NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

     fnmatch - match filename or pathname using shell glob rules

LIBRARY    [Toc]    [Back]

     Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

     #include <fnmatch.h>

     int
     fnmatch(const char *pattern, const char *string, int flags);

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

     The fnmatch() function matches patterns according to the globbing rules
     used by the shell.  It checks the string specified by the string argument
     to see if it matches the pattern specified by the pattern argument.

     The flags argument modifies the interpretation of pattern and string.
     The value of flags is the bitwise inclusive OR of any of the following
     constants, which are defined in the include file fnmatch.h.

     FNM_NOESCAPE  Normally, every occurrence of a backslash (`\') followed by
                   a character in pattern is replaced by that character.  This
                   is done to negate any special meaning for the character.
                   If the FNM_NOESCAPE flag is set, a backslash character is
                   treated as an ordinary character.

     FNM_PATHNAME  Slash characters in string must be explicitly matched by
                   slashes in pattern.  If this flag is not set, then slashes
                   are treated as regular characters.

     FNM_PERIOD    Leading periods in strings match periods in patterns.  The
                   definition of ``leading'' is related to the specification
                   of FNM_PATHNAME.  A period is always ``leading'' if it is
                   the first character in string.  Additionally, if
                   FNM_PATHNAME is set, a period is ``leading'' if it immediately
 follows a slash.

     FNM_CASEFOLD  The pattern is matched in a case-insensitive fashion.

RETURN VALUES    [Toc]    [Back]

     The fnmatch() function returns zero if string matches the pattern specified
 by pattern, otherwise, it returns the value FNM_NOMATCH.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

     sh(1), glob(3), regex(3)

STANDARDS    [Toc]    [Back]

     The fnmatch() function conforms to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (``POSIX.2'').
     The FNM_CASEFOLD flag is a NetBSD extension.

HISTORY    [Toc]    [Back]

     The fnmatch() function first appeared in 4.4BSD.

BUGS    [Toc]    [Back]

     The pattern `*' matches the empty string, even if FNM_PATHNAME is specified.


BSD                             April 28, 1995                             BSD