RANDSTR
Section: User Commands (1)
Updated: October 1995
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NAME
randstr - fetch a random text string from a specified file
SYNOPIS
randstr filename
DESCRIPTION
In essence,
randstr
is a stripped-down, minimalist version of the popular
fortune(6)
program.
It reads files with the same structure as the fortunes databases, and
displays a random string.
Usage
randstr
might be used, with a database of signatures created with a text editor
and the
strfile(8) and unstr(8)
utilities, to randomly change the
$HOME/.signature
file. To do so, create the necessary database as, for example,
signatures and signatures.dat
in the home directory, and add the following line to
.profile or .login:
-
randstr signatures
>.signature
As superuser, a similar sort of thing could be placed in the
Pnews(1) or Rnmail(1)
scripts, although it should certainly test to be certain that the files
exist, and creating the files of signatures might require a good deal of
help for a lot of users.
Also as superuser, one might use
randstr
with a shell or
Perl
script to read the
etc/passwd
database and create a
strfile
type database, and use this database to run a monthly lottery.
BUGS
None known.
SEE ALSO
fortune(6), strfile(1)
Index
- NAME
-
- SYNOPIS
-
- DESCRIPTION
-
- Usage
-
- BUGS
-
- SEE ALSO
-
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