---
name: "strfile"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "fortune-mod"
version: "9708-10"
release: "Debian 2.1 (Slink)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/strfile/8"
---

# strfile(8)

create a random access file for storing strings

## NAME

**strfile**, **unstr** – create a random access file for storing strings

## SYNOPSIS

**strfile** \[**-iorsx**\] \[**-c** *char*\] *source\_file* \[*output\_file*\]

**unstr** *source\_file*

## DESCRIPTION

**Strfile** reads a file containing groups of lines separated by a line containing a single percent ‘%’ sign and creates a data file which contains a header structure and a table of file offsets for each group of lines. This allows random access of the strings.

The output file, if not specified on the command line, is named *source\_file***.out**.

The options are as follows:

- **-c** *char*

  Change the delimiting character from the percent sign to *char*.

- **-i**

  Ignore case when ordering the strings.

- **-o**

  Order the strings in alphabetical order. The offset table will be sorted in the alphabetical order of the groups of lines referenced. Any initial non-alphanumeric characters are ignored. This option causes the STR\_ORDERED bit in the header *str\_flags* field to be set.

- **-r**

  Randomize access to the strings. Entries in the offset table will be randomly ordered. This option causes the STR\_RANDOM bit in the header *str\_flags* field to be set.

- **-s**

  Run silently; don't give a summary message when finished.

- **-x**

  Note that each alphabetic character in the groups of lines is rotated 13 positions in a simple caesar cypher. This option causes the STR\_ROTATED bit in the header *str\_flags* field to be set.

The format of the header is:

```
#define	VERSION	1
unsigned long	str_version;	/* version number */
unsigned long	str_numstr;	/* # of strings in the file */
unsigned long	str_longlen;	/* length of longest string */
unsigned long	str_shortlen;	/* length of shortest string */
#define	STR_RANDOM	0x1	/* randomized pointers */
#define	STR_ORDERED	0x2	/* ordered pointers */
#define	STR_ROTATED	0x4	/* rot-13'd text */
unsigned long	str_flags;	/* bit field for flags */
char str_delim;			/* delimiting character */
```

All fields are written in network byte order.

The purpose of **unstr** is to undo the work of **strfile**. It prints out the strings contained in the file *source\_file* in the order that they are listed in the header file *source\_file**.dat* to standard output. It is possible to create sorted versions of input files by using **-o** when **strfile** is run and then using **unstr** to dump them out in the table order.

## SEE ALSO

[byteorder(3)](/byteorder/3.md), [fortune(6)](/fortune/6.md)

## FILES

- *strfile.out*

  default output file.

## HISTORY

The **strfile** utility first appeared in 4.4BSD.