strings(1) — Commands
NAME
strings − Finds strings in an ASCII or binary file.
SYNOPSIS
strings [−ao] [−t format] [−n number] [file...]
Obsolescent syntax
strings [−] [−t format] [−number] [file...]
STANDARDS
Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry standards as follows:
strings: XPG4, XPG4-UNIX
Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about industry standards and associated tags.
OPTIONS
−aSearches an entire object file, rather than just the initialized data space.
−n number
Sets the minimum string length to number rather than the default of 4.
−oPrecedes each string by its offset (in octal) in the file.
−t format
Writes each string preceded by its byte offset from the start of the file. The format is dependent on the single character used as the format argument, as follows:
dThe offset is written in decimal.
oThe offset is written in octal.
xThe offset is written in hexadecimal.
−number
Sets the minimum string length to number rather than the default of 4. (Obsolescent)
-Searches an entire object file, rather than just the initialized data space. (Obsolescent)
OPERANDS
fileThe name of a file to be searched for strings.
If you do not specify a file argument, strings reads from standard input.
DESCRIPTION
A string is any sequence of 4 or more printing characters ending with a newline or null character. The strings command is useful for identifying random object files.
[Compaq] Unless the −a option is given, strings only looks in the initialized data space of object files.
NOTES
[Compaq] The −t format option should be used when multiple files are specified as input. Without this option, there is no way to determine which string is associated with which file.
EXIT STATUS
The following exit values are returned:
0Successful completion.
>0An error occurred.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The following environment variables affect the execution of strings:
LANG
Provides a default value for the internationalization variables that are unset or null. If LANG is unset or null, the corresponding value from the default locale is used. If any of the internationalization variables contain an invalid setting, the utility behaves as if none of the variables had been defined.
LC_ALL
If set to a non-empty string value, overrides the values of all the other internationalization variables.
LC_CTYPE
Determines the locale for the interpretation of sequences of bytes of text data as characters (for example, single-byte as opposed to multbyte characters in arguments and input files) and to identify printable strings.
LC_MESSAGES
Determines the locale for the format and contents of diagnostic messages written to standard error.
NLSPATH
Determines the location of message catalogues for the processing of LC_MESSAGES.