====== Basic Shell Commands ======
^Command ^Description^
|mkdir dirname |create a directory|
|mkdir -p dirname/dir2name |make both even if 1st doesn't exist|
|touch filename\\ > filename|create a blank file|
^rm ^delete file or directory^
|rm -r\\ rm -R |recursively (mandatory for directory)|
|rm -i |request info before each deletion|
|rm -f |force deletion\\ \\ example: rm -Rf images/misc/ file*\\ //deletes both images/misc/ and all files in current directory starting with "file"//|
^mv ^rename or move files^
|mv -f |force, no warning if overwrite|
|mv -i|ask before overwrite|
|mv -v|verbose, report all changes\\ \\ example: mv foo bar\\ //rename foo to bar//\\ \\ example: mv -vf file* images/ trash/\\ //move without requesting confirmation, all files that start with "file" and the images directory to trash//|
^cp ^copy files and directories^
|cp -R |recursive copy, mandatory for directory, even if empty|
|cp -i |request confirmation|
|cp -f |force w/o confirmation|
|cp -v |verbose mode\\ \\ example:  cp -vR docs/ /shared/mp3s/* /mystuff/\\ //copies whole docs dir, with all files in /shared/mp3s/ to /mystuff///|
^ls ^listing files (like dir command in DOS)^
|ls -l |additional info|
|ls -a |all files including hidden|
|ls -R |recursive|
|ls -s |display file size|
|ls -i |displays inode #|
|ls -d |displays directories as normal files instead of contents|
^cd ^change directory^
|cd .. |change one directory higher (up)|
|cd ../../ |change two directories higher (up)|
|cd ../../somedir/ |change to somedir, which is located two levels higher than the current directory|
|cd - |change to last directory you were in|
|cd ~john |change to john's home directory|
|cd, cd ~, or cd ~/ |change to your home directory|
^other^^
|cat |print the contents of one or more files to the screen; also used for device detection like a mouse|
|su |temporarily login as another user (usually root - shell turns to #)\\ actually means "substitute user"|

===== Searching for files =====
|which <command>|locate a command|
|locate <file> |searches a file index for files (faster)|
|updatedb |updates the file index so the locate command has an updated listing|
|find | does an actual search for files (slower)|

examples:
<code>
find /usr -name spell -print
      A  |  B  |  C  |   D
  * A - location
  * B - name switch (-iname is case insensitive)
  * C - filename
  * D - not necessary - used by default now
</code>

<code>
(find all files modified within the last 24 hours)
find -mtime -1
</code>

<code>
find /usr -name '*.ps' -print -xdev
                   A  |      |  B
  * A - search pattern
  * B - only search linux filesystems
</code>

<code>
find / -iname '*.ps' -print
</code>

<code>
which ps2pdf - find the ps2pdf command location
</code>

<code>
locate *.ps - search locate database for all .ps files
</code>

* See the find man pages for many more options