by Clint Pate

1
LINUX Directory Stucture File System Basics

• by Clint Pate
• MCSE/CNA/CCNAI

2
Working w/ Windows

• -FIRST THINGS FIRST-
• Windows in Linux
• Opening and Closing Windows
• Iconifying and Maximizing Windows
• Sticking Windows to the Desktop

3
Working Windows

• In a GUI windows represents applications and
  documents.
• A windowed environment makes us more productive
  because we are able to interact with multiple
  applications and programs at the same time.
• KDE and Gnome are considered windows managers,
  like MS Explorer is the windows manager for Win95
  WinXP.

4
Windows and Panels

• Windows
• Windowed Application or Program
• Typical characteristics are scroll- bar and
  title bar.
• Panels
• - Dialog Box
• Typical characteristics are dialogs to
  inform you or require action such as
  Yes/No/OK/Cancel etc.

5
Window Controls
Sticky or Pin Button Pins to Virtual Desktops
Iconify/Minimize Window to Taskbar
Help FAQ
Window Button
Maximize or Restore Window Size
Close Window
Title Bar
Menu Bar Below it is the Toolbar
6
LINUX FILE SYSTEM

• Some of the folder structure you will see!

bin
usr
HardDrive
var
etc
mnt
dev
boot
home
tmp
lib
root
sbin
7
/bin Directory

• /bin is one of the most important directories in
  Linux. You'll find all of the most used commands
  there. Right now you should be seeing a lot of
  red (or green, depending on your version of
  Linux). Those are programs.

8
/etc Directory

• This houses most of the configuration files for
  Linux. lilo.conf, the file that tells you which
  OS to boot is in there.

9
/dev Directory

• These are the devices that your system uses or
  can use. Everything is considered a file in
  Linux, so your hard disk is really just a file
  that sits there and is usually called 'hda'.

10
/boot Directory

• This is where the Linux kernel is found. Power
  users may change the location of the kernel, but
  it is usually placed there on most systems. You
  will eventually have to use this directory,
  because you may need to use two or more different
  types of kernels in the future. This will be
  covered later.

11
/lib Directory

• /lib is for library files, that's where the name
  /lib comes from. Programs may use libraries to
  carry out their functions. Different programs use
  the same libraries, so Linux will store them here
  so that every program knows where to find them.
  You will probably not have to worry about this
  directory much unless you start getting messages
  like 'can't find shared library...'.

12
/sbin Directory

• /sbin is another one of those off-limits
  directories. You may look, but you can't touch!
  This directory is like bin/ in that it has
  frequently used programs in it, but they're only
  meant to be used by root. 'Shutdown' is in there.
  Only root can shutdown the system. If a user
  other than root tried to shutdown the system, he
  or she would get a message saying that only
  root can do that.

13
/root Directory

• Root's home directory is a restricted area for
  everybody else. Linux response is sort of like,
  'You don't have to know that'. Users' home
  directories are under certain restrictions for
  other users as well. If your logged on as root
  dont delete anything in here! cue TAPS, Bad
  Mac, etc.

14
/tmp Directory

• When you use a Windows-style system with Linux
  like KDE, this windows manager will create files
  there for temporary use. When you double click on
  an icon of a photo, the photo comes up for you to
  see but a temporary file is created while you're
  looking at the photo. The temporary file is
  deleted when you close the KDE image program.
  It's mainly the programs that work under a
  windows manager that take advantage of this
  directory.

15
/home Directory

• This a directory for storing users personal
  files. Users may have certain preferences for
  using programs. These preferences are usually
  included in configuration files which are also
  stored in users' home directories. Most of these
  files start with a '.' (period/dot).

16
/mnt Directory

• /mnt is the mount directory for floppy, cd-rom
  and any other mounted devices such as Zip, Jaz,
  SCSI drives, etc.

17
/var Directory

• /var is a directory for certain files that may
  change their size. For example, I use a program
  called MySQL, an excellent database that runs
  under Linux. In my version of Linux, MySQL keeps
  its data in a subdirectory of /var called
  /var/mysql/. If I wanted to keep a database of
  people who followed these lessons, that database
  would grow in size. If it didn't grow in size,
  then I'd be in trouble.

18
/usr Directory

• You will see more information, like dates, some
  numbers, letter combinations, it'll say 'root' a
  lot. You'll see mainly sub-directories here. The
  /usr directory contains files and programs meant
  to be used by all of the users on the system.

19
KFM

• KFM is the file manager for KDE. KFM also
  provides network-transparent file access, using
  protocols such as http, ftp, smb and others. The
  way it is laid out is the protocol first, such
  as
• lan//192.168.1.1
• smb//frodo.lotr.net/sharename
• http//www.lordoftherings.net etc

20
Hidden Files

• Hidden files are also known as dot files.
• Hidden directories are also preceded by a dot
  ..
• To view hidden files you can do it from a console
  using the ls command or from KFM using the Show
  Hidden Files command from the View menu.

21
Opening Files

• KFM tries to open a file based on association
  .ext, when one is not associated or KFM cannot
  figure it out it gives you the open with like
  MS Windows.

22
Working With Files

• Files are listed in KFM or Konquer when listed
  are tabled as follows
• Name of File
• Permissions
• File Owner (User)
• File Group
• File Size
• Last Modification Time

23
Permissions

• Read permission (r)
• Write permission (w)
• Execute permission (x)
• Absence of permission (-) No Perm.
• Note l marks a link to a file or folder
• Just remember UGO U GO Linux

EXAMPLE Link U G O lrwxrwxrwx
24
Working with Apps

• We can start applications from places like the
• K Menu.
• OR
• The Panel

25
Working with Apps

• Also selecting and activating an application by
  its icon (link), like a shortcut.
• If you know the name of the applications program
  file or binary, you can type it in a shell to
  launch it.

26
Working with Apps

• Note that frequently used applications appear at
  the top of the K Menu.
• Note the Command Shell window.
• Note the listing of files and their properties.

27
Working with Apps

• Desktop shortcuts
• AltTab Switch between running
  applications.
• Release the Alt key when at the desired
  application.
• Virtual Desktop shortcuts
• CtrlTab Switch between virtual desktops.
• OR
• CtrlFn Switch directly to a particular
  virtual desktop. It is possible to configure
  up to 16 virtual desktops per video card.
• OR
• CtrlEsc Gives a list of applications organized
  by desktop from which to pick from.

28
Working with Apps
In order to Pin an application to all desktops,
just click the thumb tack in the left corner. If
you want to Pin it to only certain desktops, use
the Window Menu button to the left of the thumb
tack and select To desktop Then check the
appropriate desktop to pin it to! Note It will
be Pinned in the same location on all desktops
selected.
29
Working with Apps

• Desktop Pager is a miniaturized view of
  application windows open on all desktops.
• Enable Active Desktop Borders option from the KDE
  Control Center to switch desktops by moving the
  mouse to the border of monitor. Specify the time
  to wait before it automatically activates the
  next desktop in sequential order.

30
Creating and Editing Documents

• Creating a document can be done much like it is
  done in MS Windows
• (File gt New) from the application.
• Right click on desktop gt New gt Doc type.
• Creating it from the Command shell.

31
Creating and Editing Documents

• When saving files these common file types are
  noted by their extension
• .txt Text file
• .gif GIF image
• .jpg JPG image
• .html Web file
• .tar Archive file
• .pl Perl Script file (normally executable)

32
Creating and Editing Documents

• When saving documents you should place them
  somewhere in the /home folder and organized in a
  structure you are satisfied with, such as Doc in
  the MyDocs folder and so forth.
• As for copying, cutting, and pasting, it is the
  same as in MS Windows. Select and R-click or
  Ctrlx, Ctrlc, and Ctrlv.

33
Organizing Your Files

• Moving and Copying are much the same as MS
  Windows, but when it comes to shortcuts it is
  called linking.
• To Link something you R-click and Link or try
  moving it to somewhere else outside of its
  current folder location and a dialog box will
  appear asking you (Copy, Move, or Link). It is
  that simple!

34
Organizing Your Files

• Trash Bin is guess what? You got it, the Recycle
  Bin (AKA the Garbage Can)
• The Trash Bin is just like that of MS Windows, I
  hope you can understand the comparison. This
  assumes you are quite familiar with it!

35
Organizing Your Files

• Renaming (R-click and Rename)
• Setting File or Folder Permissions
• Each file relates to a user in one or more
  roles
• The user can be the owner of the file/folder.
• The user can be a member of a group granted
  permission on the file/folder.
• The user is neither the owner nor a member of the
  group.
• Each of these roles might have R, W, or X
  permissions, or a combination thereof.
• When selecting group privileges not Group drop
  down box under Ownership on Permissions Tab.
  Select the appropriate Group.

36
Working With Disks

• Working with disk in Linux is different than in
  other OSs. In Linux and Unix, disks are mounted
  into the file system.
• Mounting a file system incorporates the contents
  of disk into the directory tree.
• Where drive are entered at the root listing as in
  MS Windows, Linux mounts them to a folder
  structure under /mnt folder.

37
Working With Disks

• Configuring the System to allow users to access
  the CDROM and Floppy can be done in the Command
  shell and also from KFM (K File Manager).
• The configuration file is stored in the /etc
  folder and is called fstab.
• Within this file you will see the paths for each
  device in the /dev folder.
• Page 97 goes over in detail the naming scheme for
  drives like hda1, fd0, hdd, etc.
• Change the line required for auto (file system)
  and user (any user), dont forget about the ,.

38
Working With Disks

• .kdelnk is the file extension for device links.
• They must be configured by using the properties
  box and setting the device and mount point along
  with its associated icons to represent mounted or
  unmounted.
• Floppies are formatted using KDE Floppy Formatter
  or by R-clicking on Floppy icon and then choose
  Format. ext2fs is a Linux format which is
  unreadable by MS Windows or DOS.