Easy Linux Training – Linux Tips on Using Multiple Options with a Linux Command
By Clyde E. Boom
Linux distributions (versions), especially the major Linux distros, include several “point-and-click” Linux GUI utilities. These utilities can be used to do Linux administration task. However, you have to do an awful lot of pointing and clicking to get anything done in these Linux GUI utilities.
What takes several clicks (and way too much time) with a Linux GUI utility can be done almost instantly by running a Linux command. However, new Linux users usually find Linux commands tricky to learn – but they are well worth learning. Also, if you are working on some kind of Linux certification, you will get tested on Linux commands, not on Linux GUI utilities.
Another benefit of learning Linux commands is that they are virtually identical on all 130 + Linux distributions. So, the best way to learn how to use Linux, to do Linux system administration, is to learn how to use Linux commands.
Linux tips: When you get Linux training, including Linux certification training, be sure to learn how to use Linux commands. Don’t waste time learning Linux GUI utilities.
Linux Tips – How to Use Multiple Options with a Linux Command
1. Most Linux commands have several options.
Linux command options are used to control the output of a Linux command – and some Linux commands have over 50 options!
2. For almost all Linux commands, the options are prefixed with a – (dash).
For example, the following Linux command runs the ls command with the l (el) option. The l stands for “long” and it gives you a longer (and more detailed) listing of files and directories in the Linux file system.
]# ls -l
Linux Tips: In these examples, the ]# represents the Linux command line prompt. You don’t type in the prompt!
3. Linux command options can be combined.
The ls command is used to list the directories and files in the Linux file system. It has an l (for long) option and an a (for all) option. The a option shows “all” files, including hidden files.
The following command uses the l and a options to give you a long listing of all files.
]# ls -l -a
4. Linux command options can be combined without a space between them and with a single – (dash).
The following command is a faster way to use the l and a options and gives the same output as the Linux command shown above.
]# ls -la
5. The letter used for a Linux command option may be different from one command to another.
For example the -r option of one command may not provide the same output as the -r option for another command.
You can learn how to use Linux commands easily by watching Linux video tutorials.
When you watch a Linux video tutorial, you get to see, hear and do! You get to watch the command being typed in and hear an explanation of why you run the Linux command. Then you can pause the video tutorial and run the Linux command yourself!
Clyde Boom, Author and Expert Trainer with 20+ Years of Training
Successes. Learn intricate technical matters in an easy-to-
understand, non-technical manner, with thousands of
software and hardware learners into masters.
You can watch Free
Sample I Learn Linux Video Tutorials at
http://www.iLearnLinux.com and get over the steep Linux learning
curve.
Sign up for Free I Learn Linux
News to receive technical tips, info on new video samples and
important updates on Linux.
You need to learn Linux the easy way to get that new job, qualify
for that next promotion, earn a hefty raise, get Linux
certification, or keep your current job because your company is
trying to save on software licensing fees (eza). Watch, do, and
learn!
typical and some atypical problems faced by Linux systems administrators. We’ll take a closer look at the CompTIA Linux+™ Certification, the one often recommended as the first certification for people new to Linux. This certification does not apply to any specific Linux version. The test is designed to validate the knowledge of individuals with a minimum of six to twelve months of practical Linux experience. According to the Computing Technology Industry Association, professionals achieving the CompTIA Linux+ certification can explain fundamental management of Linux systems from the command line, demonstrate knowledge of user administration, understand file permissions, software configurations, and management of Linux-based clients, server systems, and security. Many of these functions are available on Damn Small Linux.
What you have to do is format your hard drive. Before you do that its always a good idea to backup everything on your console. That way you can easily restore the old settings if you encounter problems with the installation.
