strings(1)                                                       strings(1)

NAME
     strings - find printable strings in object or binary files

SYNOPSIS
     strings [-a] [-o|-t format] [-n number] [--] file ...

DESCRIPTION
     strings looks for strings in binary files and writes them on standard
     output. A string is by default any sequence of 4 or more printable
     ASCII characters ending with a newline or a null byte [see ascii(5)].
     strings is useful for identifying random object files and many other
     things.

OPTIONS
     -a   strings searches the entire file for printable strings.

          This corresponds to the old option -, which is still supported.

          -a not specified:

          strings only looks in the initialized data space of object files.

     -o   strings precedes each string by its offset in the file.

     -t format
          Each string is output preceded by its offset in the file. The
          format of the positioning specification is defined as follows:

          d    Decimal positioning specification

          o    Octal positioning specification

          x    Hexadecimal positioning specification

     -n number
          Defines a strings as any sequence of number or more printable
          characters ending with a newline or a null byte.

          This corresponds to the old option -number, which is still sup-
          ported.

          -n not specified:

          A string is any sequence of 4 or more printable characters ending
          with a newline character or a null byte.

     --   End of the list of options. Must be specified if file begins with
          -.

     file Name of the file in which strings is to look for printable
          strings.




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strings(1)                                                       strings(1)

LOCALE
     The LCMESSAGES environment variable governs the language in which
     message texts are displayed. If LCMESSAGES is undefined or is defined
     as the null string, it defaults to the value of LANG. If LANG is like-
     wise undefined or null, the system acts as if it were not internation-
     alized.

     The LCALL environment variable governs the entire locale. LCALL
     takes precedence over all the other environment variables which affect
     internationalization.

EXAMPLES
     Finding all printable strings in the executable binary file a.out:

     $ strings a.out
     Hello, user

     This could be the output for a file that originally held the following
     source code:

     #include <stdio.h>

     main()
     {
     printf("Hello, user\n");
     }

SEE ALSO
     nm(1), od(1), ascii(5).

























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