strfile(1) - man - phpMan

STRFILE(1)                          UNIX System Manager's Manual                          STRFILE(1)



NAME
       strfile - create a random access file for storing strings
       unstr - dump strings in pointer order

SYNOPSIS
       strfile [-iorsx] [-c char] sourcefile [outputfile]
       unstr [-c char] datafile[.ext] [outputfile]

DESCRIPTION
       strfile  reads a file containing groups of lines separated by a line containing a single per‐
       cent `%' sign (or other specified delimiter character) and creates a data file which contains
       a  header  structure  and a table of file offsets for each group of lines. This allows random
       access of the strings.

       The output file, if not specified on the command line, is named sourcefile.dat.

       The purpose of unstr is to undo the work of strfile.  It prints out the strings contained  in
       the  sourcefile,  which is datafile.ext without its extension, or datafile if no extension is
       specified (in this case, the extension .dat is added to the name of the datafile) in the  or‐
       der  that  they  are  listed  in the header file datafile.  If no outputfile is specified, it
       prints to standard output; otherwise it prints to the file specified.  unstr can also univer‐
       sally change the delimiter character in a strings file.  It is possible to create sorted ver‐
       sions of input files by using strfile -o and then using unstr to dump them out in  the  table
       order.

   Options
       The options are as follows:

       -c char
              Change  the delimiting character from the percent sign to char.  This option is avail‐
              able for both strfile and unstr.

       -i     Ignore case when ordering the strings.

       -o     Order the strings in alphabetical order.  The offset table will be sorted in  the  al‐
              phabetical  order  of  the  groups  of lines referenced.  Any initial non-alphanumeric
              characters are ignored. This option causes the STR_ORDERED bit in the header str_flags
              field to be set. (It also now really does sort! It didn't used to).

       -r     Randomize  access  to  the  strings.  Entries in the offset table will be randomly or‐
              dered.  This option causes the STR_RANDOM bit in the header str_flags field to be set.
              (And really does randomize)

       -s     Run silently; don't give a summary message when finished.

       -x     Note  that each alphabetic character in the groups of lines is rotated 13 positions in
              a simple caesar cypher.   This  option  causes  the  STR_ROTATED  bit  in  the  header
              str_flags  field  to  be set. Note that it does not rotate the strings--that operation
              must be performed separately.

   Header
       The format of the header is:

       #define VERSION 1
       unsigned long str_version;  /* version number */
       unsigned long str_numstr;   /* # of strings in the file */
       unsigned long str_longlen;  /* length of longest string */
       unsigned long str_shortlen; /* shortest string length */
       #define STR_RANDOM    0x1   /* randomized pointers */
       #define STR_ORDERED   0x2   /* ordered pointers */
       #define STR_ROTATED   0x4   /* rot-13'd text */
       unsigned long str_flags;    /* bit field for flags */
       char str_delim;             /* delimiting character */

       All fields are written in network byte order.

BUGS
       Fewer now, one hopes.  However, fortunes (text strings) beginning with a blank line appear to
       be  sorted  between  random  letters.   This includes ASCII art that contains no letters, and
       first lines that are solely non-alphanumeric, apparently.  I've no idea why this should be.

OTHER USES
       What can you do with this besides printing sarcastic and obscene messages to the  screens  of
       lusers at login or logout?

       There  are  some other possibilities.  Source code for a sample program, randstr, is included
       with this distribution: randstr splits the difference between unstr and fortune.  It reads  a
       single, specified file, and randomly selects a single text string.

       1      Include  strfile.h into a news reading/posting program, to generate random signatures.
              Tin(1) does something similar, in a much more complex manner.

       2      Include it in a game.  While strfile doesn't support 'fields' or 'records', there's no
              reason that the text strings can't be consistent: first line, a die roll; second line,
              a score; third and subsequent lines, a text message.

       3      Use it to store your address book.  Hell, some of the guys I know would be as well off
              using  it  to  decide  who  to call on Friday nights (and for some, it wouldn't matter
              whether there were phone numbers in it or not).

       4      Use it in 'lottery' situations.  If you're an ISP, write a script to store login names
              and  GECOS from /etc/passwd in strfile format, write another to send 'congratulations,
              you've won' to the lucky login selected.  The prize might be a month's  free  service,
              or if you're AOL, a month free on a real service provider.

SEE ALSO
       byteorder(3), fortune(6)

HISTORY
       The  strfile  utility first appeared in 4.4BSD. This version was heavily modified, much of it
       in ways peculiar to Linux.  Work has since been done to make the code more generic,  and  has
       so  far  been  tested to work with SunOS 4.x.  More platforms are expected to be supported as
       work continues.



4th Berkeley Distribution              June 9, 1993 [Apr. '97]                            STRFILE(1)