The file system
The file tree
/
tmp lost+found lib usr bin etc dev home proc
adm spool bin man src include local lib dsk ...
mail cron ... bin lib src <application>
The file tree
• Hierarchical structure of files and directories
• The root is denoted by `/`.
• Paths are separated by `/`.
• Object names are case-sensitive sequences of up to 255
characters.
• It is preferable not to use the characters: ?, *, &. `, ',",<,>.
• advisable to limit to:A to Z , a to z, 0 to 9, the
underscore character ` _`, the dash `-` and the dot `.`.
The file tree
•The dot ( . ) as the first character of a name signifies a
hidden file.
•Avoid names containing accented characters or blanks.
•The dot ( . ) does not necessarily separate the name from its extension.
• Examples:
report.ps.gz
postgresql-2.3.6-src.tar.Z
README
The main directories
● /boot: contains files required for system startup.
● /bin , /sbin, /usr/bin, /usr/sbin,...: contains binary files
● /etc: contains system configuration files
● /home: contains home directories for single users
● /root: contains the administrator's home directory .
● /usr: contains the rest of the system's data and programs
The paths
• Each object (file or directory) can be accessed in two ways
possible ways :
• Absolute path: specify the name of the object by giving its
complete access path starting from the root of the tree ( / )
Example: /usr/local/seminars/learning/text1
•Relative path: specify object name with path relative to
current directory.
Example: seminars/learning/text1
Represents the relative name of text1 with respect to the
current directory /usr/local
Handling directories
• mkdir Creates a directory
• rmdir deletes an empty directory
• cd change directory
• pwd displays working directory.
Create a directory
• mkdir: Creates an empty directory
•You need to take into account where you are when creating a directory
if the directory_name is relative (i.e. doesn't start with / ).
•You can create a whole branch of directories
•Syntax :
$ mkdir [option] rep1 rep2...repn
•Examples:
$mkdir folder
$mkdir -p grandpere/pere/son
Delete a directory
• rmdir: Remove Directory, deletes an empty directory
• Syntax
•$rmdir directory_name
•Example:
•rmdir p6
Changing a directory
• cd : Change Directory, go to another directory
• Syntax
$cd [options] [directory_name]
• Examples:
$cd go to connection directory.
$cd .. go to parent directory of current directory.
$cd /usr/share/go to /usr/share/ directory
Where am I?
•pwd : Print Working Directory: Displays the absolute name of the
current directory
•For example:
•cd /usr/share/doc
$ cd ..
$ pwd
/usr/share
File handling
•ls displays a file's attributes.
•cp copy files.
•touch creates afile
•file gives the type a file
•rm delete files.
•mv rename or move a file
The ls command
• ls: display the list of objects in the specified location.
Syntax :
$ ls [options] [parameters]
Examples:
$ls
$ls -a
$ls -al
$ls -alh
The ls command: Examples
$ ls
Rep text1 text2 text3
$ ls –a displays hidden files
./ ../ .cache Rep text1 text2 text3
$ ls -l
drwxr-xr-x 2 user1 group1 89 Sep4 16:34 Rep
-rwxr--r-- 3 user 2 group1 71 Sep 4 16:34 text1
ls command output
The -l option is present for each object displayed:
1) object type
2) The 9 characteristics of object protection.
3) The number of physical links pointing to the object
(not part of our course)
4) User name (owner).
5) The group to which the owner user belongs.
6) Object size in bytes.
7) Date and time of last modification.
The cp command
• cp: copy files from a source to a destination
● Syntax :
$cp [options ] source destination
• If destination is a directory, then copy source to this directory,
keeping the same name.
• If destination does not exist, then create a destination file with
t h e same content as the source file.
•If the destination file exists, confirmation will be requested
before replacing the existing file
The cp command
•Some options:
•-i: to request confirmation when an action has been performed
•-R allows recursive copying of directories (all their contents)
The mv command
•mv: move or rename a file.
•Syntax :
$mv [ options ] source destination
Options :
•i: request confirmation
Example1:To move a file to another directory and give it a new name, type
the following:
mv intro manual/chap1
This moves the intro file to the manual/chap1 directory. The
name intro is removed from the current directory, and the same file
appears as chap1 in the manual directory.
The mv command
Example 2:To move a file to another directory, keeping the same
name, type the following:
mv chap3 manual
This moves chap3 to manual/chap3.
Example 3:
To rename a file, type the following:
mv appendix apndx.a
This renames the appendix file to apndx.a.
If a file named apndx.a already exists, its old contents are
replaced with those of the appendix file.
The rm command
rm : ReMove : delete a file
●
Caution! The file cannot be recovered
●
● Syntax :
$rm [option ] file
• Option :
-i confirmation request ( desirable)
-f to force deletion
-R or –r to delete the contents of a directory recursively
The rm command
Example 1:To delete the file named myfile, type the
following:
rm myfile
Example2: To delete all the files in the mydir directory, one
by one, type the following:
rm -i mydir/*
After each file name displays, type y and press Enter to delete the
file. Or to keep the file, just press Enter.
The touch command
• touch: Creates an empty file
• if the name doesn't exist, it will be created
• If the name exists then the modification date will be changed.
• Syntax :
$ touch file_name
• Example:
$touch linux.txt
$ls
linux.txt
