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Searches $PATH for files using grep

Terminal - Searches $PATH for files using grep
IFS=:; find $PATH | grep pattern
2009-08-14 13:38:58
User: camspiers
Functions: find grep
1
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Searches $PATH for files using grep

Best to put it in a file somewhere in your path. (I call the file spath)

#!/bin/bash

IFS=:; find $PATH | grep $1

Usage: $ spath php

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Alternatives

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Terminal - Alternatives

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What others think

A bit shorter version wrapped in function (which is must-do, otherwise you can't use $1):

function path-grep() { dirs=${PATH//:/\ } find $(echo $dirs) | egrep $1 }
Comment by botanicus 196 weeks and 1 day ago

Yes as I mentioned in the description you can put it in a file. Which on my machine, ubuntu 9.04 allows you to obtain the users input via $1.

I like how you don't use a for loop. Nice!

Comment by camspiers 196 weeks and 1 day ago

find will recurse. Although it is unusual for a PATH dir to have subdirs, the fact is you may get false matches if they do, and one of the dubdirs has a file matching the name you're looking for.

And really, what is wrong with:

which cat

/bin/cat

Comment by sitaram 196 weeks and 1 day ago

I just find it useful when given a server I don't know. Allows my to quickly determine what mysql tools are installed for example. "which" doesn't really help if you want partial matches.

Comment by camspiers 196 weeks ago

aah... partial matches. OK:

( IFS=:; find $PATH | grep pattern )

wrap it in a function and use $1 if you like :)

Comment by sitaram 196 weeks ago

For just a listing you could also do:

IFS=: find $PATH -type f

the change to IFS when at the beginning of the line goes only applies for that single command (at least in bash). You see a lot of this in Gentoo Linux. Neat idea.

Comment by bwoodacre 196 weeks ago

sitaram: That is awesome! I didn't know about the IFS. I have changed the command to specific : as the custom IFS.

Comment by camspiers 195 weeks and 6 days ago

Your point of view

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