http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/ 2010-09-09T22:36:38+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/ http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/lib/images/favicon.ico text/html 2010-06-30T06:19:33+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/atime?rev=1277871573 text/html 2010-06-30T06:22:00+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/ctime?rev=1277871720 text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:35+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/directory?rev=1235456735 In terms of UNIX(r), a directory is a special file which contains a list of hardlinks to other files. These other files also can be directories of course, so it's possible to create a "hierarchy of directories" - the UNIX(r)-typical filesystem structure. text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:36+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/file?rev=1235456736 A file is a pool of data in the filesystem. On userlevel, it's referenced using a name, a hardlink to the file. If a file is not referenced anymore (number of hardlinks to it drops to 0) then the space allocated for that file is re-used, unless it's still used by some process. text/html 2010-06-30T06:28:33+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/filename?rev=1277872113 text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:36+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/filetimes?rev=1235456736 atime This timestamp indicates when a file was last accessed (read). cating a file or executing a shellscript will set it, for example. ctime This timestamp is set, whenever the metadata of a file (stored in the responsible inode) is set. The metadata includes for example: text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:36+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/globbing?rev=1235456736 Globbing is the procedure of * matching all filenames against a given pattern * expanding to all matching filenames Unlike MSDOS, where the called program had to interpret the patterns, the globbing on UNIX(r) is done by the shell, the matched filenames are given as parameters to a called command: $ cat *.txt text/html 2008-02-02T11:41:33+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/hardlink?rev=1201948893 Also the article for: * filename A hardlink associates a filename with a file. That name is an entry in a directory listing. Of course a file can have more hardlinks to it (usually the number of hardlinks to a file is limited), but all hardlinks to a file must reside on the same filesystem than the file itself! text/html 2010-06-30T06:22:22+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/mtime?rev=1277871742 text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:36+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/parameter?rev=1235456736 Also the article for: variable, positional parameter, special parameter In Bash, a parameter is simply an entity that stores values and can be referenced. Depending on the type, the parameters can be set directly, only indirectly, or only automatically by the shell. text/html 2010-06-30T06:25:52+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/positional_parameter?rev=1277871952 text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:36+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/posix?rev=1235456736 POSIX(r) is a family of standards defined by the IEEE to give a minimum API and interface standardization across the variants of UNIX(r) operating systems. One part of it is the standardization of minimum functionality and behaviour of the system shell and some utilities (commands). text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:37+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/shell?rev=1235456737 On UNIX(r), the shell is the main interaction tool between the user-level and the system. That doesn't necessarily mean the user always sits infront of a shell, but it's integral part of the system, not only an "optional commandline interpreter". The main job of a shell is to execute commands as a user requests them. This behaviour alone doesn't help much. A shell knits some intelligence and flow control around the possibility to execute commands - it's a complete commandline-oriented user-inte… text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:37+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/special_file?rev=1235456737 Unlike a regular file (a bunch of accessible data organized on a filesystem), it's a special filename that points to a ressource or similar: * character special files * block special files * named pipes * socket files Since a directory also is only a file, you can count it as special file, too. text/html 2010-06-30T06:26:53+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/special_parameter?rev=1277872013 text/html 2009-02-24T07:25:37+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/symlink?rev=1235456737 A symlink (symbolic link) is a "normal" file, which contains a pointer to another filename. Since it really only points to another filename it can * reference filenames on other filesystems * reference filenames that don't actually exist * savely reference the name of a directory text/html 2010-06-30T06:23:52+02:00 http://wiki.bash-hackers.org/dict/terms/variable?rev=1277871832