Linux – How to run `less` and have it run a search pattern automatically

lesslinuxunix

I'm trying to run less in Linux, and I want it to search for something immediately after launch.

It's basically like doing this:

$ less

Then press '/', type a search pattern like "^commit \w+$", then press enter, and press 'n' to find each subsequent result.

I'd like less to be launched, and then search for a pattern. There doesn't seem to be anything in the man page about starting with a pattern, but perhaps you can send it commands like Vim.

Best Answer

From the man page:

   -ppattern or --pattern=pattern
          The  -p  option  on the command line is equivalent to specifying
          +/pattern; that is, it tells less to start at the  first  occur-
          rence of pattern in the file.

This works as expected using the latest version of less (436).

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