Using Directories



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Using Directories

Here is an example in which user bohr goes exploring and is careful to keep track of where he is and what is around him:  

login:bohr User bohr logs in.
Password: Bohr enters password - you can't see it.
Welcome to OSU's Comphy Mate See, Unix really is friendly!
% pwd Print working directory.
/usr/bohr Ah, my home directory.
% ls List files and subdirectories.
class homefire.burn letters
% cd class Move to subdirectory class.
% ls -CF Coded listing.
mybin/ plot* hw A directory (/), executable (*), & plain files.
% cd .. Move to preceding directory.
% pwd Tell me where I am!
/u/bohr Ah, home again.
% cd bohr/class/mybin Go directly to subdirectory mybin.

Notice that the computer gives no response after changing directories. This is typical for many Unix commands; if they work properly, the computer simply returns the prompt. If not, you get an error message. At first, bohr moved forward in small steps, and later jumped around in really big steps by using the full path names. Big steps are quicker, but for beginners it is probably more comforting to move step by step, letting the computer tell you where you are at each step and what's there.gif This is not so tedious if the cd and ls commands are combined, for example,

% cd; ls Move to home directory, list files.
class homefire.burn letters The old files at home.
% cd class Move to class directory.
% ls List files.
mybin plot hw Files in class.

To tell what's in a directory without going through the trouble of changing into it, just issue the ls command indicating the path leading to that directory from the present one. For example,

% ls /usr/local List contents of directory usr/local.
bin class lib slatec src The contents.

Even if local is a file rather than a directory, listing it won't spill out its contents or do any harm. Unix will just tell you its name (the ls -l version tells you about the file). Now we list the contents of a directory two levels below usr (without visiting it):

% ls /usr/local/class List contents of class in /usr/local.
exam.f
% ls -l /usr/local/class/exam.f Long listing of file exam.f.
-rw-r-r- 1 bohr 3784 Mar 2 18:57 src/asr/asr2.c



next up previous contents index
Next: Making and Removing Up: Your Home Directory Previous: Working with Directories