search-forward(2)

NAME

search-forward - Search for a string in the forward direction
search-backward - Search for a string in the backward direction

SYNOPSIS

n search-forward "string" (C-x s)
n search-backward "string" (C-x r)

DESCRIPTION

search-forward searches for a string from the current cursor position to the end of the file. The string is typed on the bottom line of the screen, and terminated with the <ESC> key. Special characters can be typed in by preceding them with a ^Q. A single ^Q indicates a null string. On successive searches, hitting <ESC> alone causes the last search string to be reused.

Searching is affected by magic(2m) mode, which allows regular expression pattern matching, and exact(2m) mode which makes the search case sensitive.

The numeric argument n is interpreted as follows:

n > 0


The nth occurrence of the string is located.

n < 0


The first occurrence of the string is located in the next n lines.

search-forward does not search through text that is hidden with narrow-buffer(2). Where a search through hidden regions is required then narrow-search-forward(3) should be used instead.

search-backward searches backwards in the file. In all other ways it is like search-forward.

DIAGNOSTICS

The command returns a status of FALSE if the string could not be located (or nth string where n occurrences are requested). If the string is found within the given search criteria the return status is TRUE.

SEE ALSO

buffer-mode(2), exact(2m), hunt-backward(2), hunt-forward(2), isearch-forward(2), narrow-search-forward(3), magic(2m), replace-string(2), search-buffer(2).
Regular Expressions

Ref: search-forward(2) File: m2cmd116.2 Date: 2022/06/12

(c) Copyright JASSPA 2026