Comments on: Directories, Files, and Path Names http://www.freemacunix.com/directories-files-and-path-names/ Terminal for the Rest of Us Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:09:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Nathan Sweeney http://www.freemacunix.com/directories-files-and-path-names/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Nathan Sweeney Sat, 14 Oct 2006 05:37:35 +0000 http://www.freemacunix.com/directories-files-and-path-names/#comment-53 Two more things to keep in mind are the '.' and '..' for directories. When using one period, as in cd ./Music, you are referring to the current directory. In my head, I think of it as 'here', so 'here slash Music' would refer to the Music directory under the current working directory. This is a relative path. When using two periods, as in cd .., you are referring to the parent directory, ie the directory above the one you are currently in. So if I were in my home directory, /Users/nathansweeney, typing ls -l .. would list files and directories in the /Users directory. Or cd ../.. would change directory up one, then up one again, so up 2 directories from where you were. And, don't forget the pwd command to show your present working directory if you get lost in the file tree. Two more things to keep in mind are the ‘.’ and ‘..’ for directories.

When using one period, as in cd ./Music, you are referring to the current directory. In my head, I think of it as ‘here’, so ‘here slash Music’ would refer to the Music directory under the current working directory. This is a relative path.

When using two periods, as in cd .., you are referring to the parent directory, ie the directory above the one you are currently in. So if I were in my home directory, /Users/nathansweeney, typing ls -l .. would list files and directories in the /Users directory. Or cd ../.. would change directory up one, then up one again, so up 2 directories from where you were.

And, don’t forget the pwd command to show your present working directory if you get lost in the file tree.

]]> By: Brian http://www.freemacunix.com/directories-files-and-path-names/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Brian Sat, 14 Oct 2006 00:37:41 +0000 http://www.freemacunix.com/directories-files-and-path-names/#comment-52 You might want to mention that Folder names with spaces or other special characters in them need to be handled with care. Putting a backslash in front a space or special character will suffice in most cases: Folder: Users -> Brian -> My Stuff -> Brian's Pics Directory: /Users/Brian/My\ Stuff/Brian\'s\ Pics You might want to mention that Folder names with spaces or other special characters in them need to be handled with care. Putting a backslash in front a space or special character will suffice in most cases:

Folder: Users -> Brian -> My Stuff -> Brian’s Pics
Directory: /Users/Brian/My\ Stuff/Brian\’s\ Pics

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