How does Apple's “find -regex” work?

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2















I'm trying to create a -regex expression for find on macOS.



find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null


works, and so does



find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


in the sense that they both find files. Now I try



find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco|citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


and nothing is found. Nor does



find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco|citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


nor any other variation with escapes and what not that I have tried. What am I doing wrong?










share|improve this question


























    2















    I'm trying to create a -regex expression for find on macOS.



    find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null


    works, and so does



    find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


    in the sense that they both find files. Now I try



    find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco|citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


    and nothing is found. Nor does



    find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco|citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


    nor any other variation with escapes and what not that I have tried. What am I doing wrong?










    share|improve this question
























      2












      2








      2








      I'm trying to create a -regex expression for find on macOS.



      find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null


      works, and so does



      find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


      in the sense that they both find files. Now I try



      find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco|citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


      and nothing is found. Nor does



      find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco|citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


      nor any other variation with escapes and what not that I have tried. What am I doing wrong?










      share|improve this question














      I'm trying to create a -regex expression for find on macOS.



      find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null


      works, and so does



      find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


      in the sense that they both find files. Now I try



      find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco|citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


      and nothing is found. Nor does



      find /Users/gerben/Library -regex '.*(cisco|citrix).*' -print 2>/dev/null


      nor any other variation with escapes and what not that I have tried. What am I doing wrong?







      command-line






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked Jan 26 at 18:15









      gctwnlgctwnl

      1989




      1989




















          1 Answer
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          4














          You can use -E flag, from man:




          -E Interpret regular expressions followed by -regex and -iregex primaries as extended (modern) regular expressions rather than basic regular expressions (BRE's). The
          re_format(7) manual page fully describes both formats.




          In this case your find command will look like:



          find -E ~/Library -regex '.*(citrix|cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null





          share|improve this answer























          • Silly me. I was using re_format and has missed the necessity of the -E flag for that. Thanks.

            – gctwnl
            Jan 26 at 20:52










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          1 Answer
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          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          4














          You can use -E flag, from man:




          -E Interpret regular expressions followed by -regex and -iregex primaries as extended (modern) regular expressions rather than basic regular expressions (BRE's). The
          re_format(7) manual page fully describes both formats.




          In this case your find command will look like:



          find -E ~/Library -regex '.*(citrix|cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null





          share|improve this answer























          • Silly me. I was using re_format and has missed the necessity of the -E flag for that. Thanks.

            – gctwnl
            Jan 26 at 20:52















          4














          You can use -E flag, from man:




          -E Interpret regular expressions followed by -regex and -iregex primaries as extended (modern) regular expressions rather than basic regular expressions (BRE's). The
          re_format(7) manual page fully describes both formats.




          In this case your find command will look like:



          find -E ~/Library -regex '.*(citrix|cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null





          share|improve this answer























          • Silly me. I was using re_format and has missed the necessity of the -E flag for that. Thanks.

            – gctwnl
            Jan 26 at 20:52













          4












          4








          4







          You can use -E flag, from man:




          -E Interpret regular expressions followed by -regex and -iregex primaries as extended (modern) regular expressions rather than basic regular expressions (BRE's). The
          re_format(7) manual page fully describes both formats.




          In this case your find command will look like:



          find -E ~/Library -regex '.*(citrix|cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null





          share|improve this answer













          You can use -E flag, from man:




          -E Interpret regular expressions followed by -regex and -iregex primaries as extended (modern) regular expressions rather than basic regular expressions (BRE's). The
          re_format(7) manual page fully describes both formats.




          In this case your find command will look like:



          find -E ~/Library -regex '.*(citrix|cisco).*' -print 2>/dev/null






          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Jan 26 at 18:56









          Mateusz SzlosekMateusz Szlosek

          17.2k33852




          17.2k33852












          • Silly me. I was using re_format and has missed the necessity of the -E flag for that. Thanks.

            – gctwnl
            Jan 26 at 20:52

















          • Silly me. I was using re_format and has missed the necessity of the -E flag for that. Thanks.

            – gctwnl
            Jan 26 at 20:52
















          Silly me. I was using re_format and has missed the necessity of the -E flag for that. Thanks.

          – gctwnl
          Jan 26 at 20:52





          Silly me. I was using re_format and has missed the necessity of the -E flag for that. Thanks.

          – gctwnl
          Jan 26 at 20:52

















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