Vi editor pattern matching

Question

Suppose the data is in following format in a log file.

    *******************************************
      Refreshing token for  app foo1
    *******************************************
      Refreshing token for  app foo2
    *******************************************
      Refreshing token for  app foo3
      Update application with name: foo3
      Done
      Waiting 1 second
    *******************************************

This data says that refresh token for foo1 and foo2 is incomplete and refresh token token for foo3 is complete.

I need to separate the apps for which refresh tokens didn't complete.

How to match foo1 and foo2 using vi editor.Any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

if you are using vim, with the file open:

<Esc>       To go to command mode
:1 <Enter>  to go to line 1
/           Start a search
\d          a digit
\n          followed by a newline
\*          followed by an escaped splat
<Enter>     You will be positioned at the first match
n           go to the next match

It will look like this at the bottom left:

/\d\n\*

Of course the digit matches your test data, but you'll have to tweak it to match your real data.

Answer 2

This is also working

 :set hlsearch
    /\*\{30,}\n\s\+Refreshing\stoken\sapp\s\a\a\a\d\n\*\{30,}

• :set hlsearch highlights the search results
• *{30,} Matches the line containing special character * occurring more than 30 times
• \\n Matches new line
• \\s\\+ Matches white space more than once
• \\a Matches a character
• \\d Matches a number