Re: Tips

[Kevin Forge <forge@myrealbox.com>]

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If someone explains that you should "edit this file with vi"
exchange "vi" with "joe", "kedit", "pico" or your favorite
editor and folow the other instructions verbatim.
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To extract a file with extension .tar.gz or .tgz
 tar -xzvf filename
x = extract
z = decompress gz file
v = verbose
f = use the following filename
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To extract a file with extension .tar.bz2
tar -xIvf filename
x = extract
v = verbose
f = use the following filename
I = decompress bz2 file
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To start a command from an xterm and leave the xterm free
commandname &
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where am i?
pwd
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list a files contents
less filename
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Query installed packages
rpm -qa | less
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Query files installed in a package
rpm -ql packagename
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Query package info
rpm -qi packagename
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docs usually in /usr/doc
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Quit vi with "Escape : q !"
Quit Emacs with "Ctrl-X,Ctrl-S"
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comand line editing tips.
Ctrl-A - goto start of line
Ctrl-E - goto end of line
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"du" - ( disk used ).  will tell you how much free space
you have on every mounted partition.
"du /dev/hda1" will tell you only about /dev/hda1
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df - disk free
cal - useful
mc - good console file manager
top - process monitor
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Try "ls -l" for a detailed view of your files
and "ls -s" which will show hiden files too.
"ls -ls" dose both
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Middle mouse button X text cut n paste
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"su" Switch to super user
"su username" Switch to another user
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"locate filename" - look for files
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Welcome to Indy's tip program. Everytime you log in you will presented
with a tip that we hope will make using linux easier and more efficient.
To disable the tips, to view details on the use of syntax, or to change
your preferance settings, just type "tips" (without the quotes) at the
prompt.
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Looking for a command you don't know the name off? Try searching the
manual (man) pages with: "man -k <keyword>".  where <keyword> is a word
that may apear in the page you need.
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Want to know the full path of a command? Try: whereis <command>
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Looking for a calculator on linux? Try 'bc'. e.g.: echo "4 + 3" | bc
[could do with some work and rewording]
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Want to clear the screen, and start with a blank one? Try "clear".
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Want to leave the terminal securely, without having to logout? Try the
command: "vlock"
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Want to search a file for a specif word, or group of words? Have a look
at
the 'grep' command with: man grep
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Want to send the output of a program to a file? Try redirecting the
output
with ">" or ">>" e.g.: date > file, will write the date to 'file', and:
date >> file, will add the date to the bottom of 'file'.
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Looking for a specific file, or type of file? Have a look at the
comprehensive 'find' command with: man find
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You can use the command 'tail' to display the bottom 'X' number of lines
of a file: tail -X <file>. The "-X" part may be ommitted if you wish.
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The tail command can also be used to track changes to a file as they
happen: tail -f <file>
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To count the number of words, charactures and/or lines in a text file
'file', you can use the command: wc <file>
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To spell check a text document, you can use a program called ispell:
ispell <file>.
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To look up words in the system dictionary, use the command: look <word>
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Looking for the delete command? Try 'rm'
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Want to send the output of a command to both a file and your screen?
Have
a look at the tee command.
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Want to compress or archive your files? Take a look at the 'tar' and
'gzip' man pages.
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'man -k <keyword>' will list every man page that mentiones <keyword>
'man -K <keyword>' will actualy let you read those man pages one at a
time.
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What to know what packages you have installed? The command "rpm -qa |
less" will tell you.
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A program you ran gave you too much information to be displayed on the
screen all at once? try 'piping' the output (using '|') to 'less' (e.g.:
"command | less")
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If you want to read a text file without opening up a word processor,
then
try 'cat <filename>' or 'less <filename>'
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For you local Linux User Group (lug) have a look at:
http://www.ssc.com/glue/groups/
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Want to see if your network is running? As root or using su, type
ifconfig
to see all established network connections.
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ssh is a safer way to log in remotly than telnet.  try
 man ssh
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Need some more help? Check out the Linux Docmentation Project (ldp)
online
at: http://www.linuxdoc.org/
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Having problems with your Indy set up? Have a look at our website
<http://www.independence.seul.org/> and if you're still stuck, join the
mailing list.
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What to keep upto date with the latest news and views about linux? Have
a
look at slashdot: http://www.slashdot.org/
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Looking for a program that wasn't included with Indy? Try:
http://www.freshmeat.net/
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Want to talk to the Indy development team, make suggestions about
improvements, or just ask questions that our website didn't answer? Join
the indy mailing list by: <subscription info>
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[BTW: I think we should have seperate developer and user mailing lists,
as
users probably won't want to join and hear all the discussions we have,
and the developers probably don't want to be slowed down by users asking
questions. We should probably keep the dev. list open, tho.]
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Forgotten who you are logged in as? Just as the computer "who am i"
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Computers prefer working in numbers, so your login name corresponds to a
number the computer has given you. To find out you number (User ID or
UID), along with other useful information, type "id".
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To find out how long you computer has been running for, how busy it has
been and how many people are currently logged on, use the 'uptime'
command.
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To find out information about what your computer is running, it's
machine
name, the version of the Operating System (OS) and what it is running
on,
use: "uname -a"
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Want to know the current date or time? Just ask your computer: "date".
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Have more than one person using your computer? Find out who is logged on
with the "who" command. To find out more information, just use "w"
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If you are having problems with a program, filename or password,
remember
that Unix is case snesitive. e.g "FileName" is not the same as
"filename"
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Want to create a hidden file? Then make sure the file has a period "."
at
the start of it's name: e.g. ".bash_history". These files will not then
show up when you type 'ls'. To list then, use "ls .*"
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Don't want to see the contents of directories when using "ls"? Use "ls
-d"
instead.
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Want to move to the directory you were last in? Use "cd -".
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Want to know what format a file you have is? Try: "file <filename>"
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Want to know how much disk space you have free? Try "df -h"
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Want to know how much room a directory takes up? Try "du -h <directory>"
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./ is a short hand for the directory you are currently in.
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Don't want other people to read your email or private files? Try
encrypting them with GnuPG or PGP.
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Don't understand the concepts of file permissions? Try reading
http://www.attrition.org/security/newbie/unix/man9/chmd.html
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If you want a secure password, don't use any words you'd find in a
dictionary, a name or sequences of words or numbers. Try to use a unique
password with a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers,
and
special characters.
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There's probably more where they came from.
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Have a command you want to know more about? That's where the man program
fits in. Type man <command> and it will give you the manual entry of
that
command.
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Why can you type the full name of a program and it runs sometimes and
not
others? This is because only programs that are in specific "bin"
directorys
can be run from anywhere
eg: /usr/bin /usr/X11R6/bin
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Tired of typing the same command over and over in a terminal?  Try
pushing
the up button to get the last command, and continue to push it until
you find the command you want.  These commands can be edited.
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Want to get to your home directory quickly?  "cd ~" will do it ever
time.
"cd" by itself works too.
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Feel you have too many or too little applications?  Use a Graphical
RedHat
Pacakage Manager Program easily install and uninstall programs.  Gnorpm
or
KPackage should suffice.
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You want to do root commands without actually being root all the time? 
type
"su" in terminal and type root password to get root power temporarily. 
type
su -c <command> to run a command that only root would have access to.
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Want to have a message pop-up when people login?  It's called motd,
standing
for message of the day, but at no means you have to change the message
every
day.  Easily as editing /etc/motd as root lets you write a message that
will
be shown when logging in.
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If you have the power to use the mouse in terminal highlight a word or
two
with the left mouse button and then paste it by clicking the right.
This is made posible by "gpm".  If it isn't running try
"/etc/rc.d/init.d/gpm start" as root
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These tips not enough information?  Connect to a linux chat room, post
on a
bulltien board or visit a website.  You'll find the help you need.
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Why doesn't this program run when I type it's name? Try putting a "./"
in
front of the name and then push enter.
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Want to try your hand at artwork? Try one of the best graphic programs
out
there, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP for short.
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For Some Reason X (Graphics) isn't working and your stranded?  Try The
Indy
Dialer to get on the internet and get help.
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Want to do more than one thing in console? Push Alt - F2, No I didn't
log
you out, Push Alt - F1 back to where you were.  Back to Alt - F2 and
login,
You can switch between these two and F3, F4, F5, and F6 to increase
productivity!
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What day of thr week is the 17th? Type cal to get a print out of the
month
in a calender format, type man cal to get more info.
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Trying out a program you have no idea how to get out of?  Ctrl-C will
usually do they trick, but you want to exit programs normally when you
can.
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Want to see if your network is running? As root or using su, type
ifconfig
to see all established network connections.
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What to know what your computer is doing? Well, "top" and "ps" can both
be used to show information on what processes (programs) are running,
their PID (process ID number) and more. top updates itself
automatically.
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Program not responding?  if you already know the name of the program try
"killall program".  If that dosn't work find the name of the program and
try
"pidof program" then "kill -s 9 <pid>" where <pid> is the number
returned
from the "pidof" command.
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Ever get stuck in 'vi'? Try pressing Esc, and then typing ":q"
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Ever see something like hda1? No, It's not Greek, Its pretty Simple,  hd
means HardDisk, a means the first harddisk, and 1 means first
partition.  So
hdb3 Means third parition on second harddrive.  If you see sba1 instead
of
hda1, then this just means your hard drive works using the SCSI
protocol.
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Want to remotely login to your linux machine from a remote computer? Or
let
friends log on? If its not  installed already install telnetserver using
rpm
or a graphical rpm program.  Then using the ip address of your computer
use
a simple telnet program to connect.
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Looking for some hot games? www.happypenguin.com
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Were you testing programming and when compiling with gcc all you got was
a.out? type ./a.out to run your program, but understand that gcc file.c
-o
program will name your program, "program" instead of a.out.
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Just because you use linux doesn't mean you can't talk to those who
aren't
as lucky.  Use gaim to talk to Aol buddy's or LlCQ to people who use
ICQ.
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Now that you use linux want to find some jokes only you, a linux user
would
get? www.userfriendly.org
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