Finding files
- locate: First you need to run updatedb. Note that updatedb can only see those files the user who runs it has permissions to do so. Thus, if you run it as root, you open up a security hole: Anybody could see the filenames of other users. Descriptive filenames in public can reveal private information). Many systems are set to run this as a cron job in the wee hours of the morning as user nobody, who only has limited rights. So, as long as you have left your computer on, your locate-database is updated daily (Or better: nightly). Some systems also run updatedb after startup if the computer has not been on at the scheduled time. This disk-activity without visible cause often irritates users. There is more to know about locate and updatedb
- mc (Midnight Commander) is a filemanager that has a command for finding files. F9, go under the Command option, and the second option from the top is “Find File—M-?” Just plug the filename, or the part of it that you know along with an *, into the blank and let it work. It will produce a list of files that fit that description and you can choose from the list.
- The TAB key works wonders for finding the name of a command if you know the first letter. Type the letter on the command line and then hit TAB twice and you will get a list of all commands beginning with that letter.
- apropos can help you find a command name too. Type apropos followed by a word that is related to what you are looking for on the command line. You can also use grep to narrow it down. For example: apropos mouse |grep config to find something about configuring the mouse.
- Tracker or other indexing programs. See LBlog article.
- Last but not least, there is find. I go to the top level of the directory that I feel the file is in. Then on the command line type:
find . -name The dot after “find” says to search the directory you are in and to search down into all directories below there recursively.
- Find the files that are bigger than 100Mb: change to the top of the directory you want to look at for example cd ~ and then run this command:
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Welcome to LinuxBasics.org - The online community that helps people to get Linux installed and running.
During this tour, we will guide you through our website, which has many facets which wait to be explored
The biggest project we are running is our Linux course, based on the LBook.
The book is stored in wiki-format, which enables us to update and correct it as we go.
Discussion for the course is on our Forum
Our Forum is used for discussion of Linux and for questions and answers.
Search the mailing-list that was used prior to the Forum.
The questions and answers from the list are stored in the list's archives in order to help others with the same problems.
Every weekend, we meet to chat in IRC. These meetings are NOT mandatory, but are a nice chance to get to know each other better.
IRC is also a great tool to solve many problems, since it is very quick and easy to ask for more details if you need them.
The tutorials are one of the oldest sections on the LBo-website.
Here you find explanations on how to do specific tasks in Linux. Many of the tutorials were created after a certain problem
has been discussed (and usually solved :) on the mailing-list.
The tutorials are categorized in
In the links section, you find outbound links to other valuable resources.
One of our later additions to the site. We maintain a mirror of the Linux Documentation Project. This is our contribution to the "home of the HOWTOs"
Another later addition is the LBlog which focuses on how to do stuff on the Linux Desktop. It begins with the basics on installing Ubuntu.
Using the integrated site-search, you can search the tutorials, the LBook and all other wiki-pages
Simply type the search term into the box in the upper-right corner of our webpages
As a community, we depend on your feedback and collaboration. So, if you have something to share with others, please contact us. If you have a suggestion for a topic you would like to see covered here, please add it on the Wishlist.
There are many ways to contribute: You can answer questions on the Forum, you can write a complete tutorial or just a step-by-step documentation on how you completed a specific task using linux. Ask questions if the information on this site is not clear, tell us if we got something wrong, spell-check our writings, whatever.
We are looking forward to meeting you at LinuxBasics.org
Anita, Jisao, Sam and Stefan