Terminal Questions?

[nujinini]

Hi everyone!

I am trying to learn how to open/list down files of a partition in the terminal but I seem to can't get it right.. Like it says "no such file" but ls command says otherwise.

Here's what I was trying to do. I would really appreciate it if somebody can tell me what am I doing wrong and how I should be doing it instead. Thank you in advance!

[jun@localhost ~]$ su -
Password: 
[root@localhost ~]# cd /
[root@localhost /]# cd media
[root@localhost media]# ls
Mint 7  Storage Bin (A)  Storage Bin (B)  Ubuntu 9.10  XP Windows :(

[root@localhost media]# cd Mint 7
-bash: cd: Mint: No such file or directory

[root@localhost media]# cd Storage Bin (B)
-bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('

[root@localhost media]# cd Ubuntu 9.10
-bash: cd: Ubuntu: No such file or directory

[root@localhost media]#

[yancek]

The problem is spaces and you need quotes, not sure if double or single, I always use double:

[root@localhost media]# mkdir "Mint 7"
[root@localhost media]# ls
cdrom/ dvd/ Mint 7/
[root@localhost media]# cd "Mint 7"
[root@localhost Mint 7]#

[nujinini]

Thanks a lot yancek!

[jun@localhost ~]$ su -
Password: 
[root@localhost ~]# cd /
[root@localhost /]# cd media
[root@localhost media]# ls
Mint 7  Storage Bin (A)  Storage Bin (B)  Ubuntu 9.10  XP Windows :(

[root@localhost media]# cd "Mint 7"
[root@localhost Mint 7]# ls
bin    dev   initrd.img  media  proc  selinux  tmp  vmlinuz
boot   etc   lib         mnt    root  srv      usr
cdrom  home  lost+found  opt    sbin  sys      var

[root@localhost Mint 7]# cd media
[root@localhost media]# cd "Storage Bin (B)"
[root@localhost Storage Bin (B)]# ls
[root@localhost Storage Bin (B)]# ls -l
total 0

[MikeTbob]

You may also use a backslash. Here is an example for you.

ls /media/music/MP3/
ZZ Top - Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers.mp3
ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'.mp3
ZZ Top - Just Got Paid.mp3
ZZTop -Nation Wide.MP3

Notice the spaces?
Now use the dir command.

dir /media/music/MP3/
ZZ\ Top\ -\ Beer\ Drinkers\ and\ Hell\ Raisers.mp3
ZZ\ Top\ -\ Gimme\ All\ Your\ Lovin'.mp3
ZZ\ Top\ -\ Just\ Got\ Paid.mp3
ZZTop\ -Nation\ Wide.MP3

So then, back to your problem, you could also use:

cd  Mint\ 7 
cd  Storage\  Bin

FYI, use the Tab button for autocompletion.
For example

ls Min (Press Tab button once)

It should autocomplete the Mint\ 7 for you.

[reed9]

Just to fill in the blanks a little, no pun intended, the backslash method as Miktbob recommended is called escaping.

Normally, the shell interprets spaces as a separator between filenames or commands. The escape character tells the shell to interpret the next character literally.

[MikeTbob]

Just to fill in the blanks a little, no pun intended, the backslash method as Miktbob recommended is called escaping.

Normally, the shell interprets spaces as a separator between filenames or commands. The escape character tells the shell to interpret the next character literally.

I knew there was a name for it, but the name escaped me?!
Thanks reed9.

[nujinini]

You may also use a backslash. Here is an example for you.

ls /media/music/MP3/
ZZ Top - Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers.mp3
ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'.mp3
ZZ Top - Just Got Paid.mp3
ZZTop -Nation Wide.MP3

Notice the spaces?
Now use the dir command.

dir /media/music/MP3/
ZZ\ Top\ -\ Beer\ Drinkers\ and\ Hell\ Raisers.mp3
ZZ\ Top\ -\ Gimme\ All\ Your\ Lovin'.mp3
ZZ\ Top\ -\ Just\ Got\ Paid.mp3
ZZTop\ -Nation\ Wide.MP3

So then, back to your problem, you could also use:

cd  Mint\ 7 
cd  Storage\  Bin

Thank you Mike Tbob!

[jun@localhost ~]$ cd /media/Mint\ 7
[jun@localhost Mint 7]$ cd /media/Storage\ Bin\ (A)
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('
[jun@localhost Mint 7]$ cd /media/Storage\ Bin\ (A)/
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('
[jun@localhost Mint 7]$ cd /media/Storage\ Bin\ (A)\
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('
[jun@localhost Mint 7]$

How should I end the syntax for cd /media/Storage\ Bin\ (A) please? I tried "/" & "\". No dice

FYI, use the Tab button for autocompletion.
For example

ls Min (Press Tab button once)

It should autocomplete the Mint\ 7 for you.

This time I tried the Tab button and it completed the syntax. Only If you may notice, I have "Storage Bin (A) & Storage Bin (B)...So I manually completed by putting "B".....but the same question on what character should I end it with as above?

[jun@localhost ~]$ cd /media/Storage\ Bin\ \(B)
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `)'
[jun@localhost ~]$

[nujinini]

Just to fill in the blanks a little, no pun intended, the backslash method as Miktbob recommended is called escaping.

Normally, the shell interprets spaces as a separator between filenames or commands. The escape character tells the shell to interpret the next character literally.

Thanks reed9.

[nujinini]

I have another partition that I fondly call XP Windows (:

Just to make sure that those who would use the partition better be careful and scan when downloading.

Back to my question....the output is different. I noticed that I have to place a "\" before the first character and also after each special character and end with a "/". Then I can get what I want. I hope I got it right

[jun@localhost ~]$ cd /media/XP\ Windows\ \:\(/
[jun@localhost XP Windows :(]$

I guess this answers my question Mike Tbob , I hope....

Thanks!