CSC 308 UNIX Basics

CSC 308 UNIX Basics

In addition to the SVN commands documented in the "SVN Basics" handout, there are few basic UNIX commands necessary for maintaining CSC 308 project files and directories. The commands are following:

Command	Description
`cp` source_file target_file `cp` source_file ... target_directory `cp ^_rp` source_directory target_directory	Copy files or directories. The first form copies the single source_file to the target_file. If the target exists, it is overwritten. If the target does not exist, it is created. The second form of `cp` copies one or more source_files into the target_directory. The target must exist. The third form recursively copies an entire source_directory hierarchy to the target_directory. If the target exists, the source is copied into it. If the target does not exist, it is created.
`mv` source target	Move the source file or directory to the target file or directory. If source is a file, target cannot be an existing directory.
`ln -s` source_file target	Create a symbolic link, i.e., an alias or short cut, from the source_file to the target. If the target is a file, it cannot exist. If the target is a directory, a file of same name as source_file cannot exist.
`mkdir` name	Make a directory of the given name. A file or directory of the given name cannot exist.
`rm` file ... `rm -r` directory `rmdir` directory	Remove files or directories. The first form removes one or more file(s). The second form recursively removes an entire directory hierarchy. The third form removes an empty directory.
`cd` directory	Change the current working directory to the given directory.
`pwd`	Print the current working directory.
`chmod` permissions file ... `chmod -R` permissions directory	Change the permissions mode of the given file(s) to the given permissions. The first form changes one or more files. The second form recursively changes all files in the given directory. The permissions argument is a octal number with values defined as follows: 0400 Allow read by owner. 0200 Allow write by owner. 0100 Allow execute (search in directory) by owner. 0700 Allow read, write, and execute (search) by owner. 0040 Allow read by group. 0020 Allow write by group. 0010 Allow execute (search in directory) by group. 0070 Allow read, write, and execute (search) by group. 0004 Allow read by others. 0002 Allow write by others. 0001 Allow execute (search in directory) by others. 0007 Allow read, write, and execute (search) by others.
`ls` `ls -sal`	List the contents of the current directory. The first form lists just the file names, not including files staring with ".". The second form gives a long-form listing of all files, including their sizes, modification dates, and permissions.
`man` command_name	Print the detailed manual page for the given command_name.

In the preceding commands, file and directory arguments are specified as a path name, in one of these forms:

a single name, referring to a file in the current directory
the period character, which stands for the current working directory
two period characters, which stands for the parent directory of the current working directory
two or more names separated by forward slashes, referring to a file in a sub(sub...)directory

A path that starts with a leading slash is an absolute path, referring to a file from the root of the entire file system. A path that starts with ~user_id is relative to the home directory of user whose UNIX ID is user_id. A tilde character by itself refers the current user's home directory.

Here are some examples of typical commands useful in CSC 308.

Exmaple Command Description

cd
- or -
cd ~
Change to your home directory. Your home directory is the default when you initially log in, so this command is only necessary when you've used cd to change to some other directory.

mkdir cpe308
Make a directory named "cpe308".

chmod 700 cpe308
Change the permissions of cpe308 so that no one but you can access the files.

cd cpe308
Change into the cpe308 directory.

cp ~gfisher/classes/308/handouts/unix-commands.html .

Copy the file ~gfisher/classes/308/handouts/unix-commands.html into the current directory, i.e., cpe308.

rm unix-commands.html
Remove the unix-commands.html file -- you've decided to make a link instead.

ln -s ~gfisher/classes/308/handouts/unix-commands.html .

Make a symbolic link to ~gfisher/classes/308/handouts/unix- commands.html into the current directory. A symbolic link is the same as a short cut in Windows.

man ls
Print the manual page information for the ls command.

Exmaple Command	Description
`cd` - or - `cd ~`	Change to your home directory. Your home directory is the default when you initially log in, so this command is only necessary when you've used `cd` to change to some other directory.
`mkdir cpe308`	Make a directory named "`cpe308`".
`chmod 700 cpe308`	Change the permissions of `cpe308` so that no one but you can access the files.
`cd cpe308`	Change into the `cpe308` directory.
`cp ~gfisher/classes/308/handouts/unix-commands.html .`	Copy the file `~gfisher/classes/308/handouts/unix-commands.html` into the current directory, i.e., `cpe308`.
`rm unix-commands.html`	Remove the unix-commands.html file -- you've decided to make a link instead.
`ln -s ~gfisher/classes/308/handouts/unix-commands.html .`	Make a symbolic link to `~gfisher/classes/308/handouts/unix- commands.html` into the current directory. A symbolic link is the same as a short cut in Windows.
`man ls`	Print the manual page information for the `ls` command.