The FINDPLUS program is similar to the FIND filter included in DOS, but adds
many additional features.


Added capabilities are:

(1) Allows search strings to be restricted by column.
(2) Allows logical AND's, OR's, and XOR's of search criteria.
(3) Searches are not case sensitive.


Examples:

(1) type test.txt | findplus 'check'

Displays any record in file test.txt that includes the string 'check'

(2) type test.txt | findplus 24 'check'

Displays any record that includes the string 'check' in cols 24-28

(3) type test.txt | findplus suppress 'check'

Displays any record that doesn't include the string 'check'

(4) type test.txt | findplus 'check' and 'bat'

Displays any record that includes both strings

(5) type test.txt | findplus 'check' and 'bat' and 'tell'

Displays any record that includes all three strings

(6) type test.txt | findplus 'check' or 'bat' or 'tell'

Displays any record that includes any of the three strings

(7) type test.txt | findplus 'check' and 11 'bat'

Displays any record that includes 'bat' in columns 11-13 and
the string 'check'

(8) type test.txt | findplus 'check' or 'bat'

Displays any record that includes 'bat' and/or 'check'

(9) type test.txt | findplus 'check' xor 'bat'

Displays any record that includes 'bat' or 'check', but not both



Rules regarding parameter usage:

(a) The parameters to findplus consist of one or more conditions,
separated by operators.

(b) The legal operators are AND, OR, XOR. (Lower case is OK, too)

(c) Only one operator can be used in one call to the program. If two
or more operators are present, the first seen is used.
For example; findplus 'red' and 'blue' or 'green'
is interpreted as findplus 'red' and 'blue' and 'green'

(d) A condition is a string enclosed in single quotes, optionally
preceded by a column number.

(e) The AND and OR operators can be used as often as desired. This means
that several conditions can be ANDed or ORed.

(f) The XOR operators can be used only once, and when used, must be
the only operator.

(g) The keyword 'suppress' can be entered anywhere among conditions and
operators, and will suppress a matched record instead of including it.

(h) Any operator or keyword can be shortened to its first character.
For example; findplus suppress 'blue' is the same as: findplus s 'blue'
Similarly, AND can be entered as A (or a), OR can be entered as O, and
XOR can be entered as X.

(i) Undefined or redundant operators are ignored.

(j) Spaces can be used freely or omitted.
For example; findplus s 34 'red' is the same as findplus s34'red'

(k) If no operator is supplied, and two or more conditions are present,
AND is assumed.
For example; findplus 'dsd' 'were'
is the same as: findplus 'dsd' and 'were'


Anytime you want a reminder of how FINDPLUS parameters are entered, type
FINDPLUS at the DOS prompt with no parameters, and examples will be
displayed.


If you have any problems with FINDPLUS or any suggestions, please write to:

Dan Chandler
14013 Adkins Rd.
Laurel, Md. 20708