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Uninitiated users may find it difficult to use a tool like Findstr for pattern searching. However, when working with log files from the system or command-line outputs that contain hundreds of words, findtr may be just what you are looking for.
Linux OS users will be well-versed in the utility of Grep. Findtr is a comparable command for Microsoft Windows. This command can also be used in combination with other commands You can either use pipes to run it or simply execute it straight to read through text files. We will now look at some examples of how findtr works.
Use the Findstr Commander
The basic syntax is simple – findstr <string> <filepath>, where <string> is the pattern to search for, and <filepath> is the address of the file to search in. Open Command Prompt and give it a try.
findstr SFC example1.txt
This command will search for and print all lines that include the search string SFC. It is important to note that the default findstr command does not recognize case, and any SFC references will not be found.
Parameters
Optional parameters can be added to customize how Findstr functions. The behavior of findtr can be modified by using switches like /B and /I, which impose additional conditions. You can use this example as an exampl:
findstr /I SFC example1.txt
The inclusion of /I in the search parameter will make the search case sensitive and allow all references of the term to match regardless of how they are capitalized. Find the complete list of parameters in findstr here Official Microsoft Docs .
Optional Patterns
Parameters aren’t the only way you can customize findstr. Enclosing the <string> in quotes, for example, allows you to specify multiple patterns, giving you a match if any of the text strings are found.
findstr “SFC DISM” example1.txt
You will get matching lines that contain either one of these terms by using the above. It is useful for searching for information about an item that has a different name.
Regular Expressions
Findstr is capable of searching through multiple files. Changing <filepath> to a regular expression makes the command look for the specified pattern in all files that match.
findstr SFC *.txt
The regex is applied to text files located in the current directory or its subdirectories by using the wildcard characters. Also, the results can be separated by filenames to allow you to see which lines originated in which file.
Pipes
Like most cmd commands, findstr can also be used on the output of other commands. Just add a pipe after the end of the target command and invoke findstr without a <filepath>.
dir | findstr .txt
It will run a findtr search against the output of dir, returning the file listing ending in.txt. In practice, however, this example will not work as dir is able to locate the exact same file type by using regular expressions.
You can also choose to go the long route The output can be redirected to a text document You can then use findstr to open the text file. However, it’s easier to get rid of the middleman.
Windows Applications for Findstr
From the syntax alone, it is easy to see how findstr can be used. It is possible to search for files containing a certain text string, or check if the file contains that string.
While this may seem useful in theory, the majority of people don’t use it except for rare circumstances. Many people have no need to store text files in the age of Google Docs and other cloud services.
However, the actual uses of findtr can be a little more complex and produce more powerful results. These are just a few of the most interesting.
The Search for Specific File Types
Regular expressions can be used to search filenames with the dir command. You can also search files that share other attributes with findtr like the date or time of their creation.
Imagine an error at 06.43 pm. You want to search all log files from that date. The dir command will not do the job. You’ll need to either manually go through each log file or extract them all and then compare the results. You can do this with the simple findtr command.
dir | findstr 06:43
This trick can also be used to search for files made on a certain date or obtain a list with directories.
dir | findstr DIR
Netstat allows you to filter network information
Netstat It is a Windows command that provides all information regarding your computer’s network connections. This is too much information. That is why findstr is so handy.
You can search for specific connections by piping netstat’s output to findstr. This is how, for example, you can obtain a complete list of all existing connections.
netstat | findstr ESTABLISHED
This technique is very useful in diagnosing network issues. To find out all connections created by any particular process, you can use foundtr in conjunction with an application ID.
netstat -o | findstr 13120
How to obtain specific IP addresses
You can view detailed information about all the network interfaces, including IP addresses using the ipconfig command. Findtr can be used to find a specific type of IP address, without scrolling through the entire thing.
ipconfig | findstr Temporary
To obtain additional information beyond ipconfig (subnet masks, gateway addresses), you can use this extension.
Analyzing script files
No matter what programming language you use, script files contain text. You can therefore use findtr to analyse scripts, retrieve sections and not have to go through all of the code.
Let’s say we need to check if the if statement was used in a specific script. The following command can be used:
findstr if script.ahk
It will not only display all lines that have been used with the if statement but also the expressions. The /N parameter can be used to show the line numbers. This is useful for script files.
findstr /N if script.ahk
Are Findstr’s benefits worth it?
Navigating the command-line interface can be difficult due to the sheer volume of text that one must read. Use Findstr to extract useful information or filter out the junk.
All terminal commands output textual data, so findstr is always able to be used for finding the pertinent data. You can find the relevant data from Troubleshooting Network Issues Findstr makes it easier to find the right files and is more effective in every step.
Although it is not able to work with any other commands, findtr still has the ability to navigate text files. Find specific errors in machine-generated logs files and retrieve portions of code within complex scripts.
Findstr, in short, is an essential tool in any Windows user’s arsenal, especially if you are looking to become familiar with command-line interface.
