APROPOS(1) User Commands APROPOS(1)
apropos, whatis - locate commands by keyword lookup
apropos [-M path] [-s section] keyword ...
whatis [-M path] [-s section] keyword ...
The apropos utility displays the man page name, section number, and a
short description for each man page whose NAME line contains keyword.
This information is contained in the whatis database created by the -w
option used with man(1). If this database is not present, apropos and
whatis fail.
Each word is considered separately and the case of letters is ignored.
Words which are part of other words are considered; for example, when
looking for `compile', apropos finds all instances of `compiler' also.
The whatis command performs the same search, but only matches whole
words. In the above example, whatis would not match the instances of
`compiler' when keyword is `compile'.
The apropos command is actually just the -k option to the man(1)
command.
-M path Force a specific colon separated manual path instead of the
default search path. Overrides the MANPATH environment
variable.
-s section Restrict search to specified section.
MANPATH, PATH Used to find the location of the whatis database.
/usr/share/man/whatis table of contents and keyword database
Example 1 To find a man page whose NAME line contains a keyword
Try
example% apropos password
If the line starts `filename(section) ...' you can run
% man -s section filename
to display the man page for filename.
Example 2 To find the man page for the subroutine printf()
Try
example% apropos format
and then
example% man -s 3C printf
to get the manual page on the subroutine printf(3C).
/usr/share/man/whatis: No such file or directory
The whatis database does not exist. The command man -w must be
run to create it.
Enabled.
Committed.
man(1), catman(8)
illumos July 20, 2014 illumos
NAME
apropos, whatis - locate commands by keyword lookup
SYNOPSIS
apropos [-M path] [-s section] keyword ...
whatis [-M path] [-s section] keyword ...
DESCRIPTION
The apropos utility displays the man page name, section number, and a
short description for each man page whose NAME line contains keyword.
This information is contained in the whatis database created by the -w
option used with man(1). If this database is not present, apropos and
whatis fail.
Each word is considered separately and the case of letters is ignored.
Words which are part of other words are considered; for example, when
looking for `compile', apropos finds all instances of `compiler' also.
The whatis command performs the same search, but only matches whole
words. In the above example, whatis would not match the instances of
`compiler' when keyword is `compile'.
The apropos command is actually just the -k option to the man(1)
command.
OPTIONS
-M path Force a specific colon separated manual path instead of the
default search path. Overrides the MANPATH environment
variable.
-s section Restrict search to specified section.
ENVIRONMENT
MANPATH, PATH Used to find the location of the whatis database.
FILES
/usr/share/man/whatis table of contents and keyword database
EXAMPLES
Example 1 To find a man page whose NAME line contains a keyword
Try
example% apropos password
If the line starts `filename(section) ...' you can run
% man -s section filename
to display the man page for filename.
Example 2 To find the man page for the subroutine printf()
Try
example% apropos format
and then
example% man -s 3C printf
to get the manual page on the subroutine printf(3C).
DIAGNOSTICS
/usr/share/man/whatis: No such file or directory
The whatis database does not exist. The command man -w must be
run to create it.
CODE SET INDEPENDENCE
Enabled.
INTERFACE STABILITY
Committed.
SEE ALSO
man(1), catman(8)
illumos July 20, 2014 illumos