strings

strings − print the strings of printable characters in files

strings

[−a|−|−−all] [−f|−−print−file−name] [−o] [−−help] [−v|−−version] [−n min−len|−min−len|−−bytes=min−len] [−t {o,x,d}[−−target=bfdname] |−−radix={o,x,d}] file

For each file given, GNU strings prints the printable character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints the strings from the whole file.

strings is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text files.

The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are equivalent.

−a

−−all

−

Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files; scan the whole files.

−f

−−print−file−name

Print the name of the file before each string.

−−help

Print a summary of the options to strings on the standard output and exit.

−v

−−version

Print the version number of strings on the standard output and exit.

−n min−len

−min−len

−bytes=min−len

Print sequences of characters that are at least min−len characters long, instead of the default 4.

−t {o,x,d}

−−radix={o,x,d}

Print the offset within the file before each string. The single character argument specifies the radix of the offset—octal, hexadecimal, or decimal.

−−target=bfdname

Specify an object code format other than your system’s default format. See objdump(1), for information on listing available formats.

−o

Like −t o.

‘binutils’ entry in info; The GNU Binary Utilities, Roland H. Pesch (October 1991); ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1).

Copyright (c) 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

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