Lesson 5: Managing the UNIX/Linux File System

• Name the three elements of a Unix file, and where each is stored.
• Be able to distinguish between text, data, programs, and directory files.
• Know how the xxd command can be used to look at data files.
• Be able to manage the files in your home directory using:
  • mkdir
  • cp
  • mv
  • rmdir
  • rm
  • ln

1. Managing The UNIX File System
   1. Filename Expansion Characters
      special characters that your shell recognizes to make it easier to specify file names. (wildcards)
      • *     matches all non-hidden filenames in the current directory when used alone
              matches zero or more characters when used as a prefix, infix or postfix.
      • ?     matches any single character in any of your current directory’s filenames.
      • []   matches any single character contained within the brackets.
   2. Managing Files
      1. Creating

         touch

         creates an empty ordinary file(s), or if the file already exists, it updates the time stamp.

         mkdir

         creates an empty directory(s)
         options: -p

      2. Copying
           cp <source file> <target file>
             <source file> <target directory>
             <source file> <source file> <target directory>
             options: -i -r
      3. Moving
           mv <source file> <target file>
             <source file> <target directory>
             <source file> <source file> <target directory>
      4. Renaming
           mv <original name> <new name>
      5. Removing
           rm <filename>...
             options: -i -r -f
           rmdir <directory name>
             Directories must be empty for this to work
      6. Linking
           ln <existing-name> <new-name>
             options: -s