path: root/doc/zutils.texinfo

\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
@c %**start of header
@setfilename zutils.info
@settitle Zutils
@finalout
@c %**end of header

@set UPDATED 13 August 2009
@set VERSION 0.2

@dircategory Data Compression
@direntry
* Zutils: (zutils).             Utilities dealing with compressed files
@end direntry


@titlepage
@title Zutils
@subtitle Utilities dealing with compressed files
@subtitle for Zutils version @value{VERSION}, @value{UPDATED}
@author by Antonio Diaz Diaz

@page
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
@end titlepage

@contents

@node Top
@top

This manual is for Zutils (version @value{VERSION}, @value{UPDATED}).

@menu
* Introduction::	Purpose and features of zutils
* Zcat::		Concatenating compressed files
* Zcmp/Zdiff::		Comparing compressed files
* Zgrep::		Searching inside compressed files
* Problems::		Reporting bugs
* Concept Index::	Index of concepts
@end menu

@sp 1
Copyright @copyright{} 2008, 2009 Antonio Diaz Diaz.

This manual is free documentation: you have unlimited permission
to copy, distribute and modify it.


@node Introduction
@chapter Introduction
@cindex introduction

Zutils is a collection of utilities for dealing with any combination of
compressed and non-compressed files transparently. The supported
compressors are gzip, bzip2, lzip and xz.

The currently provided utilities are zcat, zcmp, zdiff and zgrep.


@node Zcat
@chapter Zcat
@cindex zcat

Zcat is a wrapper script around the cat command that allows transparent
concatenation of any combination of compressed and non-compressed files.
If any given file is compressed, its uncompressed content is used. If a
given file does not exist, zcat tries the compressed file name
corresponding to the default compressor selected. The supported
compressors are gzip, bzip2, lzip and xz.

The format for running zcat is:

@example
zcat [@var{options}] [@var{cat_options}] [@var{files}]
@end example

@noindent
@var{cat_options} are passed directly to cat. The exit status from cat
is preserved.

Zcat supports the following options:

@table @samp
@item --help
@itemx -h
Print an informative help message describing the options and exit.

@item --version
@itemx -V
Print the version number of zcat on the standard output and exit.

@item --gzip
Use gzip as default decompressor.

@item --bzip2
Use bzip2 as default decompressor.

@item --lzip
Use lzip as default decompressor (default).

@item --xz
Use xz as default decompressor.

@end table


@node Zcmp/Zdiff
@chapter Zcmp/Zdiff
@cindex zcmp
@cindex zdiff

Zdiff is a wrapper script around the diff and cmp commands that allows
transparent comparison of any combination of compressed and
non-compressed files. If any given file is compressed, its uncompressed
content is used. The supported compressors are gzip, bzip2, lzip and xz.

@noindent
Zcmp is a shortcut for @samp{zdiff --cmp}

The format for running zdiff is:

@example
zdiff [@var{options}] [@var{diff_options}] @var{file1} [@var{file2}]
@end example

@noindent
Compares @var{file1} to @var{file2}. If @var{file2} is omitted, compares
@var{file1} to the uncompressed contents of @var{file1}.[gz|bz2|lz]
(depending on the default compressor selected). @var{diff_options} are
passed directly to diff or cmp. The exit status from diff or cmp is
preserved.

Zdiff supports the following options:

@table @samp
@item --help
@itemx -h
Print an informative help message describing the options and exit.

@item --version
@itemx -V
Print the version number of zdiff on the standard output and exit.

@item --gzip
Use gzip as default decompressor.

@item --bzip2
Use bzip2 as default decompressor.

@item --lzip
Use lzip as default decompressor (default).

@item --xz
Use xz as default decompressor.

@item --diff
Use diff to compare files (default).

@item --cmp
Use cmp to compare files.

@end table

Zdiff has the limitation that messages from the diff or cmp programs
refer to temporary filenames instead of those specified.


@node Zgrep
@chapter Zgrep
@cindex zgrep

Zgrep is a wrapper script around the grep command that allows
transparent search on any combination of compressed and non-compressed
files. If any given file is compressed, its uncompressed content is
used. If a given file does not exist, zgrep tries the compressed file
name corresponding to the default compressor selected. The supported
compressors are gzip, bzip2, lzip and xz.

The format for running zgrep is:

@example
zgrep [@var{options}] [@var{grep_options}] @var{pattern} [@var{files}]
@end example

@noindent
@var{grep_options} are passed directly to grep. The exit status from
grep is preserved.

Zgrep supports the following options:

@table @samp
@item --help
@itemx -h
Print an informative help message describing the options and exit.

@item --version
@itemx -V
Print the version number of zgrep on the standard output and exit.

@item --gzip
Use gzip as default decompressor.

@item --bzip2
Use bzip2 as default decompressor.

@item --lzip
Use lzip as default decompressor (default).

@item --xz
Use xz as default decompressor.

@end table


@node Problems
@chapter Reporting Bugs
@cindex bugs
@cindex getting help

There are probably bugs in zutils. There are certainly errors and
omissions in this manual. If you report them, they will get fixed. If
you don't, no one will ever know about them and they will remain unfixed
for all eternity, if not longer.

If you find a bug in zutils, please send electronic mail to
@email{lzip-bug@@nongnu.org}. Include the version number, which you can
find by running @w{@samp{zdiff --version}}.


@node Concept Index
@unnumbered Concept Index

@printindex cp

@bye