How to tell ack tool to ignore case under REGEX

[cbalu]

Hi all,

I am working on a code base which has lot of source code files. So, i end up using ack (ack 1.94 -- better than grep, a source code search tool for programmers) tool for searching the filename i need to open.

My source code is arranged in the following manner

/home
/home/X/sample.c
/home/X/Sample.c
/home/X/sAmPle.c
...
...
...

Now i need to list the files whose name is "sample" ignoring the case. When i look at the man page of ACK command i can see that ignore case can't be used with -g option.

-g REGEX
Print files where the relative path + filename matches REGEX. This option is a convenience shortcut for -f -G REGEX.

The options -i, -w, -v, and -Q do not apply to this REGEX.

I am not comfortable with REGEX. Can some one help me in forming the REGEX so that i can list all the files with name "sample" regardless of case.

Thanks.

[meton_magis]

if it is true regex, you could do

[sS][aA][mM][pP][lL][eE]\.[cC]

but I haven't used that tool, so I can't confirm.

[clowenstein]

Reading the man.page for ack I find the following switch:

-i, --ignore-case Ignore case distinctions in PATTERN

This ought to solve your problem without needing a REGEX.

Try the command:

ack -i sample.c

[cbalu]

@meton: Thanks your solution works

@clowenstein: I have already looked into man page and it was clearly mentioned ignore case can't be used with -g option

Extract from man page

-g REGEX
Print files where the relative path + filename matches REGEX. This option is a convenience shortcut for -f -G REGEX.

The options -i, -w, -v, and -Q do not apply to this REGEX.

[clowenstein]

My point was that for the example you gave, you don't need to use a REGEX at all.

If your real problem is more complicated than that simple example, perhaps you need to state it better.

[meton_magis]

@meton: Thanks your solution works

@clowenstein: I have already looked into man page and it was clearly mentioned ignore case can't be used with -g option

Extract from man page

no problem, glad to help.