Dos command | Linux command | Description |
File basics |
copy | cp | CoPy file(s) |
ren | mv | MoVe (rename) file(s) |
del | rm | ReMove (delete) file(s) |
dir | ls | List files / Symbols |
Working on file contents |
- | file | What's in a file? |
type | cat | Display file contents |
| more | more | display file page by page |
- | head, tail | Display start, end of file |
- | diff | Report differences between files |
edit | vi guidelet | Edit a file |
Directory handling and navigation |
cd (no params) | pwd | Present Working Directory (where am I?) |
cd (with params) | cd | Change Directory |
md | mkdir | MaKe DIRectory |
rmdir | rmdir or rm -r | ReMove DIRectory |
If you're familiar with the Windows / MSDos command line any your're moving across to / occasionally using Linux, the table above may help you.
On both DOS and Linux, you start your command line with the name of the command and then provide any parameters you need,
space separated thereafter. Options to DOS commands are specified with switches of the form /x which are placed at the end of the command, whereas with Linux options are specified after the command name, and preceeded with a - sign.
Example:
dir *.*/w ... on MsDos
ls -l * ... on Linux
(written 2005-08-31, updated 2006-06-05)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
A101 - Web Application Deployment - Linux -An Introduction For Users [73] vi - full circle - (2004-10-04)
[74] pushd and popd - (2004-10-05)
[152] Aladdin, or careful what you wish. - (2004-12-15)
[249] An easy way out - (2005-03-17)
[431] File permissions of Linux and Unix systems - (2005-08-31)
[593] Finding where the disc space has gone - (2006-02-06)
[659] Web Application Components - (2006-03-28)
[679] More or less on the edge of the page - (2006-04-11)
[703] Copying files and preserving ownership - (2006-04-28)
[710] Linux training Glasgow, Python programming course Dundee - (2006-05-05)
[711] THE home directory or MY home directory - (2006-05-06)
[749] Cottage industry or production line data handling methods - (2006-06-07)
[984] Cardinal numbers and magic numbers - (2006-12-14)
[1012] Moving files between Windows / DOS and Linux / Unix - (2006-12-30)
[1013] Copy multiple files - confusing error message from cp - (2006-12-30)
[1068] ls -l report, Linux / Unix - types and permssions - (2007-02-06)
[1259] Where am I and how did I get here? - (2007-07-05)
[1287] Work and play at Well House Manor - Football and Shell Shortcuts - (2007-08-02)
[1288] Linux run states, shell special commands, and directory structures - (2007-08-03)
[1366] awk - a powerful data extraction and manipulation tool - (2007-09-25)
[1408] Wireless hotel tips - FTP and Skype connections failing - (2007-10-26)
[1438] Copy and paste / cut and paste and other vi techniques - (2007-11-20)
[1527] Selecting file names in a shell - one word or another - (2008-02-02)
[1651] ls command - favourite options - (2008-05-23)
[1764] Yank and Push - copy and move in vi - (2008-08-21)
[1803] FTP passive mode - a sometimes cure for upload hangs - (2008-09-20)
[1893] Some Linux and Unix tips - (2008-11-18)
[1897] Keeping on an even keel - (2008-11-21)
[1902] sstrwxrwxrwx - Unix and Linux file permissions - (2008-11-23)
[1904] Ruby, Perl, Linux, MySQL - some training notes - (2008-11-23)
[2201] Running straight from the jar, but not from a tar - (2009-05-26)
[2203] Always use su with minus. And where do programs come from? - (2009-05-27)
[2299] How much space does my directory take - Linux - (2009-07-20)
[2300] What does x on a linux directory mean? - (2009-07-21)
[2479] Accidentally typed ci rather than vi? - (2009-10-27)
[2494] Making Linux Politically correct - (2009-11-06)
[2636] Linux - useful tips including history and file name completion - (2010-02-15)
[2831] Recording (a macro) in vi - (2010-06-27)
[3179] Oops - I typed ci not vi, and have lost my file ... - (2011-02-21)
[3256] Displaying a directory or file system tree - Linux - (2011-04-22)
[3791] The Kernel, Shells and Daemons. Greek Gods in computing - (2012-07-01)
[3819] Packing a tar, jar or war file - best practise - (2012-07-26)
Some other Articles
Through public transport connection, Chippenham to Salisbury, to ceaseFTP - how to make the right transfersNew print centre for our manualsLinux commands - some basicsCharlie on MondaySwindon - Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge - Westbury train serviceThe Melksham train - a button is pushedRobust checking of data entered by usersCaching an XML feed