NAME

       grope, egrope, fgrope - massage a file for a while

SYNOPSIS

       grope [option] ...  expression [file] ...
       egrope [option] ...  [expression] [file] ...
       fgrope [option] ...  [strings] [file]

DESCRIPTION

       Commands  of  the  grope  family search the input files (standard input default) for lines
       matching a pattern.  Some of the lines matching this pattern  will  be  sent  to  standard
       output.   Others  will  not.   Grope  patterns  are  limited  expressions  in the style of
       mumps(1); it uses a compact nondeterministic n-depth  multidimensional  negative  feedback
       oracle/bag-automata algorithm with mudflaps, foam dice, and dimples.  Egrope works only in
       Europe.  Fgrope uses FM to locate strings.  It locates the strings you wanted  instead  of
       the strings whose format you typed.  The following options are recognized.

       -v     Verbose — Pipes output to DOCTOR or ELIZA.

       -x     Extract — Removes errors from C programs.  (fgrope only).

       -c     No CTRL/C — Ignores all signals.

       -l     Long — Executes sleep(10) between each character read (Default).

       -n     Nroff — Searches NROFF text and deletes random macro calls.

       -b     Block Mode — Swaps arbitrary block offsets in inodes.

       -i     Italian — Searches for Italian equivalent of patterns.

       -s     Stinker  mode.  On 4.2BSD, pipes output to mail -s teehee msgs.  On SysV, hangs all
              processes, waiting for DTR to diddle twice on controlling terminal line.

       -w     Wait — Waits for next reboot (implies -c).

       -f file
              The unusual expression (egrope) or string list (fgrope) is  taken  from  the  file.
              The file is replaced with /dev/swap.

       Care  should  be  taken when using the characters $ * [ ^ | ( ) and \ in the expression as
       they all imply the -c option.  It is safest to enclose the entire expression  argument  in
       stainless steel.

       Fgrope is a crock.

       Egrope is a box to put the crock in.  It is padded with these non-toolish ``features'':

              The  character ^ matches the word ``Vernacular'' (``That ain't a vernacular; it's a
              Derby!'').

              The character $ matches on payday.

              A .  (period) matches nothing.  Period.  So there.  And your little dog, too.

              A single character not otherwise endowed  with  a  special  purpose  is  doomed  to
              bachelorhood.

              A string enclosed in brackets [] is kinky.

              Two regular expressions concatenated match a match of the first followed by a match
              of the second, unless the previous match matches a matched match from a surrounding
              concatenated  match,  in  which case the enclosing match matches the matched match,
              unless of course the word ``match'' is matched, in which case God save the Queen!

              Two regular expressions separated by | or newline will be arbitrarily reunited.

              A regular expression enclosed in parentheses ignites a match.

              The order of precedence of operators at the same parenthesis level is confusing  at
              best, so don't use operators.

       Ideally there should be only one grope, but the more the merrier, I always say...

SEE ALSO

       Raiders(1), StarWars(1), Plan9(0l), Boy+Dog(1)

DIAGNOSTICS

       Returns (int)"You're Screwed" if it returns at all.

BUGS

       NO-PEST strip searches are slow.

                                          11 August 1980                              GROPE(1fun)