in reply to Grep'ping on Unix without perl-compatible gnu grep - can you do it better?

Tommy:

I'd do it like this:

$ grep -E '^[^#]*foo' boom now is the foo for all $ cat boom now is the foo for all now # foo is the blarg

...roboticus

When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.

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Re^2: Grep'ping on Unix without perl-compatible gnu grep - can you do it better?
by Anonymous Monk on Feb 01, 2013 at 07:13 UTC
    Indeed, the -E switch (aka egrep) does activate a modern regexp syntax, and is found in a boatload more systems than where -P is. It does not come with all the Perl features, but it is way more comfortable than the basic 1980s dialect grep & co default to.
      You could (have) try(ied) awk on systems that has(had) a lacking grep.