UNIX Commands

This is a summary of UNIX commands. This is only the basic command list to help you navigate through a UNIX system.

Check out this SITE for a more detailed introduction to UNIX.

Directory Structure

/dir1/dir2/dir3/file

File is in directory dir3, which is a subdirectory of dir2, which is a subdirectory of dir1, which is a subdirectory of the top-level directory, / (root).

.          current directory.
..         parent directory-directory directly above the current directory.
dir1/dir2  relative pathname-directories below the current directory.

Wild Cards

? matches exactly one character.
* matches zero or more characters.
[ ] matches any of the characters within the square brackets.

Command Options

The most basic command syntax for a command is:

command [arg1][arg2]...[argn].

Commands can have options, usually preceded by a "-", which modify the command. The syntax is:

command -ab..m[arg1][arg2]...[argn].

These options may also have arguments. The option arguments precede the command arguments. The syntax is:

command -ab..m[arga][argb]...[argn].

The table below is a listing of useful UNIX commands that will make file manipulation easier for mosaic or Netscape applications. These commands are only useful on UNIX computers.

Directories

 
pwd
Description: shows working(current) directory
Example:     pwd

mkdir
Description: makes a directory 
Example:     mkdir directory

rmdir
Description: remove an empty directory
Example:     rmdir directory

cd
Description: changes working directory to dir d 
Example:     cd assign1

ls
Description: list the filenames in dir d
             Note that you can have multiple arguments 
             for the list command. 
Example:     ls -ab..m

Files

rm
Description: remove file or files from the directory
Example:     rm file [...filename]

cp
Description: copy file 1 to file2 or to another directory,
             keeping the same filename
Example:     cp file1.ext file2.ext

mv
Description: move or rename file1 to file2
Example:     mv file1.ext file2.ext

cat
Description: display contents of file, or catenate
             contents of file to file2
Example:     cat file1.ext file2.ext

Networking

telnet
Description: interactively login to remote node
Example:     telnet oak.grove.iup.edu

ftp
Description: transfer files between login node and remote node
Example:     ftp avocet.ma.iup.edu
                 
rlogin
Description: interactively login to remote UNIX node
Example:     rlogin egret


rcp
Description: copy to a remote UNIX node. This will copy file1 on node n1
             file2 on node n2. If n1 or n2 are missing,
             the node is assumed to be the login node
Example:     avocet: /usr/users/assign1/outfile
                            
Editors

vi
Description: invoke visual or screen editor on document1 
Example:     vi document1
                    
Emacs
Description: invoke emacs editor on document1
Example:     emacs document1

pico
Description: invoke pico editor on document1
Example:     pico document1

Help

man
Description: display UNIX on-line manual page about command
Example:     man rm

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