search¶

vb search [OPTIONS] PATTERN...

Description¶

Search the repository for PATTERN and show matches. Depending on options and how the administrator has search configured for the repository, the search can cover:

*   check-in comments (-c)
*   embedded documentation (--docs)
*   forum posts (--forum)
*   tickets (--tickets)
*   tech notes (--technotes)
*   wiki pages (--wiki)
*   built-in vb help text (-h)
*   all of the above (-a)

Use options below to select the scope of the search. The default is check-in comments only (-c).

Output is colorized if writing to a TTY and if the NO_COLOR environment variable is not set. Use the --highlight 0 option to disable colorization or use --highlight 91 to force it on. Change the argument to --highlight to change the color.

Options¶

-a, --all¶: Search everything

-c, --checkins¶: Search checkin comments

--docs¶: Search embedded documentation

--forum¶: Search forum posts

-h, --bi-help¶: Search built-in help

--highlight N¶: Used VT100 color N for matching text. 0 means off.

-n, --limit N¶: Limit output to N matches

--technotes¶: Search tech notes

--tickets¶: Search tickets

-W, --width WIDTH¶: Set display width to WIDTH columns, 0 for unlimited. Defaults to the terminal’s width.

--wiki¶: Search wiki

Examples¶

Init and open a repository

$ vb init search_repo.vbyte
project-id: dd48c342c51057de7336a817889fd9b5eab56a6c
server-id:  8c1fa1f22c294f57bcecc0876e32191074e09548
admin-user: ubuntu (initial remote-access password is "D6PHMiSNBw")
$ vb open -f search_repo.vbyte
project-name: <unnamed>
repository:   /tmp/sphinx_tests/5b86f2b1/search_repo/search_repo.vbyte
local-root:   /tmp/sphinx_tests/5b86f2b1/search_repo/
config-db:    /tmp/sphinx_tests/5b86f2b1/.visionbyte
project-code: dd48c342c51057de7336a817889fd9b5eab56a6c
checkout:     f160589563d37e2028ce67b166d25819cf73ee00 2026-04-07 06:51:37 UTC
tags:         trunk
comment:      initial empty check-in (user: ubuntu)
check-ins:    1

Create commits with messages to search

$ vb sys echo "a" > a.txt
$ vb add a.txt
ADDED  a.txt
$ vb ci -m "Add docs"
Committed version: e4725fcf226152577bbf06d13bd28732a4d16ec13d90300a9b7ef6f695a5ba00

$ vb sys echo "b" > b.txt
$ vb add b.txt
ADDED  b.txt
$ vb ci -m "Refactor module"
Committed version: b6a5339edee00fcdc0cee6663f18c1de8cf692e8ceabb5e3e10b3f0c1c180194

Enable search for check-in comments

$ vb fts-config enable check-in
check-in search:      on
document search:      off
ticket search:        off
wiki search:          off
technote search:      off
forum search:         off
built-in help search: off
tokenizer:            off
full-text index:      disabled

Search commit messages for keyword

$ vb search docs
Check-in [e4725fcf22] on 2026-04-07 06:51:38
     ... Add <MARK>docs</MARK> (user: ubuntu, tags: trunk) Add <MARK>docs</MARK>
     (user: ubuntu ... 
     2026-04-07 06:51:38