1*62442Sbostic.\" Copyright (c) 1989, 1990, 1993 2*62442Sbostic.\" The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. 319346Smckusick.\" 448598Scael.\" %sccs.include.redist.roff% 519346Smckusick.\" 6*62442Sbostic.\" @(#)whatis.1 8.1 (Berkeley) 06/06/93 740387Sbostic.\" 848598Scael.Dd 948598Scael.Dt WHATIS 1 1048598Scael.Os BSD 4 1148598Scael.Sh NAME 1248598Scael.Nm whatis 1348598Scael.Nd describe what a command is 1448598Scael.Sh SYNOPSIS 1548598Scael.Nm whatis 1648598Scael.Op Fl M Ar path 1748598Scael.Op Fl m Ar path 1848598Scael.Ar command Ar ... 1948598Scael.Sh DESCRIPTION 2048598Scael.Nm Whatis 2140387Sbosticlooks up a given command and gives the header line from the manual page. 2240387SbosticYou can then use the 2348598Scael.Xr man 1 2440387Sbosticcommand to get more information. 2548598Scael.Pp 2640387SbosticThe options are as follows: 2748598Scael.Bl -tag -width Fl 2848598Scael.It Fl M Ar path 2948598ScaelOverride the list of standard directories 3048598Scael.Nm whatis 3148598Scaelsearches for its database named 3248598Scael.Dq Pa whatis.db . 3340387SbosticThe supplied 3448598Scael.Ar path 3548598Scaelmust be a colon 3648598Scael.Dq \&: 3748598Scaelseparated list of directories. 3848598ScaelThis search path may also be set using the environment variable 3948598Scael.Ev MANPATH . 4048598Scael.It Fl m Ar path 4148598ScaelAugment the list of standard directories 4248598Scael.Nm whatis 4348598Scaelsearches for its database named 4448598Scael.Dq Pa whatis.db . 4540387SbosticThe supplied 4648598Scael.Ar path 4748598Scaelmust be a colon 4848598Scael.Dq \&: 4948598Scaelseparated list of directories. 5040387SbosticThese directories will be searched before the standard directories 5140387Sbosticor the directories supplied with the 5248598Scael.Fl M 5340387Sbosticoption or the 5448598Scael.Ev MANPATH 5548598Scaelenvironment variable are searched. 5648598Scael.El 5748598Scael.Sh ENVIRONMENT 5848598Scael.Bl -tag -width MANPATH 5948598Scael.It Ev MANPATH 6040387SbosticThe standard search path used by 6148598Scael.Xr man 1 6240387Sbosticmay be overridden by specifying a path in the 6348598Scael.Ev MANPATH 6448598Scaelenvironment variable. 6548598Scael.El 6648598Scael.Sh FILES 6748598Scael.Bl -tag -width whatis.db 6848598Scael.It Pa whatis.db 6948598Scaelname of the whatis database 7048598Scael.El 7148598Scael.Sh SEE ALSO 7248598Scael.Xr apropos 1 , 7348598Scael.Xr man 1 , 7448598Scael.Xr whereis 1 7548598Scael.Sh HISTORY 7648598ScaelThe 7748598Scael.Nm 7848598Scaelcommand appeared in 7948598Scael.Bx 3.0 . 80