Introduction to UNIX Enter these as prompted by the OS: login name password All Unix Commands look like this. We will go over some basic ones. <name> - <options(s)> argument(s) 1. Managing Files: Unix is an OS. It therefore manages your files. All file systems are the same. They are based on a tree structure of directories (folders) and files. We will first look at managing files inside a directory. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ls: list files in the directory presently occupied. It works like dir in DOS options a - show all hidden (dot) files. These files configure your account. Do not discard or modify them until you know what you are doing! l - show files in long format usage: ls -<options> <directory> This lists files in the directory <directory>. If no directory is given, it lists them in your current directory. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- touch <fileName> creates an empty file with name <fileName> this is one of many ways to create a file in UNIX. Advice on filenames: 1. Do NOT put spaces in 'em. 2. start with a letter. Use only letters, numbers or underscore. 3. the character . has a special meaning. It demarcates a file extension. Here are common file extensions in UNIX: .cpp - c++ source file .c - c source file .tex - tex source file .html - web page content .jpeg - graphical format .bmp - bitmap graphical format .py - python source file .gif - graphical interchange format . Example of extension usage: quack.cpp - this is a c++ program named "quack" integrals.tex - this is a tex file named "integrals" Placing an extension on a file identifies it as belonging to a particular applicaton. Doing so also triggers syntax coloring in vi. This coloring is a powerful productivity tool that will save you endless mistakes and hours of work. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- mv: changes the name of a file. It works like ren in DOS. usage: mv <oldFileName> <newFileName> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- rm removes a file rm <fileName> removes the specified file. Once it's gone, it's gone forever! options i - asks if you are sure before file is removed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- _____________________________________________________________________________ Directories Directories are just like folders in Windows or MacOS. They hold files and other diredctories. Tree structure of UNIX. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- pwd - print working directory. Answers the question: Where am I? usage: pwd ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- cd - change directory; this allows you to navigage the direcdtory structure. usage cd - take me to my home directory. Everyone has a home directory. It is named ~<userName> cd <directory> - take me to the named directory cd .. climb up one in the directory structure ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- We will create a directory structure and navigate in it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- mkdir <name> makes a directory with indicated name. The directory is born empty. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- rmdir <name> removes the directory with name <name>. This command will *not* work if there are files present in the directory. This is to protect you from your own stupidity! To remove a directory with files in it, cd into the directory and remove its contents. mv you can use this command to move a file to a directory mv <fileName> <directory> moves a fileName into the indicated directory. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- _____________________________________________________________________________ Wildcards: UNIX has a feature called regular expressions. For now we will look at the simplest regular expressions (regexes). Type ls a* this lists all fies whose names begin with a the * character is a wildcard; it means "any string of characters". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get the program WinSCP to transfer files from a 'doze box to your unix account. The interface is simple and straightforward.
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