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 (stan-
    dard 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  feed-
    back  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 pat-
           terns.

    -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 parenthe-
    sis 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.