1*48598Scael.\" Copyright (c) 1989, 1990 The Regents of the University of California. 240387Sbostic.\" All rights reserved. 319346Smckusick.\" 4*48598Scael.\" %sccs.include.redist.roff% 519346Smckusick.\" 6*48598Scael.\" @(#)whatis.1 6.7 (Berkeley) 04/23/91 740387Sbostic.\" 8*48598Scael.Dd 9*48598Scael.Dt WHATIS 1 10*48598Scael.Os BSD 4 11*48598Scael.Sh NAME 12*48598Scael.Nm whatis 13*48598Scael.Nd describe what a command is 14*48598Scael.Sh SYNOPSIS 15*48598Scael.Nm whatis 16*48598Scael.Op Fl M Ar path 17*48598Scael.Op Fl m Ar path 18*48598Scael.Ar command Ar ... 19*48598Scael.Sh DESCRIPTION 20*48598Scael.Nm Whatis 2140387Sbosticlooks up a given command and gives the header line from the manual page. 2240387SbosticYou can then use the 23*48598Scael.Xr man 1 2440387Sbosticcommand to get more information. 25*48598Scael.Pp 2640387SbosticThe options are as follows: 27*48598Scael.Bl -tag -width Fl 28*48598Scael.It Fl M Ar path 29*48598ScaelOverride the list of standard directories 30*48598Scael.Nm whatis 31*48598Scaelsearches for its database named 32*48598Scael.Dq Pa whatis.db . 3340387SbosticThe supplied 34*48598Scael.Ar path 35*48598Scaelmust be a colon 36*48598Scael.Dq \&: 37*48598Scaelseparated list of directories. 38*48598ScaelThis search path may also be set using the environment variable 39*48598Scael.Ev MANPATH . 40*48598Scael.It Fl m Ar path 41*48598ScaelAugment the list of standard directories 42*48598Scael.Nm whatis 43*48598Scaelsearches for its database named 44*48598Scael.Dq Pa whatis.db . 4540387SbosticThe supplied 46*48598Scael.Ar path 47*48598Scaelmust be a colon 48*48598Scael.Dq \&: 49*48598Scaelseparated list of directories. 5040387SbosticThese directories will be searched before the standard directories 5140387Sbosticor the directories supplied with the 52*48598Scael.Fl M 5340387Sbosticoption or the 54*48598Scael.Ev MANPATH 55*48598Scaelenvironment variable are searched. 56*48598Scael.El 57*48598Scael.Sh ENVIRONMENT 58*48598Scael.Bl -tag -width MANPATH 59*48598Scael.It Ev MANPATH 6040387SbosticThe standard search path used by 61*48598Scael.Xr man 1 6240387Sbosticmay be overridden by specifying a path in the 63*48598Scael.Ev MANPATH 64*48598Scaelenvironment variable. 65*48598Scael.El 66*48598Scael.Sh FILES 67*48598Scael.Bl -tag -width whatis.db 68*48598Scael.It Pa whatis.db 69*48598Scaelname of the whatis database 70*48598Scael.El 71*48598Scael.Sh SEE ALSO 72*48598Scael.Xr apropos 1 , 73*48598Scael.Xr man 1 , 74*48598Scael.Xr whereis 1 75*48598Scael.Sh HISTORY 76*48598ScaelThe 77*48598Scael.Nm 78*48598Scaelcommand appeared in 79*48598Scael.Bx 3.0 . 80