Basic UNIX Commands

This computer runs the UNIX operating system. UNIX is a very compact and powerful command language (a language used to give operating systems commands to follow).

Filenames in UNIX include the name and sometimes a period followed by an extension. Note that UNIX is case-sensitive for filenames. For example, the files example.cpp and Example.cpp are two different filenames in UNIX.

In commands '*' is very useful. For example, *.cpp refers to all files which have a .cpp extension, and *.* refers to all files.

Some of the commands that you will need to use are:

• man - Online manual (help). Allows you to get more information about a UNIX commands.

  	man ls		- information about the command ls. 
  
  	man man		- information about the command man.
  

• ls - Tells you what files you have.

  	ls		- lists all the files. 
  
  	ls example.cpp	- lists if the file example.cpp exists.  
  
  	ls *.cpp	- lists all files with a .cpp extension. 
  

• more - Shows you what is in a file. Use this command only with your ASCII files such as your C++ source files (those with a .cpp extension).

  	more example.cpp	- displays the file example.cpp
  

• lp - Prints out on paper what is in a file. Use this command only with your ASCII files such as your C++ source files (those with a .cpp extension).

  	lp example.cpp	- prints out the file example.cpp on the line printer
  

• lpstat - Shows what the printer is currently doing and what it will do in the near future.

• mv - Renames a file.

  	mv ex.cpp example.cpp	- changes the filename ex.cpp to example.cpp 
  
  

• rm - Removes or deletes a file.

  	rm example.cpp	- deletes the file example.cpp 
  
  	rm *.cpp	- deletes all files with a .cpp extension.
  			  Not a good idea. 
  
  	rm *.*		- deletes all files.
  			  Especially not a good idea.
  

• exit - Tells it that you are done using your account. Same as logout.

UNIX Directory Commands

These are the UNIX command line commands to work with directories.

Anytime that you are using your account you are in a working directory. By default the working directory is your home directory.

Some special directory references:

. - current directory

.. - parent directory

~ - home directory

Some of the commands that you will need to use are:

• mkdir or mk - Creates a directory

  	mkdir Project1	- creates a directory called Project1 
  
  	mk Project1	- does the same thing
  

• rmdir - Deletes a directory

  	rmdir Project1	- deletes the directory called Project1
  

• pwd - Prints the working directory

  	pwd
  

• cd - Changes the working directory

  	cd Project1	- Changes the working directory to the subdirectory Project1  
  
  	cd ..		- Changes the working directory to the parent directory  
  
  	cd		- Changes the working directory to the home directory