ScanText v1.01 Manual


ScanText is a program that counts the number of lines in a file or directory
in which there are occurences of a single word or a string of words.


Syntactical note: ``[]'' indicates optional parameters, ``<>'' indicates
required parameters, and ``|'' indicates a logical OR.  You should not enter
any of these characters when you input the command.

Definitions: the word ``string'', when used in this manual, means any
combination of characters that includes one more more spaces, e.g.,
"Stephen King".  ``word'' means any combination of characters except for the
space character, e.g., "King".


SYNTAX

ScanText runs in two modes: searching a single file for a word or string;
and searching a directory for a word or string.  These modes are just
different enough to require two general command-line sytactical diagrams.
The options will be described in more detail after the diagrams.

This is the general command-line syntax you must use when searching a single
file for a word or string:

st [drive:][path]<filename>  <word>|"<string>"  [ - | + ]  [ # | l ]
          1                       2                3          4     

And this is the general command-line syntax used for searching a directory
for a word or string:

st [drive:]<path>  <word>|"<string>"  [ - | + ]
         1              2                3     

Options

1: Single file search mode -- enter filename only if in current directory,
   else include path to the file.
   Directory search mode -- enter directory to be searched if on current
   drive, else include drive letter to directory.  Note: there must be a
   backslash (``\'') in the path; otherwise, the program hangs. (Enter
   CONTROL-C if this happens)

2: Both modes -- if searching for a string, then enclose in quotes.  If
   searching for a word only, quotes may be omitted.  Note: <word> is
   equivalent to "<word>".

3: Both modes -- enter ``-'' for case-insensitive searching (default), or
   ``+'' for case-sensitive search.

4: Single file search mode -- enter ``#'' to return a count of the number of
   lines that contain the word or string (default), or ``l'' to return the
   actual lines in which the word or string occurs.
   Directory search mode -- no ``l'' option for directory searching.


EXAMPLES

In the following example, books.txt is a file and \BOOKS is a directory.

C:\> st books.txt king
C:\> st \BOOKS    king

Will count the number of lines in which there are occurences of "king"
(case-insentive) in books.txt or \BOOKS and display this number.  Words
that, using these options and if they are present, will add to the count
include: "King", "KING", "King's", and "SKing".

C:\> st books.txt "king"
C:\> st \BOOKS    "king"

Identical to the previous example.

C:\> st books.txt King +
C:\> st \BOOKS    King +

Will identify lines that contain the word "King" in the proper case.
Trigger words include: "SKing" and "King's".

C:\> st books.txt "Stephen King"
C:\> st \BOOKS    "Stephen King"

Will identify lines containg the phrase "stephen king" (case-insensitive).
Trigger phrases include: "stephen king's", "STEPHEN KING", "Stephen King's",
and "author--stephen king".

C:\> st books.txt king #
C:\> st \BOOKS    king #

Will search for "king" (case-insensitive) and display the number of lines in
which this string occurs. (default condition, no need to enter)
Note: ``#'' is optional in directory search mode.

C:\> st books.txt king l

Will display the lines in which the word "king" (case-insensitive) occurs,
in addition to the count.

C:\> st \BOOKS    king l

Illegal.  Will return an "Options Error" -- line-display is disabled in
directory search mode.


CREDITS

ST - ScanText v1.01 / Copyright (c) 1995 Andrew Tsai & Jawed Karim

Programming:  Jawed Karim and Andrew Tsai
Report bugs in ST.EXE to:  Jawed Karim <kari0022@gold.tc.umn.edu>

Online help:  Copyright (c) 1995 Dan Rogovin
Manual:  Copyright (c) 1995 Dan Rogovin (20Aug95, Rev. B)
Report problems in the manual to:  Dan Rogovin <rogo0009@maroon.tc.umn.edu>

Visit one of these World-Wide Web pages:

Dan Rogovin:  http://www.umn.edu/nlhome/m101/rogo0009/dan.html

Jawed Karim:  http://www.umn.edu/nlhome/g346/kari0022/jawed.html
[The newest version of ScanText is always available on this page]
