Questions tagged [command-line]
This tag is for questions that are about using the command-line interface (CLI), including the use of standard command-line tools and shell commands. However, for questions that are specific to each shell (like Bash, ZSH etc.), use the tag of that particular shell as well.
3,488
questions
28
votes
3
answers
16k
views
Terminal shows > after entering \
When I press backslash \, I’m given a > (greater than) symbol. What does this mean?
28
votes
3
answers
96k
views
Show recent modified/created files using Terminal
Is there any command to display the recently modified/created files?
Which one...?
28
votes
2
answers
47k
views
Commandline tool for viewing xls files
Is there a commandline tool for viewing/opening excel (.xls) files?
So the answer works great unless the worksheets don't have a custom name.
When I try to open the file, I get:
Traceback (most ...
28
votes
7
answers
254k
views
How to open a directory/folder and a URL through Terminal
I can navigate my files quite fast through terminal. Faster than double clicking... open... look, double click... etc.
How do I open a directory in the Ubuntu GUI? For example:
cd projects
{some cmd}...
27
votes
8
answers
5k
views
How to make super-user permissions last longer than using sudo?
Is there a way through which I can make the sudo command give me permissions for a longer period than its default time?
It can be a pain having to keep entering the sudo password, when requiring the ...
27
votes
7
answers
101k
views
Checking version of nodejs returns nothing
I'm trying to install node js onto Ubuntu so that I can run AngularJS. I'm not sure if I've installed it before so I ran sudo-apt get install node and once that is done I then run node --...
27
votes
8
answers
15k
views
Dynamic line wrapping in the GNOME Terminal
How can you get the lines in the GNOME Terminal to wrap dynamically when you resize the window?
27
votes
4
answers
91k
views
What does the '|' (vertical bar) character mean in a Terminal command? [duplicate]
Example: In a Terminal command xdpyinfo | grep resolution (that I have taken from an answer),
does the | character mean that the xdpyinfo output shall be sent to the grep program input for printing a ...
27
votes
4
answers
16k
views
What does ~$ stand for?
What does ~$ stand for? For example:
user@ubuntu:~$
So far I know that the $ sign is a symbol for a regular user. If I'm not mistaken root have # at the end.
I also found a lot of commands in the ...
26
votes
2
answers
64k
views
how to access my Android phone from my terminal?
I plugged my Kit-kat android phone up to my Ubuntu 14.04 computer and I enter the terminal and I want to be able to access files on my phone like the media and music folders through the terminal... is ...
26
votes
2
answers
8k
views
Why is my function not re-evaluated in PS1?
I'm trying to have a part of my prompt set dynamically by a function, so in my .bashrc I have:
asdf ()
{
echo -n $(pwd)
}
PS1="\u@\h:\w $(asdf)\$ "
Opening a shell gives me what I expect at ...
26
votes
6
answers
196k
views
How do I type on the next line in the Terminal?
I am using Ubuntu 12.10 and want to run a set of commands in the terminal, and from what i see in the instructions, these commands each start on a new line. I don't know how to do this in the terminal....
26
votes
4
answers
18k
views
How to pause/resume transfer of large files?
I recently had to copy about 20 GB of data split between about 20 files from my laptop to an external hard drive. Since this operation takes quite a while (at ~560kb/s), I was wondering if there was ...
25
votes
5
answers
35k
views
Is it possible to install Firefox on Ubuntu with no desktop enviroment?
I want to install firefox on a Ubuntu server that currently has no graphical desktop environment. Is it possible to install some minimal display management tools that will allow me to launch graphical ...
25
votes
1
answer
83k
views
zip multiple folders into a zip file using terminal [duplicate]
I wish to store a few folders in a zip file and then convert that zip file into a jar.
I have the following folders : META-INF and org.
I tried the following command:
zip META-INF/ org/ wordcount....
24
votes
2
answers
25k
views
How to check using the command line which display manager is running?
How can I determine the name of the display manager in use solely by using the command line?
24
votes
1
answer
19k
views
How can I download an HTML webpage including JavaScript-generated content from the terminal?
On Google Chrome, when we go to the development mode, right-click an HTML element → Copy → Copy element, we can copy the HTML content of a webpage. Below is an example of the procedure I've described:
...
24
votes
3
answers
78k
views
How to find the attached devices UUID through terminal?
Is there any other method to find all the attached devices UUID through terminal(other than using the blkidcommand ?
24
votes
1
answer
128k
views
Delete Files Older Than One year on Linux
By the time, many files are still on my system and I don't need them anymore, so how to delete all files that are one year old at least?
24
votes
2
answers
49k
views
How to open the additional drivers window using command line
How can I launch the additional drivers window from the command line?
24
votes
8
answers
169k
views
How to setup a static IP for network-manager in Virtual Box on Ubuntu Server
Hi there is anyone familiar with the non-gui version of ubuntus network Manager?
I'd like to set up a static IP with it in virtualbox without touching the file /etc/network/interfaces.
IP: 192.168....
24
votes
3
answers
14k
views
Automatically change Terminal colors on remote connection?
Is there a way to automatically apply a terminal profile when connected to a remote machine via SSH?
I'd like more obvious visual cues that I'm connected to a remote machine than the user/host ...
24
votes
3
answers
37k
views
Stuck in terminal at Configuring Secure Boot
I am on Ubuntu 18. I was trying to install amd drivers.
A Configuring Secure Boot screen appeared in terminal and I am stuck on it.
Clicking ok does nothing, pressing enter does nothing.. what do I ...
24
votes
4
answers
228k
views
How do you open a command line?
How do you access the command line or run option to put the commands into the system?
24
votes
0
answers
164k
views
Using Terminal as a web browser [duplicate]
I've found that terminal can be used for various purposes. This will be great if I can use it as a web browser. Is there any way to use it as a web browser??
24
votes
3
answers
89k
views
Using grep to search texts with single quote?
I am using gedit text editor with embedded terminal in ubuntu 12.04. I'm trying to search for some text using grep. I want to search for this line of code
'type' => 'select'
I tried:
grep -r '\'...
24
votes
5
answers
64k
views
How to truncate all logfiles?
can anybody give me a solution to truncate all logfile in /var/log/ directory?
and a question just for knowledge, is it a good idea or not?
#!/bin/bash
LOGDIR="/var/log"
for logfile in $(ls $LOGDIR/*...
23
votes
5
answers
6k
views
CLI mounting vs. GUI mounting
On Ubuntu 12.10, when I want to mount a hard drive, I can just click on the unmounted drive and everything works fine (by mounting to /media/username/partitionlabel).
Basically, I would like to do ...
23
votes
5
answers
68k
views
How to replace a string on the 5th line of multiple text files?
I want to replace the 5th line of multiple text files (file1.txt,file2.txt,file3.txt,file4.txt) with the string " Good Morning " using a single terminal command.
All the text files are located on my ~...
22
votes
4
answers
20k
views
How to find all images with a certain pixel size using command line?
I am trying to find all JPG images within a folder with subfolders that have either width or height below 300px.
This way I want to detect old thumbnails and delete them.
For sure I can find all ...
21
votes
3
answers
19k
views
How to create a keyboard shortcut for a terminal command
I often work with git and loved iTerm2 for the ability to set keyboard shortcuts for commands. For example, I set CTRL+ENTER to git status.
Is this possible with gnome-terminal or can you recommend ...
21
votes
5
answers
54k
views
How to find all PDF files in directories and their subdirectories?
I want to list all PDF files in the directories of the current working directory. What command can do this?
I remember a combination of ls and */*.pdf but don't remember what exact combination.
21
votes
3
answers
124k
views
Show CPU usage using a command [duplicate]
I want to see CPU usage.
I used this command :
top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" |
sed "s/.*, *\([0-9.]*\)%* id.*/\1/" |
awk '{print 100 - $1}'
But it returns 100%.
What's the correct ...
21
votes
4
answers
155k
views
How do I install Psiphon on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (Step by Step)
I have tried using Psiphon through Wine but it didn't work.
Please tell me how I can install it using terminal step-by-step.
21
votes
1
answer
13k
views
Bash Tab Completion: '-bash: unexpected EOF while looking for matching `)' -bash: syntax error: unexpected end of file
I'm trying to go into an irb session with specific environment variables from a file with this command:
$ env $(cat env.sh) irb
But when I try press Tab after I type env. to complete it, I get this ...
21
votes
2
answers
42k
views
How can I see a history of the terminal output, not just commands entered?
I'm trying to do some debugging in Android and I am running a live logcat in the Terminal, but the problem is that there is too much information generated so that when I am finished and try to copy ...
21
votes
4
answers
8k
views
Is this command to remove old kernels safe to use?
While browsing the internet for Ubuntu articles, I came across this command:
sudo dpkg -l 'linux-*' | sed '/^ii/!d;/'"$(uname -r | sed "s/\(.*\)-\([^0-9]\+\)/\1/")"'/d;s/^[^ ]* [^ ]* \([^ ]*\).*/\1/;/...
21
votes
6
answers
134k
views
How to check crc of a file?
I was looking this question and appears everything but crc. Is there a good Ubuntu way around there to do this?
21
votes
2
answers
10k
views
Redirect real webcam to a virtual webcam via terminal
Is there a way to redirect a real webcam to a virtual webcam from the command line, for example using the v4l2loopback module with ffmpeg ?
Details
I have an old webcam which works with most software (...
21
votes
4
answers
30k
views
Prepend current git branch in terminal [duplicate]
How can I configure the terminal to display the current git branch?
I'd like to see the second line rather than the first:
andy@bob:~/my_projects/project_x$
(master)~/my_projects/project_x$
I don'...
21
votes
4
answers
10k
views
Reading lines from a text file and creating a text file for each name on each line
Let's say I have a text file like:
john
george
james
stewert
with every name on a separate line.
I want to read the lines of this text file and create a text file for each name, like: john.txt, ...
21
votes
2
answers
42k
views
What's the difference between ` cp ` and ` rsync `? [closed]
They seem similar to me. I want to know how to use them. What's the difference in structure?
21
votes
3
answers
113k
views
Mounting Disk Image in Raw format
While trying to mount a disk image in Raw(dd) format using the following command
mount nps-2010-emails.dd /media/manu/
I get the following error message
mount: you must specify the filesystem ...
21
votes
5
answers
83k
views
How to determine hardware?
Is there a command to detect the type of processor, type of graphics card, type of hard drive, just the basic hardware my computer is running?
I'm running 12.04.
21
votes
4
answers
46k
views
How to log memory and cpu usage of an application?
Similar to question How to log CPU load?, I would like to log memory of a process.
The process I want to log, is killed on a remote server, and I want to find out the CPU load and the memory usage ...
20
votes
3
answers
4k
views
What does 'apt-get install update' do?
I saw this snippet in some installation instructions:
$ apt-get install update
I know what apt-get install XXXX does and I know what apt-get update does, but I can't find any info on what this ...
20
votes
8
answers
24k
views
remove file but exclude all files in a list
I need to cleanup a folder periodically.
I get a filelist which contains text, which files are allowed.
Now I have to delete all files which are not in this file.
Example:
dont-delete.txt:
...
20
votes
6
answers
111k
views
How to auto start openvpn (client) on Ubuntu CLI?
I'm using Ubuntu 12.04 64bit. I have an *.ovpn file that works if I type:
sudo openvpn client.ovpn
Now I would like to start up openvpn when I boot the computer.
How can I do this?
20
votes
2
answers
66k
views
How to start and stop VirtualBox guests via command line
I've got VirtualBox on Ubuntu 16.04 as host and guests also. I have to manage guests (start, stop only) via SSH command line, but didn't find any working solution.
20
votes
4
answers
17k
views
Shortcut to bring all open terminals to the front
After I navigate out to a webpage or editor, is there any way to bring all the open terminals back to the front in their original positions? It is a bit of a pain clicking the terminal icon and then ...