BOOL(1) BOOL(1)
GNU Project
NAME
bool - print context matching a boolean expression
SYNOPSIS
bool [options] EXPRESSION [FILE...]
DESCRIPTION
Bool searches the named input FILEs (or standard input if the file
name - is given) for the context of each pattern in the given
EXPRESSION. If the input is HTML formatted, it is parsed and queried
in a single pass.
By default, bool prints the first occurrence of each pattern in its
context if the EXPRESSION is true. This consists of up to 60
characters preceding and following the pattern, until a beginning or
end of paragraph is reached.
OPTIONS
-b, --byte-offset
Print the byte offset where the match occurred before each line
of output.
-C NUM, --context=NUM
Print NUM characters (default 60) of output context for each
pattern.
-c, --count
Suppress normal output; instead print a count of matching
patterns for each input file.
-D NUM, --distance=NUM
Find patterns separated by NUM words (default 10) when using the
NEAR operator.
-F, --fixed-string
Interpret EXPRESSION as a fixed string instead of a boolean
expression.
-H, --with-filename
Print the filename for each match.
-h, --no-filename
Suppress the prefixing of filenames on output when multiple files
are searched.
--help
Output a brief help message.
-i, --ignore-case
Ignore case distinctions in both the EXPRESSION and the input
files.
- 1 - Formatted: November 2, 2025
BOOL(1) BOOL(1)
GNU Project
-L, --files-without-match
Suppress normal output; instead print the name of each input file
from which no output would normally have been printed.
-l, --files-with-matches
Suppress normal output; instead print the name of each input file
from which output would normally have been printed.
-n, --line-number
Prefix each line of output with the line number within its input
file.
-O NUM, --occurrences=NUM
Print NUM lines (default 1) of context for each pattern. No
output is printed if the boolean expression is false. Every
match is printed if NUM is set to 0, even if the expression if
false.
-P, --with-pattern
Print the pattern for each match.
-p, --no-pattern
Suppress the prefixing of patterns on output.
-q, --quiet, --silent
Quiet; suppress normal output. Also see the -s or --no-
messages option below.
-s, --no-messages
Suppress error messages about nonexistent or unreadable files.
-V, --version
Print the version number of bool to standard error. This version
number should be included in all bug reports (see below).
BOOLEAN EXPRESSION
A boolean expression is composed of operands separated by operators.
The precedence of operators is evaluated from left to right.
Operands can be another boolean expression isolated between
parentheses or a pattern. The latter is expressed as a sequence of
characters delimited by spaces or enclosed in quotes. Some characters
can be escaped using the backslash ('\'), other characters can be
specified as SGML entities.
An operand must return a truth value. For a parenthesized expression,
each operator within the expression is evaluated as described below.
For a pattern, the operand is true if there are one or more
occurrences of the sequence of characters in the input. Otherwise,
the operand is false.
- 2 - Formatted: November 2, 2025
BOOL(1) BOOL(1)
GNU Project
Operators are symbols denoting the logic to be performed. The AND
operator returns true if the operands on both sides of the symbol are
true, otherwise the expression is considered false. The OR operator
returns true if either operand is true. The NOT operator returns true
if the left operand is true and the right operand is false.
The NEAR operator, though not boolean, returns true if the operands on
either side of the operator are within a specified number of words
from each other. For example, the words "boolean" and "either" are
separated by 6 words in the previous sentence. If the distance
specified on the command-line is 10, the expression is true.
DIAGNOSTICS
Normally, exit status is 0 if matches were found, and 1 if no matches
were found. Exit status is 2 if there were syntax errors in the
expression or other system errors.
EXAMPLES
Output the first context where 'one' and 'two' are found, only if both
are present:
# bool "one and two"
All occurences of 'one' and 'two'. If the boolean expression is
false, ie if only 'one' or 'two' is present, the return value is 1:
# bool -O0 "one and two"
Every byte offset where 'two' is separated from 'three' by no more
than 5 words, but don't print any context:
# bool -O0 -C0 -D5 -b "two near three"
Only return the status of the boolean expression, 0 if matches were
found and 1 otherwise:
# bool -q "one and (two near three)"
AUTHOR
Marc Tardif <marc@interunion.ca>
SEE ALSO
grep(1)
- 3 - Formatted: November 2, 2025
