: list bib items that match pattern in the 4th line after item name file="/u/faculty/dick/newbib.mth" export file if [ $# -lt 1 ] then exit 1 fi pattern="$1" export pattern awk '/^\. /{ nitem=NR; item=$0; } {if(NR == nitem+5) print item "\t" $0 "\n"; } ' <$file | egrep -i "$pattern"