FreeBSD 9: How to locate an exact filename?

Question

Trying to use locate command to find an exact match for the given pattern. However it results showing all matching files..

For example: I want to find a binary named: node

But it gives me all matches containing this word:

server2# locate node
/usr/share/man/man9/getnewvnode.9.gz
/usr/share/man/man9/ieee80211_amrr_node_init.9.gz
/usr/share/man/man9/ieee80211_dump_node.9.gz
/usr/share/man/man9/ieee80211_dump_nodes.9.gz
/usr/share/man/man9/ieee80211_find_rxnode.9.gz
/usr/share/man/man9/ieee80211_find_rxnode_withkey.9.gz
/usr/share/man/man9/ieee80211_free_node.9.gz

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 11 '14 at 08:42

If you look at locate --help, you may find:

  -r, --regexp REGEXP    search for basic regexp REGEXP instead of patterns
      --regex            patterns are extended regexps

You can use -r to provide a regexp pattern to locate:

locate -r /node$

The / ensures node is at the start of the file name. The $ ensures node is at the end of the file name. This will give you only the files matching the exact file name.

If you want to do a case-insensitive search (matches Node, NODE, nOdE, etc), add -i:

locate -i -r /node$

If locate does not support regexp, you can use grep (as mentioned by Iracicot):

locate node | grep /node$
locate -i node | grep -i /node$

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 27 '12 at 13:31

6

You may use grep with locate

server2# locate node | grep node$

The $ sign will tell grep to look at the end of the string.

answered Sep 27 '12 at 13:31

lracicot

173

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 19 '17 at 17:52

Disable locate's implicit glob by adding your own glob that matches all directories:

locate */node

From the man page:

If any PATTERN contains no globbing characters, locate behaves as if the pattern were *PATTERN*

This syntax will match a complete file or directory name anywhere, including in the root.

FreeBSD 9: How to locate an exact filename?

3 Answers3