---
name: "htsearch"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "htdig"
version: "1:3.2.0b6-21"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/htsearch"
---

# htsearch(1)

create document index and word database for the ht://Dig search engine

## NAME

htsearch - create document index and word database for the ht://Dig
 search engine

## SYNOPSIS

**htsearch**
 *\[options\] \[query\_string\]*

## DESCRIPTION

*Htsearch*
 is used to sift through the  databases created by *htdig* for content.
 It is the actual search engine of the *htdig* search system. It is a CGI
 program that is expected to be invoked by an HTML form. It will accept both the
 GET and POST methods of passing data to the CGI program.

## OPTIONS

**query\_string**
 A CGI-style query string can be given as a single
 argument, and is only used if the REQUEST\_METHOD environment
 variable is not set.  If no query\_string is given, and
 REQUEST\_METHOD is not set, htsearch will prompt for the query.
 **-c *configfile***
 Use the specified
 *configfile*
 instead of the default (for security reasons this option is only
 available when htsearch is used on the command line).
 **-v -d**
 Run in verbose mode.  This increases the verbosity of the
 program.  Using more than 2 is probably only useful
 for debugging purposes.  The default verbose mode
 gives a progress on what it is doing and where it is.

## FILES

**/etc/htdig/htdig.conf**
 The default configuration file.
 **/etc/htdig/header.html**
 The default search results header file
 **/etc/htdig/footer.html**
 The default search results footer file
 **/etc/htdig/wrapper.html**
 The default search results wrapper file, that contains the header and footer together in one file
 **/etc/htdig/nomatch.html**
 The default 'no matches found' HTML file
 **/etc/htdig/syntax.html**
 The default file that explains boolean expression syntax errors

## SEE ALSO

Please refer to the HTML pages (in the htdig-doc package)
 **/usr/share/doc/htdig-doc/html/index.html**
 and the manual pages
 *[htdig(1)](/htdig/1.md)*
 and
 *[htmerge(1)](/htmerge/1.md)*
 for a detailed description of ht://Dig and its commands.

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Stijn de Bekker and updated by Robert Ribnitz. It is based on the HTML documentation of ht://Dig.