Navigating the filesystem

FLOPPIX

Navigating the Filesystem

Notes:

Path:

An absolute path is the exact location of a file or directory starting from the root directory. For example:

                                                 
                       / 
           +-----+-----+------+-----+
          bin   etc   home   usr   var
                       |
                  +---------+
                 abc       xyz
                  |
                notes

the absolute path to the notes directory is /home/abc/notes . An absolute path always starts with /

A relative path gives the location of a file or directory relative to the current directory. If the working directory is /home, then:
- the absolute path to the abc directory is: /home/abc
- from /home, the relative path to the abc directory is: abc
- the absolute path to the notes directory is: /home/abc/notes
- from /home, the relative path to the notes directory is: abc/notes
Some special symbols may be used in relative paths.
. the current directory
.. the parent directory
~ your own home directory
If the working directory is /home/abc, then .. is a relative path to /home.

Commands:

pwd - This command prints the working directory. Use it to find out where you are in the directory tree.
cd - This command changes to a specified directory (access to some directories may be denied).
eg: cd /
eg: cd /home/xyz
eg: cd ..

Questions & Answers:

Your home directory is /home/abc
You enter the command: cd ~
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /home/abc (you have changed to your own home directory no matter where you were before)
Your current directory is /home/lmn
You enter the command: cd .
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /home/lmn (you have changed to the current directory; in other words, you have stayed in the same place)
Your current directory is /home/lmn
You enter the command: cd ..
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /home (you have changed to the parent of /home/lmn which is one level up in the directory tree)
Your current directory is /home/lmn
You enter the command: cd labs
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /home/lmn/labs
Your current directory is /home/lmn
You enter the command: cd /labs
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /home/lmn (/labs is an absolute path to a directory called labs immediately under the root directory. This directory does not exist so you stay in your current directory.)
Your current directory is /usr
You enter the command: cd /bin
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /bin (not /usr/bin)
Your current directory is /home/lmn
You enter the command: cd ../..
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /
Your current directory is /var/spool/mail.
You enter the command: cd ..
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /var/spool
Your current directory is /usr/local/bin/corel.
You enter the command: cd ../../sbin
What is your current directory now?

Answer: /usr/local/sbin
What command(s) give the absolute path to your own home directory?

Answer: cd ; pwd
cd without any parameters transfers to the home directory
pwd displays the current directory
Note: you can have multiple commands on 1 line; separate them with a semi-colon