1STRFILE(1) 4th Berkeley Distribution STRFILE(1)
2
6 strfile - create a random access file for storing strings
7 unstr - dump strings in pointer order
8
11 strfile [-iorsx]
14 [-c char]
15 sourcefile
16 [outputfile]
17 unstr [-c char]
22 datafile.[ext]
23 [outputfile]
24
27 strfile reads a file containing groups of lines separated by a line
28 containing a single percent `%' sign (or other specified delimiter
29 character) and creates a data file which contains a header structure
30 and a table of file offsets for each group of lines. This allows random
31 access of the strings.
32 The output file, if not specified on the command line, is named
35 sourcefile.dat.
36 The purpose of unstr is to undo the work of strfile. It prints out the
39 strings contained in the sourcefile, which is datafile.ext without its
40 extension, or datafile if no extension is specified (in this case, the
41 extension .dat is added to the name of the datafile) in the order that
42 they are listed in the header file datafile. If no outputfile is
43 specified, it prints to standard output; otherwise it prints to the
44 file specified. unstr can also universally change the delimiter
45 character in a strings file. It is possible to create sorted versions
46 of input files by using strfile -o and then using unstr to dump them
47 out in the table order.
48 Options
51 The options are as follows:
52 -c char
55 Change the delimiting character from the percent sign to char. This
57 option is available for both strfile and unstr.
58 -i
61 Ignore case when ordering the strings.
63 -o
66 Order the strings in alphabetical order. The offset table will be
68 sorted in the alphabetical order of the groups of lines referenced.
69 Any initial non-alphanumeric characters are ignored. This option
70 causes the STR_ORDERED bit in the header str_flags field to be set.
71 (It also now really does sort! It didn't used to).
72 -r
75 Randomize access to the strings. Entries in the offset table will
77 be randomly ordered. This option causes the STR_RANDOM bit in the
78 header str_flags field to be set. (And really does randomize)
79 -s
82 Run silently; don't give a summary message when finished.
84 -x
87 Note that each alphabetic character in the groups of lines is
89 rotated 13 positions in a simple caesar cypher. This option causes
90 the STR_ROTATED bit in the header str_flags field to be set. Note
91 that it does not rotate the strings--that operation must be
92 performed separately.
93 Header
97 The format of the header is:
98 #define VERSION 1 unsigned long str_version; /* version number */
101 unsigned long str_numstr; /* # of strings in the file */ unsigned long
102 str_longlen; /* length of longest string */ unsigned long str_shortlen;
103 /* shortest string length */ #define STR_RANDOM 0x1 /* randomized
104 pointers */ #define STR_ORDERED 0x2 /* ordered pointers */ #define
105 STR_ROTATED 0x4 /* rot-13'd text */ unsigned long str_flags; /* bit
106 field for flags */ char str_delim; /* delimiting character */
107 All fields are written in network byte order.
110
113 Fewer now, one hopes. However, fortunes (text strings) beginning with a
114 blank line appear to be sorted between random letters. This includes
115 ASCII art that contains no letters, and first lines that are solely
116 non-alphanumeric, apparently. I've no idea why this should be.
117
120 What can you do with this besides printing sarcastic and obscene
121 messages to the screens of lusers at login or logout?
122 There are some other possibilities. Source code for a sample program,
125 randstr, is included with this distribution: randstr splits the
126 difference between unstr and fortune. It reads a single, specified
127 file, and randomly selects a single text string.
128 1
131 Include strfile.h into a news reading/posting program, to generate
133 random signatures. Tin(1) does something similar, in a much more
134 complex manner.
135 2
138 Include it in a game. While strfile doesn't support 'fields' or
140 'records', there's no reason that the text strings can't be
141 consistent: first line, a die roll; second line, a score; third and
142 subsequent lines, a text message.
143 3
146 Use it to store your address book. Hell, some of the guys I know
148 would be as well off using it to decide who to call on Friday
149 nights (and for some, it wouldn't matter whether there were phone
150 numbers in it or not).
151 4
154 Use it in 'lottery' situations. If you're an ISP, write a script to
156 store login names and GECOS from /etc/passwd in strfile format,
157 write another to send 'congratulations, you've won' to the lucky
158 login selected. The prize might be a month's free service, or if
159 you're AOL, a month free on a real service provider.
160
164 byteorder(3), fortune(6)
165
168 The strfile utility first appeared in 4.4BSD. This version was heavily
169 modified, much of it in ways peculiar to Linux. Work has since been
170 done to make the code more generic, and has so far been tested to work
171 with SunOS 4.x. More platforms are expected to be supported as work
172 continues.
173June 9, 1993 [Apr. 1997] 06/03/2023 STRFILE(1)