | grep whatever`, since I know the basics of grep.
      - Dobbs 14y ago
        Learning find is a worthy investment. find ./ -name "*.log" -size +2G -ctime +3 | xargs -P 8 gzip Will find all log files over 2 gigs and older than 3 days. Then it will gzip them split across 8 parallel gzip processes.

Can you explain to me what apropos does?

by xutopia 14y ago

Can you explain to me what apropos does?

This is why `man` came before `apropos`. :P http://www.unix.com/man-page/Linux/1/apropos/ http://www.unix.com/man-page/Linux/1/apropos/

anextio 14y ago

It searches for a keyword in the manpages and tells you what page contains the text. $ apropos printf fmtcheck(3) - sanitizes user-supplied printf(3)-style format string format(ntcl) - Format a string in the style of sprintf fwkpfv(1) - FireWire kprintf viewer fwprintf(3), swprintf(3), vfwprintf(3), vswprintf(3), vwprintf(3), wprintf(3) - formatted wide character output conversion printf(1) - formatted output printf(3), fprintf(3), sprintf(3), snprintf(3), asprintf(3), dprintf(3), vprintf(3), vfprintf(3), vsprintf(3), vsnprintf(3), vasprintf(3), vdprintf(3) - formatted output conversion wprintf_l(3), fwprintf_l(3), swprintf_l(3), vwprintf_l(3), vfwprintf_l(3), vswprintf_l(3) - formatted wide character output conversion

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

Symmetry 14y ago

It lets you find other commands, basically. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apropos_(Unix) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apropos_(Unix)

jdludlow 14y ago

$ man apropos apropos searches a set of database files containing short descriptions of system commands for keywords and displays the result on the standard output. It answers the question "I wonder how to do [this English word]." For example: "I wonder how I copy a file." $ apropos copy Dumps out all of the matching entries from the man pages for the word "copy". If you just wanted general commands, as opposed to library functions, and assuming your system organizes man page sections in the typical manner, you can filter it down with: $ apropos copy | grep "(1)" cp (1) - copy files and directories cpio (1) - copy files to and from archives

greyfade 14y ago
Instead of using `grep "(1)"`, use the `-s` switch: $ apropos -s1 copy bsdcpio (1) - copy files to and from archives cp (1) - copy files and directories dd (1) - convert and copy a file ....
- barrkel 14y ago
  I think it's better to use grep. Knowing the options to apropos has very low value. Knowing grep has lots and lots of value.
  - tomp 14y ago
    I agree. I have no idea how to use `find`. I always do `find . | grep whatever`, since I know the basics of grep.
    - Dobbs 14y ago
      Learning find is a worthy investment. find ./ -name "*.log" -size +2G -ctime +3 | xargs -P 8 gzip Will find all log files over 2 gigs and older than 3 days. Then it will gzip them split across 8 parallel gzip processes.