Chapter 3: Working with files and directories

Table of contents

• Chapter 3: Working with files and directories
  • Getting to the command prompt
  • Files and directories
    • Using files
    • Using directories
    • File and directory attributes
    • How the system manages files and directories
    • Filenaming conventions
  • Managing directories
    • How directories are organized
    • An example: what the system contains
    • Creating a directory
    • Listing the contents of a directory
    • Renaming a directory
    • Copying a directory
    • Removing a directory
    • Comparing directories
  • Navigating the filesystem
    • Finding out where you are in the system
    • Changing directory
    • Returning to your home directory
  • Creating links to files and directories
    • Creating a link to a file
    • Finding out whether a file has hard links
    • Creating a link to a directory
    • Navigating symbolic links
  • Mounting a filesystem
  • Managing files
    • Finding out what type of data a file contains
    • Looking at the contents of a file
    • Finding out how much text is in a file
    • Looking at the beginning and end of a file
    • Copying a file
    • Moving or renaming a file
    • Removing a file
    • Comparing files
    • Sorting the contents of a file
    • Searching for text in a file
    • Finding files
    • Retrieving deleted files
  • Specifying command input and output
    • Forcing a program to read standard input and output
  • Running a sequence of commands
    • Entering commands on the same line
    • Running commands in a pipeline
  • Access control for files and directories
    • Changing file permissions
    • Setting the default permissions for a new file
    • Giving a file to someone else
    • Finding out your group
    • Changing your current group
    • Changing the group of a file
  • Printing a file
    • Printing several copies of a file
    • Selecting a printer
    • Displaying a list of current print jobs
    • Canceling a print request
  • Getting help on the command line
    • Getting help when you are uncertain of the topic