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Unix Commands
Note: You can use these commands at the Unix system prompt.
| more the pipe symbol (|), located above the backward slash (\) key, and the word more can be used after Unix listing commands (such as ls or cat filename) to display information one screen at a time (ls |more or cat filename |more). Press Enter or the Spacebar to scroll forward.
banner word displays the word or words you enter after the banner command in large print. For example, the command banner summer will display the word summer.
cal displays a calendar for the current month
cal year
 displays a calendar for a specific year. For example, the command cal 1999 will display a calendar for 1999.
cal month year displays a calendar for a specific month and year. For example, the command cal 10 1999 will display a calendar for October 1999.
cat filename displays the contents of a  file
cat filename filename > new file copies one or more files to a newly created file
cat filename >> destination file adds one file to another file
cd moves back to your home directory
cd directory changes the current or working directory to another directory
cd .. moves back one directory
cp filename newfilename makes a copy of a file with a new name.  To copy the file to another directory, use the command:  cp filename directoryname or cp filename directoryname/newfilename
chmod changes the read, write, and execute permissions of specified files and the search permissions of specified directories.  For example, the command chmod 711 directorypath gives public access to that directory.  The command chmod 644 filename also gives public access to the listed file. You must be in the directory where the file is stored.
chfn allows you to change the information displayed about you when someone uses the finger command with your userID
finger userID displays login information about the userID indicated
fmt filename > newfilename sets the width of a file.  Filename is the file you wish to format, and newfilename is the filename you wish to give the formatted file.  If you bring a file into a mail message, and the lines do not wrap, but instead show dollar signs at the end, this command will set the width to wrap.
getacl filename displays a list of all the people who read from, write to, and/or execute a particular file in your account. (For more info on this command, see the ACL document.)
head filename displays the first ten lines of a file
head -# filename displays the specified number of lines from the top of the file.  For example, the command head -8 budget displays the first eight lines from the file titled budget.
history | more displays of list of the last forty commands issued at the Unix prompt
kill -9 process# kills a process.  (Use ps command to list current processes.)
ls lists directory contents and file information
ls -a lists all files including hidden files
ls -F lists files and subdirectories
ls -R lists the chain of directories starting from the current directory
ls -s lists the name and size of each file in a directory
man command displays information from the online Unix reference manual about a specific command.  For example, the command man cd displays information about changing directories.
man -k keyword displays the commands relevant to a keyword.  For example, the command man -k directory displays the commands for working with directories.
mesg n sets your account to reject talk requests
mesg y sets your account to accept a talk requests (default)
mkdir directoryname adds a new directory
more filename displays a file--one screen at a time
mv oldfilename newfilename changes the name of a file
mv "filenamewithspace" newfilename renames a file that has a space or unacceptable character in the filename.  For example, the command mv "new budget" newbudget changes the name of the file from new budget to newbudget.
mv filename directoryname/ moves a file to another directory.  Directoryname is the destination directory for the file.
passwd initiates the process for changing your password
pico filename creates a file using the pico editor
print -Pambler29 filename sends the file to the Ambler SIC printer
print -Phsc filename sends the file to the HSC campus printer
print -Ppaley filename sends the file to the Paley SIC printer
print -Pvm filename sends the file to the Main campus printer
ps lists the active processes running in your account.  (See the kill command to end a process.)
pwd displays the current working directory
rm filename deletes a file in a directory
rm filename1 filename2 deletes more than one file at a time
rmdir directoryname deletes an empty directory
rm -r directoryname deletes a directory and the subdirectories and files in the directory
setacl -u user:userID permissions file assigns rights to allow another person access to a file.   In this command, userID is the login ID of the person to whom you want to assign access; permission can be r (read), w (write), and/or x (execute); and file is the name of the file. (For more info on this command, see the ACL document.)
tail filename displays the last ten lines of a file
tail filename -# displays the specified number of lines from the bottom of the file. For example, the command tail budget- 8 displays the last eight lines from the file titled budget.
talk userID initiates a talk request with someone who has an account on the same system
talk userID@system-name initiates a talk request with someone who has an account on a different system
vi filename creates a file using the vi editor
webster word provides the entry from Webster's 7th Dictionary for a word. The entry includes definitions, pronunciation, and derivation.
whatquota identifies the amount of disk space currently in use in your Nimbus or Thunder account
whatquota -mail identifies the mail spool space currently in use in your Nimbus or Thunder account
who identifies the login name, terminal number, date, and login time for each user who is logged on to the Unix system
write userID allows you to communicate with another user who is logged on to the same system