Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbatt!ihnp4!qantel!lll-lcc!lll-crg!seismo!columbia!caip!brl-adm!brl-smoke!smoke!lacasse@RAND-UNIX.arpa From: lacasse@RAND-UNIX.arpa Newsgroups: net.unix Subject: Re: Wildcard-specs Message-ID: <4162@brl-smoke.ARPA> Date: Fri, 26-Sep-86 03:32:37 EDT Article-I.D.: brl-smok.4162 Posted: Fri Sep 26 03:32:37 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 30-Sep-86 19:21:39 EDT Sender: news@brl-smoke.ARPA Lines: 22 To grep all files in the directories immediately below you, use grep strings */* For another level, use: grep strings */*/* If you run over N characters (about 8K on 4.2BSD I think) in the expansion of the total file name list, you will have to break it up. (You get the message "argument list too long".) The ** symbolics uses won't do it. Some commands (e.g. rm, chgrp, chown, chmod[4.3 only] ) have a -r flag that does a recursive descent. If you have all day, you can use: find . -exec grep string {} \; which will do a recursive descent from where you are, but starts a lot of new processes along the way. Mark LaCasse qantel!hplabs!sdcrdcf!randvax!lacasse c/o The Rand Corporation cbosgd!ihnp4!sdcrdcf!randvax!lacasse 1700 Main Street lacasse@Rand-Unix Santa Monica, CA 90406 213/393-0411 ext. 7420