strings

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strings

strings [-afov] [-min-len] [-n min-len] [-t radix] [-]
         [--all] [--print-file-name] [--bytes=min-len]
         [--radix=radix] [--target=bfdname]
         [--help] [--version] 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 following options) 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.

-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 program usage on the standard output and exit.

-min-len
-n min-len
--by a44 tes=min-len

Print sequences of characters that are at least

min-len

characters long, instead of the default 4.

-o

Like ‘

-t

’. Some other versions of strings have ‘

-o

’ act like ‘

-t d

’. Since we can not be compatible with both ways, we simply chose one.

-t radix
--radix=radix

Print the offset within the file before each string. The single character argument specifies the radix of the offset—‘

’ for octal, ‘

’ for hexadecimal, or ‘

’ for decimal.

--target=bfdname

Specify an object code format other than your system’s default format. See Target Selection for more information.

-v
--version

Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.