Chapter 4 introduced UNIX commands and options for file management that a novice user might need in the first few terminal sessions. Now we turn our attention to more complex and diverse commands and options. Although used less frequently, they are important for the management of files and directories. Once you understand the commands and options presented here, you will be ready to consult the man pages to obtain further information. Tables 4.1 and 4.2 summarize most of the UNIX commands used in file management and the subset discussed in this book, respectively. This chapter follows the organization of Table 4.2: It divides commands into those that relate to directories and those that relate to individual files; it further divides them into commands that display directory and file contents and those that modify directories and files. One of the features presented here is unique to the C shell: the creation of a directory stack that simplifies movement between commonly used directories.

Once you have read this chapter and experimented with the commands discussed, you should be ready to perform any file-management task required by the average UNIX user. The UNIX features discussed herein include the following:

• Displaying files in new ways (Section 8.2)

• Copying whole directory structures (Section 8.3.1)

• Simplifying access to files in different directories (Section 8.3.2)

• Changing a file's permissions (Section 8.4.1)

• Changing the group ownership of files...