⟦d4f1ef9b4⟧

TextFile

LS(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual LS(1)

NAME
ls - list contents of directory

SYNOPSIS
ls [ -abcdfgilmqrstux1CFRW ] name ...
l [ _▶08◀l_▶08◀s options ] name ...

DESCRIPTION
For each directory argument, _▶08◀l_▶08◀s lists the contents of the
directory; for each file argument, _▶08◀l_▶08◀s repeats its name and
any other information requested. The output is sorted
alphabetically by default. When no argument is given, the
current directory is listed. When several arguments are
given, the arguments are first sorted appropriately, but
file arguments appear before directories and their con-
tents.

There are three major listing formats. The format chosen
depends on whether the output is going to a teletype, and
may also be controlled by option flags. The default for-
mat for a teletype is to list the contents of directories
in multi-column format, with the entries sorted down the
columns. (Files which are not the contents of a directory
being interpreted are always sorted across the page rather
than down the page in columns. This is because the indi-
vidual file names may be arbitrarily long.) If the stan-
dard output is not a teletype, the default format is to
list one entry per line. Finally, there is a stream out-
put format in which files are listed across the page,
separated by `,' characters. The -m flag enables this
format; when invoked as _▶08◀l this format is also used.

There are an unbelievable number of options:

-l List in long format, giving mode, number of links,
owner, size in bytes, and time of last modification
for each file. (See below.) If the file is a special
file the size field will instead contain the major
and minor device numbers.

-t Sort by time modified (latest first) instead of by
name, as is normal.

-a List all entries; usually `.' and `..' are
suppressed.

-s Give size in blocks, including indirect blocks, for
each entry.

-d If argument is a directory, list only its name, not
its contents (mostly used with -l to get status on
directory).

-r Reverse the order of sort to get reverse alphabetic
or oldest first as appropriate.

-u Use time of last access instead of last modification
for sorting (-t) or printing (-l).

LS(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual LS(1)

-c Use time of file creation for sorting or printing.

-i Print i-number in first column of the report for each
file listed.

-f Force each argument to be interpreted as a directory
and list the name found in each slot. This option
turns off -l, -t, -s, and -r, and turns on -a; the
order is the order in which entries appear in the
directory.

-g Give group ID instead of owner ID in long listing.

-m force stream output format

-1 force one entry per line output format, e.g. to a
teletype

-C force multi-column output, e.g. to a file or a pipe

-q force printing of non-graphic characters in file
names as the character `?'; this normally happens
only if the output device is a teletype

-b force printing of non-graphic characters to be in the
\ddd notation, in octal.

-x force columnar printing to be sorted across rather
than down the page; this is the default if the last
character of the name the program is invoked with is
an `x'.

-F cause directories to be marked with a trailing `/'
and executable files to be marked with a trailing
`*'; this is the default if the last character of the
name the program is invoked with is a `f'.

-R recursively list subdirectories encountered.

-W print link field wider (for use in scripts).

The mode printed under the -l option contains 11 charac-
ters which are interpreted as follows: the first character
is

d if the entry is a directory;
b if the entry is a block-type special file;
c if the entry is a character-type special file;
m if the entry is a multiplexor-type character special
file;
- if the entry is a plain file.

The next 9 characters are interpreted as three sets of
three bits each. The first set refers to owner permis-
sions; the next to permissions to others in the same
user-group; and the last to all others. Within each set
the three characters indicate permission respectively to
read, to write, or to execute the file as a program. For

LS(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual LS(1)

a directory, `execute' permission is interpreted to mean
permission to search the directory for a specified file.
The permissions are indicated as follows:

r if the file is readable;
w if the file is writable;
x if the file is executable;
- if the indicated permission is not granted.

The group-execute permission character is given as s if
the file has set-group-ID mode; likewise the user-execute
permission character is given as s if the file has set-
user-ID mode.

The last character of the mode (normally `x' or `-') is t
if the 1000 bit of the mode is on. See _▶08◀c_▶08◀h_▶08◀m_▶08◀o_▶08◀d(1) for the
meaning of this mode.

When the sizes of the files in a directory are listed, a
total count of blocks, including indirect blocks is
printed.

FILES
/etc/passwd to get user ID's for `ls -l'.
/etc/group to get group ID's for `ls -g'.

BUGS
Newline and tab are considered printing characters in file
names.

The output device is assumed to be 80 columns wide.

The option setting based on whether the output is a tele-
type is undesirable as ``ls -s'' is much different than
``ls -s | lpr''. On the other hand, not doing this set-
ting would make old shell scripts which used _▶08◀l_▶08◀s almost
certain losers.

Column widths choices are poor for terminals which can
tab.

DataMuseum.dk

ICL Comet 32

⟦d4f1ef9b4⟧ TextFile

Derivation

TextFile