Using Linux
(Imprint: Que)
(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author: William Ball
ISBN: 0789716232

Introduction

About the Author

PART I—Linux Basics

CHAPTER 1—Introducing the Shell

Welcome to Linux

What Is a Shell?

Logging On to Linux

Creating a User Account at the Command Line

Creating a User Account in X11 with the usercfg Command

Changing Your Password

Changing User Account Information with the chfn Command

Running Commands as the Root Operator

Using Virtual Consoles

Logging Out of Linux

Rebooting Linux

Shutting Down Linux

Getting Help

Getting Help with the man Command

Getting Help in X11 with the xman Client

Getting Help with the whatis Command

Getting Help with the apropos Command

CHAPTER 2—Entering Commands

Entering Commands at the Shell Command Line

Case Sensitivity

Editing the Command Line

Saving Keystrokes with Shell History

Using the Tab Key to Complete Commands

Entering Multiple Commands

Breaking Long Command Lines

Creating Shell Commands

Using the >, >>, and < Redirection Operators

Redirecting Error Output by the Numbers

Using Pipes to Build Commands

Running Programs in the Background

Controlling Programs

Using Job Control

Using the ps and kill Commands

Using Wildcards

Building Regular Expressions

Selecting a Shell

Changing Shells with the chsh Command

CHAPTER 3—Navigating the Linux File System

Changing Directories

Printing the Current Working Directory

Changing Directories with the cd Command

Listing Directories

Listing Directories and Files with the ls Command

Echoing Directory Contents with the echo Command

Viewing Text Files

Viewing Text Files with the cat Command

Viewing Text Files with the less and more Pager Commands

Creating Files and Directories

Using touch to Create and Update Files and Directories

Creating Directories with the mkdir Command

Copying Files and Directories

Copying Files with the cp Command

Copying Directories with the cp Command

Moving and Renaming Files and Directories

Moving and Renaming Files and Directories with the mv Command

Creating Symbolic Links

Linking Files with the ln Command

Linking Directories with the ln Command

Deleting Files and Directories

Deleting Files with the rm Command

Deleting Directories with the rmdir Command

Deleting Directories with the rm Command

Finding Files and Directories

Finding Files with the find Command

Finding Files and Directories with the locate Command

Finding Programs and Manual Pages with the whereis Command

Searching Text Files

Using the grep Command

Using the egrep Command

Using the fgrep Command

Using the strings Command

CHAPTER 4—Using Text Editors

Selecting an Editor

Commercial Linux Word Processors

Using Screen Editors

Using Stream Editors

Using Linux Dictionaries

Getting the web2 Dictionary

Dictionaries: Rolling Your Own

Spell Checking with the ispell Command

Saving Paper with the mpage Command

Creating Formatted Documents

Using Text-Formatting Filter Commands

Using Text-Processing Systems

CHAPTER 5—Printing Files

Adding Printers

Checking Your Printer

Adding a Local Printer by Editing /etc/printcap

Adding a Local Printer with the Red Hat printtool Command

Adding a Network Printer with Red Hat’s printtool

Limiting Spool File Sizes

Spooling Files to Your Printer

Printing Files at the Command Line

Listing the Print Queue

Controlling Printers and Print Jobs

Reordering Print Jobs

Stopping Print Jobs

Sending Faxes with the lpr Command

PART II—Configuring Your System

CHAPTER 6—Configuring Your Environment

Setting Environment Variables

Displaying Environment Variables with the printenv Command

Displaying Environment Variables with the env Command

Setting an Environment Variable on the Command Line

Deleting an Environment Variable from the Command Line

Setting Command PATHs

Customizing Your Logon

Customizing Your Command-Line Prompt

Creating Aliases

CHAPTER 7—Working with Hard Drives

Determining the Volume Device and Partition

Hard Drive Devices

Choosing a File System

Formatting a Hard Drive

Using cabaret with Hard Drives

Partitioning a Hard Drive with the fdisk Command

Mounting a Hard Drive or Other Device

CHAPTER 8—Adding Tape and Zip Drives

Adding a Tape Drive

Installing a Tape Drive

Using the mt Command

Adding a Zip Drive

Before Installing a Zip Drive

Printing with a Parallel-Port Zip Drive

Ejecting Zip Disks and Password- and Read-Write–Protecting Zip Disks

CHAPTER 9—Enabling a PC Card Device

Enabling PCMCIA Services

Determining Your PCMCIA Controller

Using the cardmgr Command

Listing Your PC Card and Drivers

Disabling cardmgr Command Event Notification

Using the cardctl Command

Obtaining the Status of PC Cards

Listing Your PC Card Configuration

Ejecting a PC Card

Inserting a PC Card

Suspending and Restoring PC Card Power

CHAPTER 10—Adding a Pointing Device

Adding a Mouse

Configuring a Mouse with the mouseconfig Command

Configuring a Synaptics Touchpad

Installing a Joystick

Building the Joystick Module

Configuring a Joystick

CHAPTER 11—Configuring a Modem and Fax Service

Selecting a Modem for Linux

Using the dmesg Command to Check Serial Port Status

Testing Your Modem with the echo Command

Creating the /dev/modem Device

Creating /dev/modem with the Control Panel Client

Creating /dev/modem with the ln Command

Getting Serial Port Information with the setserial Command

Enabling Dial-In Service

Configuring Linux for Dial-in Service

Configuring Fax Service

Configuring the fax Shell Script

Testing Your Fax Configuration

Sending a Fax Using the fax Shell Script

Setting Up to Wait for Incoming Faxes

Checking the Status of Incoming or Outgoing Faxes

Viewing Received Faxes

Printing a Received Fax

Deleting a Received Fax

PART III—Connecting to Your Internet Service Provider

CHAPTER 12—Connecting to Your Internet Service Provider

Configuring a PPP Connection

Checking Your Serial Port and Modem

Checking Your Linux Kernel and File System for PPP Support

Configuring PPP for Your ISP

Configuring Your PPP Connection Scripts

Editing the ppp-on Connection Script

Starting a PPP Connection

Starting a PPP Connection Using the minicom Program

Starting a PPP Connection with the ppp-on Script

Closing Your PPP Connection

Checking Your PPP Connection

Checking PPP Connections with the ifconfig Command

Getting PPP Statistics with the pppstats Command

Testing PPP Connection Speed with the ping Command

Getting PPP Interface Information with the route Command

Troubleshooting PPP Connections with Your System Log

CHAPTER 13—Using Electronic Mail

Retrieving Electronic Mail

Using fetchmail

Selecting a Mail Program

Using mail

Using pine

Using Netscape Messenger to Create, Send, and Read Mail

Managing Electronic Mail

Configuring procmail to Filter Mail

CHAPTER 14—Using FTP

Using the ftp Command

Using ftp to Download Files

Using ftp Help Commands

Using the ncftp Command

Downloading with the ncftp Command

Using Netscape to Download Files

CHAPTER 15—Using Web Browsers

Using the lynx Browser

Configuring the lynx Browser

Using Netscape Communicator

Downloading and Installing Netscape Communicator

Working with Netscape Communicator

CHAPTER 16—Reading Usenet News

Specifying NNTP Service

Selecting a Newsreader

Using the tin Newsreader

Using the slrn Newsreader

Using the trn Newsreader

Using the xrn Newsreader

Using the pine Mailer to Read Usenet News

Reading News with Netscape Communicator

Configuring Newsreaders

Configuring the tin Newsreader

Configuring the slrn Newsreader

Configuring the trn Newsreader

Configuring the pine Mailer to Read Usenet News

Configuring Netscape Collabra to Read News

Downloading Files During telnet Sessions

Chatting with Internet Relay Chat

Starting an irc Session

CHAPTER 17—Using telnet and Internet Relay Chat

Using the telnet Command

Connecting to Other Computers

PART IV—The X Window System

CHAPTER 18—Running and Configuring X11

Starting X11

Using the startx Command

Using xdm for X11 Logons

Customizing the xdm Banner Screens

Customizing the .xinitrc Startup Script

Customizing .xinitrc with AnotherLevel

Using the wxininfo Client to Configure .xinitrc

Stopping X11

Using Virtual Consoles with X11

Customizing Your Workspace

Setting a Screen Saver

Setting the Background Desktop Color

Setting the Background Desktop Pattern

Using a Desktop Wallpaper

Setting the Mouse Pointer

Configuring the Mouse

Configuring the Terminal Window

Using X11 Resources

CHAPTER 19—Using a Window Manager

Selecting an X11 Window Manager

Using X11 and the Common Desktop Environment

Installing and Using the K Desktop Environment

Using X11 and the Motif Window Manager, mwm

Emulating Motif’s mwm with the LessTif mwm Window Manager

Starting a Window Manager

Starting AnotherLevel

Starting fvwm2

Starting fvwm

Starting twm

Starting CDE

Starting KDE

Starting Motif’s mwm Window Manager

Starting LessTif’s mwm

Configuring Window Managers

Configuring AnotherLevel

Configuring the fvwm2 Window Manager

Configuring the twm Window Manager

Configuring Motif’s mwm

Configuring LessTif’s mwm

CHAPTER 20—Performing Common X11 Operations

Using X11 Toolkit Command-Line Options

Using Geometry Settings to Set Window Size

Setting Foreground and Background Colors

Moving, Resizing, and Managing Windows

Specifying an X11 Window Title

Minimizing, Maximizing, or Closing Windows

Using Window-Management Keyboard Commands

Viewing X11 Fonts

Viewing X11 Fonts with the xfontsel Client

Using the xfd Client to View Font Character Maps

Using the Keyboard to Control and Navigate Windows

Copying and Pasting Text

Using the xcutsel Client to Copy Text

Copying Text with the xclipboard Client

Capturing Windows and the Desktop

Using xwd to Capture Windows

Using xwud to Display Window Dumps

Using the xloadimage Client to View Captures

Capturing and Viewing Screens with the xv Client

Using the xmag Client to Capture Magnified Images

CHAPTER 21—Using Graphics and Multimedia Tools

Selecting a Graphics Program

Using the GIMP Client

Using ImageMagick

Translati or Converting Graphics

Using the pbm, ppm, and pnm Utilities

Previewing Graphics and PostScript Documents

Using the gv PostScript Previewer

Using Adobe Acrobat

Playing Music CDs

Watching and Listening to Internet TV and Radio

Using RealPlayer

Playing Animations and Movies with the xanim Client

PART V—System Administration

CHAPTER 22—Basic Shell Programming

What Shell Scripts Are Used For

Writing Shell Programs

Good Programming Practice

A Sample Program

Using Shell Variables

Using Variables in Scripts

A Sample Script

Using Shell Constructs

Decision Constructs: The if Statement

Repeating Commands with while

Repeating Commands with for

Writing Shell Functions

Chapter 23—Using Basic Programming Tools

Building Programs with the make Command

make Options

Getting Started Quickly with New Programs

Specifying Different Makefiles

Building X11 Makefiles with the xmkmf Script

Compiling Programs with gcc

Linking Programs with the ld Linker

CHAPTER 24—Using LILO and LOADLIN

Configuring LILO

Changing the Default Boot

Passing Kernel Parameters

Booting to a Specific Run Level

Using LOADLIN

Booting from DOS to Linux

Setting Up LOADLIN

Passing Kernel Parameters with LOADLIN

CHAPTER 25—Managing Users and Groups

Users, Groups, and Their Relation to the System

Using the usercfg Tool

Adding a User with usercfg

View/Edit Users

Locking a User

Unlocking a User

Removing a User

Adding a Group

Editing an Existing Group

Removing a Group

Finishing Up with usercfg

Adding, Editing, and Deleting Users Using the Command Line

Adding Users with useradd

Modifying Users with the usermod Command

Deleting Users with the userdel Command

Adding, Editing, and Deleting Groups

Adding Groups with the groupadd Command

Modifying Groups with the groupmod Command

Deleting Groups with the groupdel Command

Changing User and Group Ownership

Managing Groups with gpasswd

Using the chgrp Command

Changing File Ownership and Permissions

Using the chown Command

Using the chmod Command

Advanced Concepts: Password Authentication Module

Improving System Security Using PAM

CHAPTER 26—Managing Scheduling Services

Configuring inittab and rc Files

The inittab File

The rc Files

Configuring crontab Scheduling Service

Enabling crontab Service

crontab Entries

Allowing and Preventing Access to the crontab Service

Configuring the at Command Service

Enabling at Command Service

Allowing and Preventing Access to the at Command Service

CHAPTER 27—Managing Network Connections

Configuring Network Connections

Using the Network Configuration Tool

Setting the Hostname and the Domain Name

Enabling the Loopback Interface

Adding a PPP Interface

Adding a SLIP Interface

Adding a PLIP Interface

Adding an Ethernet Interface

Setting Up a Router

Connecting Two Linux Systems

Connecting a MacOS Machine to a Linux System

Connecting a Windows Machine to a Linux System

Enabling the Network File System Service

Enabling Dial-In Service

Setting Up the PPP Options Files

Configuring Getty Devices

CHAPTER 28—Managing Daemons

Editing and Creating Run Levels

Editing inittab

Using chkconfig

Listing Services by Using chkconfig

Removing a Service Using chkconfig

Adding a Service by Using chkconfig

Resetting Service Information

Editing Startup and Shutdown Scripts

A Sample init Script

init script checklist

Customizing the Logon Greeting

Customizing the Logon Greeting for Network Connections

Enabling and Customizing the MOTD

Using the tksysv Tool

Adding a Service with tksysv

Starting and Stopping Network Services

Using the ntsysv Tool

Enabling FTP Access

Enabling a Web Server

Configuring the Apache Web Server

CHAPTER 29—Managing the Filesystem

Mounting and Unmounting Filesystems

Using the usermount Command

Using the mount Command

Setting Up New Filesystems

Using Red Hat’s cabaret Tool

Starting cabaret

The Red Hat Filesystem Manager

Editing /etc/fstab Manually

Creating New Filesystems Manually

How to Organize Your File System Tree

Repairing Filesystems

Disaster Recovery

What’s Vital and What Isn’t?

When to Back Up

What to Do with the Backups

Reviewing Your Backup Strategy

Coping with Disaster

CHAPTER 30—Managing Applications

Package Management with rpm

The rpm Command’s Major Modes and Common Options

Installing Packages

Upgrading Packages

Uninstalling Packages

Querying Packages

Verifying Packages

Using Red Hat’s X11 glint Client to Manage rpm Packages

Installing and Using the xrpm Client

CHAPTER 31—System Maintenance

Performing System Backups

Compressing and Decompressing Files and Directories

Compressed Archiving with the tar Command

Using find to Locate Files for tar Backups

Using taper for Backups

Backing Up with Floppy Disks

Backing Up with Removable Drives

Performing File System Maintenance

Deleting Unnecessary Files

Undeleting Files

Maximizing Disk Space

Performing System Cleanups

Compressing Manual Pages

Compressing Unused Documents and Directories

CHAPTER 32—Managing the Kernel

Using the Red Hat kernelcfg Tool

Adding a Module to the Kernel Configuration

Editing the Linux Kernel Configuration Files

Configuring Your Sound Card

Plug and Play Devices

Managing Modules

Installing Modules

Listing Modules

Creating Module Dependencies

Enabling Modules at Boot Time

Managing Processes

Using the /proc Directory Information

Viewing the System Load Average

Viewing Processes with the top Command

Viewing Processes with the ps Command

Using the kill Command and Process IDs

Recompiling the Kernel

Installing the New Kernel Source

Before Configuring the Kernel

Using make config

Using make xconfig

Building and Installing the Kernel

Installing the Kernel