GNERAL UNIX INFORMATION:

$> stands for the Unix command prompt (which may vary from user to user).
The text typed after the prompt is the command with various options.
In general, in Unix, the order of events in a command request is
(i.e. the command syntax):

   a       b     c
command <options> file


               A Unix Crib-sheet: (By Kathleen Frederickson)

(Let's imagine a sample pathname of neuro/data/howard/alzheimer/brain
and another one of neuro/pet/christine/analysis/controls)

cd means "change directory" -- in a variety of permutations, it allows
you to move through the many branches of stored information

cd ..   will take you up one level on the path in which you find
yourself (e.g. you're in neuro/data/howard/alzheimer, you use this
command and you'll be in neuro/data/howard)

cd ../../../ will take you up three levels (another ../ would take you
up four, one less would only take you up two and so forth).  So if
you're in neuro/data/howard/alzheimer/brain and you type "cd
../../../" and you'll be in neuro/data/

cd [subdir] if you want to go to the next subdirectory down the path
(e.g. you're in neuro/data/ and want to be in neuro/data/howard) you
have only to type cd and then the name of the subdirectory (e.g. cd
howard) WITHOUT A SLASH

cd /[dir] if you want to go to another directory altogether
(e.g. you're in neuro/data/howard and you want to be in
neuro/pet/christine) you type cd and the FULL name of the directory
WITH a slash at the beginning (e.g. cd /neuro/pet/christine).This will
also work to move you back within a given string (e.g. from
/neuro/data/howard/alzheimer to neuro/data) but you need to type out
the WHOLE string, right from the beginning (e.g.cd /neuro/data)

CTRL-C CANCEL.  A very important and very useful command.  If the
computer is still processing an operation, Control-C will stop it
mid-stream.  Moreover if you've typed a line but haven't hit enter, it
will delete your typing and move you back to the cursor prompt.

pwd will tell you where you are within the whole structure of
directories,subdirectories and so forth.  Type it and something to the
effect of "/neuro/data/howard/" will pop up.

mkdir [name] will create a directory WITHIN the directory in which you
are working. For example, you're in /neuro/data/ and you type "mkdir
kathleen" you will have created /neuro/data/kathleen/

ls will list the files and subdirectories within a the directory where
you are working

ls -l same as the "ls" command, but this will ALSO tell you what the
rights (e.g.who can read, write and execute the file) are for each
file and it will also provide information on file size and last
date/time it was modified.

df -k will tell you how much space is left on the assorted disks
attached to the system.  df -k . will tell you how much space you have
on the current disk.

cp              COPY
mv              MOVE
rm              REMOVE

There are two procedures for all of these commands: one for copying,
moving and removing FILES; and one for copying, moving and removing
DIRECTORIES.

FILES: to copy a file you type "cp [filename] [directory into which
you want to copy the file WITH SLASH]"--so, let's say you've got a
file called "smith" located in "/neuro/data/howard" and you want to
copy it to "/neuro/pet/christine/" IF YOU ARE ALREADY IN
"/neuro/data/howard"you need only type "cp smith
/neuro/pet/christine";IF YOU ARE NOT,you need to type "cp
/neuro/data/smith /neuro/pet/christine

If you substitute "mv" for "cp" you will move the file instead of
copying it.

If you want to remove a file you just need to type the first half
(and substitute "rm" for "cp" (e.g. to remove "smith" you'd type "rm
smith"from WITHIN /neuro/data/howard or "rm /neuro/data/howard/smith"
if you are elsewhere

DIRECTORY: to copy a directory you need to add an extra "-r" after
"cp".So, you want to copy the "howard" directory you type "cp -r
/neuro/data/howard/ /neuro/pet/christine".  You also need to add the
"-r" for moving and removing directories....apart from the "-r" the
procedure is the same.

less [filename]: will scroll through a file, one screenful at a time
(e.g. you want to look at file smith, which is REALLY big, you type
"less smith" and it will show it to you).  If the file you're looking
at is in ASCII format, you will only see the text contents, if it's a
binary file (e.g. a Word file, or WordPerfect file) the system will
warn you that it may be binary and ask you if you want to continue.
If you say yes, the system will show you not only the contents of the
file, but also the machine code et. al.