Difference between revisions of "BOSS-Linux/C2/File-System/English-timed"

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|-
 
|-
 
| 00:00
 
| 00:00
|Welcome to this spoken tutorial on Linux File System.
+
|Welcome to this spoken tutorial on '''Linux File System'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 00:04
 
| 00:04
|I am using Linux Operating system.
+
|I am using '''Linux Operating system'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 00:08
 
| 00:08
|We assume that you know how to get started with the Linux operating system and have some basic idea about commands.  
+
|We assume that you know how to get started with the Linux operating system and have some basic idea about '''commands'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 00:16
 
| 00:16
|If you are interested, it is available through another spoken tutorial, on the following website http://spoken-tutorial.org
+
|If you are interested, it is available through another spoken tutorial on the following website http://spoken-tutorial.org
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 00:28
 
| 00:28
|Also note that linux is case sensitive.
+
|Also note that linux is '''case sensitive'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 00:32
 
| 00:32
Line 22: Line 22:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 00:41
 
| 00:41
|In Linux almost everything is a file.  
+
|In Linux, almost everything is a file.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 00:44
 
| 00:44
|So what is a file? In real life we know that a file is where we store our documents and papers.  
+
|So, what is a file? In real life, we know that a file is where we store our documents and papers.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 00:54
 
| 00:54
|Similarly in Linux a file is a container for storing information.  
+
|Similarly, in Linux a file is a container for storing information.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 01:00
 
| 01:00
|Next what is a directory?  
+
|Next, what is a directory?  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 01:03
 
| 01:03
Line 37: Line 37:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 01:10
 
| 01:10
|A directory helps us in organising our files in a systematic manner.  
+
|A directory helps us in organizing our files in a systematic manner.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 01:16
 
| 01:16
Line 46: Line 46:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 01:30
 
| 01:30
|Also if there are no directories, all the files on the system need to have unique names,which would be very difficult to maintain.
+
|Also, if there are no directories, all the files on the system need to have unique names which would be very difficult to maintain.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 01:41
 
| 01:41
|These definitions of files and directories are good to get a general feel about them, they are not entirely accurate.  
+
|These definitions of files and directories are good to get a general feel about them; they are not entirely accurate.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 01:51
 
| 01:51
|As well as its contents, a file has a name and some properties, or “administrative information”; that is, the file’s creation/modification date and its permissions.  
+
|As well as its contents, a file has a name and some properties or “administrative information” that is, the file’s creation/modification date and its '''permissions'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 02:05
 
| 02:05
|Thus  properties are stored in the file’s inode, a special block of data in the file system that also contains the length of the file and where on the disk it’s stored.  
+
|Thus, properties are stored in the file’s '''inode'''- a special block of data in the file system that also contains the length of the file and where on the disk it’s stored.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 02:20
 
| 02:20
|The system uses the number of the file’s '''inode''' ; the directory structure just names the file for our benefit as its easier for us to remember names than larger numbers.
+
|The system uses the number of the file’s '''inode''' ; the directory structure just names the file for our benefit as it's easier for us to remember names than larger numbers.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|02:35
 
|02:35
|Contrary to its oversimplified definition, a directory doesnot actually store other files ,it is itself a file that holds the inode numbers and names of other files.  
+
|Contrary to its oversimplified definition, a directory does not actually store other files, it itself is a file that holds the inode numbers and names of other files.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 02:49
 
| 02:49
|In fact in Linux there are three kinds of files:
+
|In fact, in Linux there are three kinds of files:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 02:54
 
| 02:54
|Regular Files or Ordinary files: It contains only data , as a stream of characters.
+
|Regular Files or Ordinary files: It contains only data, as a stream of characters.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 03:01
 
| 03:01
Line 76: Line 76:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 03:14
 
| 03:14
|A CD, a Harddisk or even an usb stick, everything is a file in Linux. But why is this so? This helps to read and write these devices in a way similar to that for ordinary files.
+
|A CD, a Hard disk or even an '''usb stick''', everything is a file in Linux. But why is this so? This helps to read and write these devices in a way similar to that for ordinary files.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 03:32
 
| 03:32
|All files in Linux are related, in short all form a family much like we do.  
+
|All files in Linux are related. In short, all form a family much like we do.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 03:39
 
| 03:39
|A directory containing say some files and subdirectories will have a parent – child relationship with each other. This gives rise to the Linux File System Tree.
+
|A directory containing say- some files and sub-directories, will have a parent – child relationship with each other. This gives rise to the '''Linux File System Tree'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 03:52
 
| 03:52
|At the top is the root( denoted by a frontslash /). It contains all the other files and directories.  
+
|At the top is the '''root'''( denoted by a frontslash /). It contains all the other files and directories.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 04:04
 
| 04:04
Line 94: Line 94:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 04:18
 
| 04:18
|One command and there you are teleported from one place to other.
+
|One command and there you are... teleported from one place to other.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 04:24
 
| 04:24
|Sounds interesting!! Indeed it is. As we will see.
+
|Sounds interesting!! Indeed it is, as we will see.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 04:29
 
| 04:29
|When we login into the Linux system we are by default in a home directory.  
+
|When we login into the Linux system, we are by default in a '''home directory'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 04:36
 
| 04:36
|Now Switch to the terminal.
+
|Now, switch to the '''terminal'''.
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 04:39
 
| 04:39
|To see the home directory , Type at the command prompt "'echo space dollar H-O-M-E in capital"' and press enter.
+
|To see the home directory , type at the command prompt: '''echo space dollar H-O-M-E''' in capital and press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 04:53
 
| 04:53
|This gives the pathname of our '''home''' directory.  
+
|This gives the path name of our '''home''' directory.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 04:57
 
| 04:57
Line 116: Line 116:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 05:01
 
| 05:01
|But any time we can be in one directory and this directory is known as the current directory or working directory.  
+
|But, any time we can be in one directory and this directory is known as the '''current directory''' or '''working directory'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 05:09
 
| 05:09
|The '''pwd''' command helps us to see the current directory. '''pwd''' stands for present working directory.
+
|The '''pwd''' command helps us to see the current directory. '''pwd''' stands for '''present working directory'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 05:18
 
| 05:18
|Type at the command prompt '"pwd'" and press enter. Now this is our present working directory.  
+
|Type at the command prompt '''pwd''' and press '''Enter'''. Now, this is our present working directory.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 05:28
 
| 05:28
Line 131: Line 131:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 05:39
 
| 05:39
|You have to type the command '''cd''' followed by the pathname of the directory you want to move to.
+
|You have to type the command '''cd''' followed by the path name of the directory you want to move to.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 05:47
 
| 05:47
|Lets again see our current directory by typing '''pwd''' at the command prompt and press enter.
+
|Let's again see our current directory by typing '''pwd''' at the '''command prompt''' and press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|05:57
 
|05:57
Line 140: Line 140:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 06:01
 
| 06:01
|Now say we want to move to '''slash usr''' directory. So, type "'cd space slash usr'" . Remember here slash in linux means front slash and press enter.
+
|Now, say we want to move to '''slash usr''' directory. So, type: '''cd space slash usr'''. Remember, here slash in linux means front-slash and press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 06:17
 
| 06:17
|Now lets see our current directory. Type '''pwd''' and press enter.
+
|Now lets see our current directory. Type '''pwd''' and press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 06:24
 
| 06:24
|Yes we have moved to '''slash usr''' directory.  
+
|Yes, we have moved to '''slash usr''' directory.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 06:30
 
| 06:30
|The problem here is the pathnames can be very long, this is because these are Absolute Pathnames that enlist the entire path staring from the root directory.
+
|The problem here is, the path names can be very long; this is because these are '''Absolute Path names''' that enlist the entire path, starting from the '''root directory'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 06:42
 
| 06:42
|Instead we may use Relative pathnames that begin from the current directory.  
+
|Instead, we may use '''Relative path names''' that begin from the current directory.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 06:48
 
| 06:48
|Here we need to know two special characters. '''dot''' that represent the current directory and '''dot dot''' that represent the '''parent directory''' of the current directory.  
+
|Here, we need to know two special characters. '''dot''' that represent the current directory and '''dot dot''' that represent the '''parent directory''' of the current directory.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 07:02
 
| 07:02
|Now let us have a brief session on '''cd''' command
+
|Now, let us have a brief session on '''cd''' command.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 07:06
 
| 07:06
|The command '''cd''' without any argument is used to move back that to the home directory.  
+
|The command '''cd''', without any argument, is used to move back to the '''home directory'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 07:13
 
| 07:13
|Type at the command prompt "'cd'" and press enter.  
+
|Type at the command prompt '''cd''' and press '''Enter'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 07:19
 
| 07:19
Line 170: Line 170:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 07:23
 
| 07:23
|So, now we are back in our home directory '''/home/gnuhata''' [ slash home slash gnuhata ]  
+
|So, now we are back in our home directory- '''/home/gnuhata''' [slash home slash gnuhata].
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 07:30
 
| 07:30
|Now let us move to music directory. Type at the command prompt "'cd space Music(M in capital) slash"' and press enter
+
|Now, let us move to music directory. Type at the command prompt '''cd space Music''' (M in capital) slash and press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 07:43
 
| 07:43
|Now check our current directory by the '''pwd''' command. '''pwd''' and press enter. See, we have moved ''' /home/gnuhata/Music '''
+
|Now check our current directory by the '''pwd''' command. '''pwd''' and press enter. See, we have moved ''' /home/gnuhata/Music'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 07:57
 
| 07:57
|Let us go to the parent directory of Music. For that you have to use cd command with dot dot.  
+
|Let us go to the '''parent directory''' of Music. For that, you have to use '''cd''' command with dot dot.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 08:04
 
| 08:04
|Type at the command prompt '''cd space dot dot''' and press enter.  
+
|Type at the command prompt: '''cd space dot dot''' and press '''Enter'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 08:11
 
| 08:11
|Now check our present directory by typing '''pwd.''' We are again in '''/home/gnuhata'''
+
|Now check our present directory by typing '''pwd.''' We are again in '''/home/gnuhata'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 08:23
 
| 08:23
|Now lets try to move to a subdirectory of the current directory using dot.  
+
|Now, let's try to move to a sub-directory of the current directory using dot.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 08:30
 
| 08:30
|Type at the command prompt '''cd space dot slash Documents(D in capital) slash'''. Press enter.
+
|Type at the command prompt: '''cd space dot slash Documents''' (D in capital) slash. Press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 08:42
 
| 08:42
|Check our current directory by typing '''pwd.''' We are at ''' /home/gnuhata/Documents'''
+
|Check our current directory by typing '''pwd.''' We are at- ''' /home/gnuhata/Documents'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 08:53
 
| 08:53
|Let me clear the screen by pressing control L. So you can see clearly.
+
|Let me clear the screen by pressing '''control L'''. So you can see clearly.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 08:58
 
| 08:58
|To go back to our home directory by '''cd''' command. Type '''cd''' and press enter.
+
|To go back to our home directory by '''cd''' command, type '''cd''' and press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 09:07
 
| 09:07
|Again check our current directory by '''pwd''' command. We are back to '''/home/gnuhata''' .  
+
|Again check our current directory by '''pwd''' command. We are back to '''/home/gnuhata'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 09:17
 
| 09:17
|We can combine any number of dot dot separated by slash in a relative path .  
+
|We can combine any number of dot dot separated by slash in a '''relative path'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 09:23
 
| 09:23
|In this slide, we can see the file system hierarchy. '''Root''' or '''slash''' is at the top. '''home''' and '''bin''' are two sub-directories under '''root'''. '''username''' , here the directory named gnuhata is a sub-directory under '''home.'''
+
|In this slide, we can see the file system hierarchy. '''Root''' or '''slash''' is at the top. '''home''' and '''bin''' are two sub-directories under '''root'''. '''username''' , here the directory named gnuhata, is a sub-directory under '''home.'''
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 09:43
 
| 09:43
| So, now we are in '''/home/gnuhata.''' Now how can we go to the bin directory?  
+
| So, now we are in '''/home/gnuhata.''' Now, how can we go to the '''bin''' directory?  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 09:51
 
| 09:51
|Type at the command prompt "'cd space dot dot slash dot dot slash bin'" and press enter.  
+
|Type at the command prompt: '''cd space dot dot slash dot dot slash bin''' and press '''Enter'''.  
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10:03
 
| 10:03
|Check our current directory by the command '''pwd.'''  We are at /bin (slash bin)
+
|Check our current directory by the command '''pwd.'''  We are at '''/bin''' (slash bin).
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10:11
 
| 10:11
|The first .. (dot dot) takes us from /home/gnuhata (slash home slash gnuhata) to /home (slash home)
+
|The first ".." (dot dot) takes us from /home/gnuhata (slash home slash gnuhata) to /home (slash home).
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10:18
 
| 10:18
|The next takes us from '''slash home''' to root.  
+
|The next, takes us from '''slash home''' to '''root'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10:24
 
| 10:24
|Now from root or slash, we have moved to /bin directory.
+
|Now from '''root''' or slash, we have moved to '''/bin''' directory.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10:30
 
| 10:30
Line 237: Line 237:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10:34
 
| 10:34
|To create a directory we use the '''mkdir''' command.  
+
|To create a directory, we use the '''mkdir''' command.  
  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10:40
 
| 10:40
|You have to type the command and name of directory to be created and a directory would be created under the current directory.
+
|You have to type the command and the name of directory to be created and a directory would be created under the current directory.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 10:49
 
| 10:49
|To create a directory named '''testdir''', type the command '"mkdir space testdir'" and press enter.
+
|To create a directory named '''testdir''', type the command: '''mkdir space testdir''' and press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 11:01
 
| 11:01
Line 256: Line 256:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 11:18
 
| 11:18
|We can also use the relative or absolute pathname to create a directory anywhere in the tree provided we have the permission to do so and a directory by that name does not already exist.
+
|We can also use the '''relative''' or '''absolute path name''' to create a directory anywhere in the '''tree''' provided we have the permission to do so and a directory by that name does not already exist.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 11:33
 
| 11:33
Line 262: Line 262:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 11:39
 
| 11:39
|Type "'mkdir space test1 space test2''' and press enter ,this will make two directories named '''test1''' and '''test2''' under the present directory.
+
|Type: '''mkdir space test1 space test2''' and press '''Enter'''. This will make two directories named '''test1''' and '''test2''' under the present directory.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 11:57
 
| 11:57
|Type "'mkdir space testtree space testtree slash test3'".  
+
|Type: "'mkdir space testtree space testtree slash test3'".  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 12:11
 
| 12:11
Line 271: Line 271:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 12:20
 
| 12:20
|So, we have created four directories namely '''testdir,test1,test2 '''and '''testtree''' in the current directory, out of which first three are empty and the last one contains a subdirectory namely test3.  
+
|So, we have created four directories namely '''testdir, test1, test2 '''and '''testtree''' in the current directory, out of which first three are empty and the last one contains a sub-directory namely test3.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 12:40
 
| 12:40
|Similar to the '''mkdir''' is the '''rmdir''' command which is used for removing a directory or directories.
+
|Similar to the '''mkdir''' command is the '''rmdir''' command which is used for removing a directory or directories.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 12:50
 
| 12:50
|The command "'rmdir space test1'" removes the '''test1''' directory successfully.  
+
|The command '''rmdir space test1''' removes the '''test1''' directory successfully.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 13:00
 
| 13:00
Line 283: Line 283:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 13:13
 
| 13:13
|Now type at the command prompt '"cd space testtree slash test3"'
+
|Now type at the command prompt: '"cd space testtree slash test3"'.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 13:25
 
| 13:25
|So, we are now in '''test3''' directory which is a subdirectory under '''testtree.'''
+
|So, we are now in '''test3''' directory which is a sub-directory under '''testtree.'''
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 13:33
 
| 13:33
|Lets try to remove the '''testdir''' directory by typing the command '"rmdir space testdir'". Press enter.  
+
|Let's try to remove the '''testdir''' directory by typing the command '''rmdir space testdir'''. Press '''Enter'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 13:46
 
| 13:46
|We see it can't be done, because the current directory is not hierarchically above the directory to be removed.
+
|We see it can't be done because the current directory is not hierarchically above the directory to be removed.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 13:54
 
| 13:54
|So,we have to go to the directory which is hierarchically above '''testdir''' directory.  
+
|So, we have to go to the directory which is hierarchically above '''testdir''' directory.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14:00
 
| 14:00
|Type "'cd space dot dot"' and press enter.  
+
|Type: "'cd space dot dot"' and press '''Enter'''.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14:06
 
| 14:06
|Now, go back to our parent directory by typing the command "'cd space dot dot'".  
+
|Now, go back to our '''parent directory''' by typing the command "'cd space dot dot'".  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14:13
 
| 14:13
Line 307: Line 307:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14:16
 
| 14:16
|Type "rmdir space testdir". Press enter.  
+
|Type: "rmdir space testdir". Press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14:23
 
| 14:23
Line 313: Line 313:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14:32
 
| 14:32
|Multiple directories or a hierarchy of directories can be removed at once.So, try to delete the '''testtree''' directory along with its subdirectory '''test3.'''  
+
|Multiple directories or a hierarchy of directories can be removed at once. So, try to delete the '''testtree''' directory along with its sub-directory '''test3.'''  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14:43
 
| 14:43
|Type at the command prompt '"rmdir space testtree space testtree slash test3'" press enter.
+
|Type at the command prompt: '''rmdir space testtree space testtree slash test3''' press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 14:57
 
| 14:57
|See, it is giving the error message that '''testree''' directory cannot be removed because testtree is not empty.  
+
|See, it is giving the error message that 'testree' directory cannot be removed because 'testtree' is not empty.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 15:07
 
| 15:07
Line 325: Line 325:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 15:16
 
| 15:16
|To check that, type at the command prompt "'cd space testtree"' and press enter.
+
|To check that, type at the command prompt: '''cd space testtree''' and press '''Enter'''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 15:25
 
| 15:25
|Now type "'ls'" and press enter. See, the directory contains nothing. So, '''test3''' was deleted.
+
|Now, type '''ls''' and press '''Enter'''. See, the directory contains nothing. So, 'test3' was deleted.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 15:34
 
| 15:34
|So in this linux tutorial we have learnt about Linux Files and directories and how to work with Linux Directories. See them, move between them, make them,remove them.  
+
|So, in this linux tutorial we have learnt about Linux Files and directories and how to work with Linux Directories. See them, move between them, make them, remove them.  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 15:48
 
| 15:48
|This brings me to the end of this tutorial. Spoken Tutorials are a part of the Talk to a Teacher project, supported by the National Mission on Education through ICT.
+
|This brings me to the end of this tutorial. Spoken Tutorials are part of the "Talk to a Teacher" project, supported by the National Mission on Education through ICT.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 16:02
 
| 16:02
|More information this is available at the following link  
+
|More information on this is available at the following link.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 16:08
 
| 16:08
|This is Anusha Kadambala signing off. Thanks for joining.
+
|This is Anusha Kadambala, signing off. Thanks for joining.
  
 
|}
 
|}

Latest revision as of 21:48, 10 August 2015

Time Narration
00:00 Welcome to this spoken tutorial on Linux File System.
00:04 I am using Linux Operating system.
00:08 We assume that you know how to get started with the Linux operating system and have some basic idea about commands.
00:16 If you are interested, it is available through another spoken tutorial on the following website http://spoken-tutorial.org
00:28 Also note that linux is case sensitive.
00:32 All the commands used in this tutorial are in lower case unless otherwise mentioned.
00:41 In Linux, almost everything is a file.
00:44 So, what is a file? In real life, we know that a file is where we store our documents and papers.
00:54 Similarly, in Linux a file is a container for storing information.
01:00 Next, what is a directory?
01:03 A directory can be understood as a collection of files and other (sub)directories.
01:10 A directory helps us in organizing our files in a systematic manner.
01:16 This is like what we call folders in Windows.
01:20 It allows different users to have their own directories with their files which others cannot access or modify.
01:30 Also, if there are no directories, all the files on the system need to have unique names which would be very difficult to maintain.
01:41 These definitions of files and directories are good to get a general feel about them; they are not entirely accurate.
01:51 As well as its contents, a file has a name and some properties or “administrative information” that is, the file’s creation/modification date and its permissions.
02:05 Thus, properties are stored in the file’s inode- a special block of data in the file system that also contains the length of the file and where on the disk it’s stored.
02:20 The system uses the number of the file’s inode ; the directory structure just names the file for our benefit as it's easier for us to remember names than larger numbers.
02:35 Contrary to its oversimplified definition, a directory does not actually store other files, it itself is a file that holds the inode numbers and names of other files.
02:49 In fact, in Linux there are three kinds of files:
02:54 Regular Files or Ordinary files: It contains only data, as a stream of characters.
03:01 Directories: As we just saw in the previous slides.
03:07 Device Files: All hardware devices and peripherals are represented as files in Linux.
03:14 A CD, a Hard disk or even an usb stick, everything is a file in Linux. But why is this so? This helps to read and write these devices in a way similar to that for ordinary files.
03:32 All files in Linux are related. In short, all form a family much like we do.
03:39 A directory containing say- some files and sub-directories, will have a parent – child relationship with each other. This gives rise to the Linux File System Tree.
03:52 At the top is the root( denoted by a frontslash /). It contains all the other files and directories.
04:04 This also helps in easy navigation from one file or directory to other, if we know the correct path.
04:12 As we work with a Linux file system, it seems that we are moving along this tree.
04:18 One command and there you are... teleported from one place to other.
04:24 Sounds interesting!! Indeed it is, as we will see.
04:29 When we login into the Linux system, we are by default in a home directory.
04:36 Now, switch to the terminal.
04:39 To see the home directory , type at the command prompt: echo space dollar H-O-M-E in capital and press Enter.
04:53 This gives the path name of our home directory.
04:57 We can move around from one directory to other.
05:01 But, any time we can be in one directory and this directory is known as the current directory or working directory.
05:09 The pwd command helps us to see the current directory. pwd stands for present working directory.
05:18 Type at the command prompt pwd and press Enter. Now, this is our present working directory.
05:28 We have said that we can move from one directory to other.
05:32 But how do we do so? We have the cd command for this purpose.
05:39 You have to type the command cd followed by the path name of the directory you want to move to.
05:47 Let's again see our current directory by typing pwd at the command prompt and press Enter.
05:57 So, now we are placed in this directory.
06:01 Now, say we want to move to slash usr directory. So, type: cd space slash usr. Remember, here slash in linux means front-slash and press Enter.
06:17 Now lets see our current directory. Type pwd and press Enter.
06:24 Yes, we have moved to slash usr directory.
06:30 The problem here is, the path names can be very long; this is because these are Absolute Path names that enlist the entire path, starting from the root directory.
06:42 Instead, we may use Relative path names that begin from the current directory.
06:48 Here, we need to know two special characters. dot that represent the current directory and dot dot that represent the parent directory of the current directory.
07:02 Now, let us have a brief session on cd command.
07:06 The command cd, without any argument, is used to move back to the home directory.
07:13 Type at the command prompt cd and press Enter.
07:19 Now check our current directory by the pwd command.
07:23 So, now we are back in our home directory- /home/gnuhata [slash home slash gnuhata].
07:30 Now, let us move to music directory. Type at the command prompt cd space Music (M in capital) slash and press Enter.
07:43 Now check our current directory by the pwd command. pwd and press enter. See, we have moved /home/gnuhata/Music.
07:57 Let us go to the parent directory of Music. For that, you have to use cd command with dot dot.
08:04 Type at the command prompt: cd space dot dot and press Enter.
08:11 Now check our present directory by typing pwd. We are again in /home/gnuhata.
08:23 Now, let's try to move to a sub-directory of the current directory using dot.
08:30 Type at the command prompt: cd space dot slash Documents (D in capital) slash. Press Enter.
08:42 Check our current directory by typing pwd. We are at- /home/gnuhata/Documents.
08:53 Let me clear the screen by pressing control L. So you can see clearly.
08:58 To go back to our home directory by cd command, type cd and press Enter.
09:07 Again check our current directory by pwd command. We are back to /home/gnuhata.
09:17 We can combine any number of dot dot separated by slash in a relative path.
09:23 In this slide, we can see the file system hierarchy. Root or slash is at the top. home and bin are two sub-directories under root. username , here the directory named gnuhata, is a sub-directory under home.
09:43 So, now we are in /home/gnuhata. Now, how can we go to the bin directory?
09:51 Type at the command prompt: cd space dot dot slash dot dot slash bin and press Enter.
10:03 Check our current directory by the command pwd. We are at /bin (slash bin).
10:11 The first ".." (dot dot) takes us from /home/gnuhata (slash home slash gnuhata) to /home (slash home).
10:18 The next, takes us from slash home to root.
10:24 Now from root or slash, we have moved to /bin directory.
10:30 Go back to our home directory by the command cd.
10:34 To create a directory, we use the mkdir command.
10:40 You have to type the command and the name of directory to be created and a directory would be created under the current directory.
10:49 To create a directory named testdir, type the command: mkdir space testdir and press Enter.
11:01 This creates the testdir directory successfully.
11:05 Note that, there is no explicit notification of successful directory creation or removal.
11:13 If you do not get any error message, it denotes successful execution.
11:18 We can also use the relative or absolute path name to create a directory anywhere in the tree provided we have the permission to do so and a directory by that name does not already exist.
11:33 This process can be used for making multiple directories or even a hierarchy of directories.
11:39 Type: mkdir space test1 space test2 and press Enter. This will make two directories named test1 and test2 under the present directory.
11:57 Type: "'mkdir space testtree space testtree slash test3'".
12:11 This will make a directory testtree and another directory test3 which is a sub-directory under testtree.
12:20 So, we have created four directories namely testdir, test1, test2 and testtree in the current directory, out of which first three are empty and the last one contains a sub-directory namely test3.
12:40 Similar to the mkdir command is the rmdir command which is used for removing a directory or directories.
12:50 The command rmdir space test1 removes the test1 directory successfully.
13:00 A directory can be removed only if you are its owner, your current directory is hierarchically above the directory to be removed and the directory is empty.
13:13 Now type at the command prompt: '"cd space testtree slash test3"'.
13:25 So, we are now in test3 directory which is a sub-directory under testtree.
13:33 Let's try to remove the testdir directory by typing the command rmdir space testdir. Press Enter.
13:46 We see it can't be done because the current directory is not hierarchically above the directory to be removed.
13:54 So, we have to go to the directory which is hierarchically above testdir directory.
14:00 Type: "'cd space dot dot"' and press Enter.
14:06 Now, go back to our parent directory by typing the command "'cd space dot dot'".
14:13 Now, again try the previous command.
14:16 Type: "rmdir space testdir". Press Enter.
14:23 The testdir directory is successfully deleted. Note that, testdir directory was also empty.
14:32 Multiple directories or a hierarchy of directories can be removed at once. So, try to delete the testtree directory along with its sub-directory test3.
14:43 Type at the command prompt: rmdir space testtree space testtree slash test3 press Enter.
14:57 See, it is giving the error message that 'testree' directory cannot be removed because 'testtree' is not empty.
15:07 But one thing which you may miss is that testtree slash test3 has been deleted as it was empty.
15:16 To check that, type at the command prompt: cd space testtree and press Enter.
15:25 Now, type ls and press Enter. See, the directory contains nothing. So, 'test3' was deleted.
15:34 So, in this linux tutorial we have learnt about Linux Files and directories and how to work with Linux Directories. See them, move between them, make them, remove them.
15:48 This brings me to the end of this tutorial. Spoken Tutorials are part of the "Talk to a Teacher" project, supported by the National Mission on Education through ICT.
16:02 More information on this is available at the following link.
16:08 This is Anusha Kadambala, signing off. Thanks for joining.

Contributors and Content Editors

PoojaMoolya, Sandhya.np14