Harley Hahn's Guide to Unix and Linux

• Display the help tutorial
• Display the command summary
• Display the next screenful
• Jump to the beginning of the current node
• Jump to the next node
• Jump to the Top Node
• Jump to the Directory Node

Answer

When looking at an Info node, use:


h		display the help tutorial
?		display the command summary
<Space>		display the next screenful
b		jump to the beginning of current node
n		jump to the next node
t		jump to the Top Node
d		jump to the Directory Node

Applying Your Knowledge #1:

Use the man command to display the man page for your default shell (man sh). Once the page is displayed, perform the following operations:

• Display the next screenful of information
• Jump to the end of the page
• Jump to the beginning of the page
• Search for the word "variable"
• Search forward several times for the next occurrence of the same word
• Search backwards several times for the same word
• Display a command summary
• Quit

Answer

Display the man page by using:

man sh

Then:


f		display the next screenful
G		jump to the end of the page
g		jump to the beginning of the page
/variable		search for the word "variable"
/		search forward for same word
?		search backward for same word
h		display a command summary
q		quit

Applying Your Knowledge #2:

If you are using Linux or FreeBSD, use the info command to display information about the Info system itself (info info).

Once the first node is displayed, perform the following operations:

• Display the next screenful of information
• Jump to the end of the current node
• Jump to the beginning of the current node
• Jump to the Top Node
• Jump to the Directory Node
• Display a command summary
• Quit

Answer

Display the Info node by using:

info info

Then:


n		jump to the next node
<Space>		display next screenful of information
e		jump to the end of current node
b		jump to the beginning of current node
t		jump to the Top Node
d		jump to the Directory Node
?		display the command summary
q		quit

For Further Thought #1:

The doctrine of RTFM requires people to try to help themselves by reading the documentation before asking for help. What are two advantages of this guideline? What are two disadvantages?

Answer

Advantages:

• Inexperienced users don't bother experienced users unnecessarily.

• People learn to be independent. This allows them to build confidence in their ability to teach themselves, which encourages them to learn more and more.

Disadvantages:

• Beginners can get discouraged, especially if they are not good at teaching themselves.

• It is possible to waste a lot of time tracking down answers to questions that other people might have been able to answer quickly.

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Command Syntax

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