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| Interix / SUA | ls.1 | Interix / SUA |
LS(1) System General Commands Manual LS(1)
NAME
ls - list directory contents
SYNOPSIS
ls [-1ACDFLMPQRSTUacdfghiklmnopqrstuvx] [-O showlist] [file ...]
DESCRIPTION
For each operand that names a file of a type other than directory, ls
displays its name as well as any requested, associated information. For
each named directory, ls displays the names of files contained within
that directory, as well as any requested, associated information.
If no operands are given, the contents of the current directory are dis-
played. If more than one operand is given, non-directory operands are
displayed first; directory and non-directory operands are sorted sepa-
rately and in lexicographical order.
The options are as follows:
-A, --almost-all
List all entries except for ``.'' and ``..''. Always set for the
superuser.
-C Force multi-column output; this is the default when output is to
a terminal.
-D, --domainname
Adds the domain name before user and group names whenever they
are displayed.
-F, --classify, --file-type
Display a slash (`/') immediately after each pathname that is a
directory, an asterisk (`*') after each that is executable, an at
sign (`@') after each symbolic link, a percent sign (`%') after
each whiteout, an equal sign (`=') after each socket, and a ver-
tical bar (`|') after each that is a FIFO.
-L, --dereference
If argument is a symbolic link, evaluate the file information and
file type to be those of the file referenced by the link, and not
the link itself; however, ls writes the name of the link itself
and not the file referenced by the link.
-M Display the file mode in octal instead of "human" form when the
long form of the listing is displayed. Otherwise add the file
mode to the line output for each file. This can be useful when
wanting to have the output of ls used as input to a script and in
combination with the options 1 and P.
-O showlist
Display only the file types selected in the comma separated list.
Valid file types that can be displayed are:
ace Display files that have additional ACE's beyond
POSIX.
all Display all file types.
blk Display block special files.
char Display character special files.
dir Display directories.
fifo Display FIFO files.
hard Display hard linked files.
r Display readable files.
reg Display regular files.
set Display setuid, setgid and setvtx files.
sock Display socket files.
sym Display symbolic linked files.
unknown Display files of an unknown type (not FIFO, regu-
lar, block special, socket, symbolic, character
special or directory).
w Display writable files.
x Display executable files.
-P Print the relative fullpath to the file.
-Q, --quote-name
Quote the filenames when output. This is useful when a filename
may have one or more spaces.
-R, --recursive
Recursively list subdirectories encountered.
-S Sort by size, largest file first.
-T, --full-time
Display complete time information for the file, including month,
day, hour, minute, second, and year. This option has no effect
unless one of the long format (-l, -n) options is also specified.
-U Request that all the files be treated as "unreliable". This may
help with some filesystem types that do not provide reliable
inode information. The default behavior is to assume that a file
should not be displayed if inode information is not consistent.
This option allows files in this state to be displayed.
-a, --all
Include directory entries whose names begin with a dot (`.').
-c Use time file's status was last changed instead of last modifica-
tion time for sorting (-t) or printing (-l, -n).
-d, --directory
Directories are listed as plain files (not searched recursively)
and symbolic links in the argument list are not indirected
through.
-f Output is not sorted.
-g Show group, do not write the owner in the long listing. Implies
-l.
-h, --human-readable
When used with a long format option, use unit suffixes: Byte,
Kilobyte, Megabyte, Gigabyte, Terabyte, Petabyte and Exabyte in
order to reduce the number of digits to four or fewer using pow-
ers of 2 for sizes (K=1024, M=1048576, etc.).
-i, --inode
For each file, print its inode number.
-k, --kilobytes
Modifies the -s option, causing the sizes to be reported in kilo-
bytes. Overrides any value specified by the BLOCKSIZE environ-
ment variable.
-l, --long
(The lowercase letter ``ell.'') List in long format (see below).
If the output is to a terminal, a total sum of all file sizes is
output on a line before the long listing.
-m Stream output format; list files across the page, separated by
commas.
-n, --numeric-uid-gid
List in long format as in -l, but retain user and group IDs in a
numeric format. (-l, -n) output.
-o, --no-group
Show owner, do not write the group in the long listing. Implies
-l.
-p Display a slash (`/') immediately after each pathname that is a
directory.
-q, --hide-control-chars
Force printing of non-graphic characters in file names as the
character `?'; this is the default when output is to a terminal.
-r, --reverse
Reverse the order of the sort to get reverse lexicographical
order or the smallest or oldest entries first.
-s Display the number of file system blocks actually used by each
file, where partial units are rounded up to the next integer
value. Blocks are 512 bytes unless overridden by the -k flag or
BLOCKSIZE environment variable.
-t Sort by time modified (most recently modified first) before sort-
ing the operands in lexicographical order.
-u Use file's last access time instead of last modification time for
sorting (-t) or printing (-l, -n).
-v, --colour, --color
Visually identify file types by colouring the names different
colours. By default if you are using a colour capabable interix
or xterm terminal the colours will be set using an internal
table. You may specifically set the file type colours for your
terminal by setting the environment variable LS_COLOURS; the
default internal tables will not be used. Output will only be
coloured when working with a terminal.
-x Multi-column output sorted across the page rather than down the
page.
-1 (The numeric digit ``one.'') Force output to be one entry per
line. This is the default when output is not to a terminal.
The -1, -C, -l, and -n options all override each other; the last one
specified determines the format used.
The -c and -u options override each other; the last one specified deter-
mines the file time used. The -f option overrides any occurrence of
either.
By default, ls lists one entry per line to standard output; the excep-
tions are to terminals or when the -C or -m options are specified.
File information is displayed with one or more s separating the
information associated with the -i, -s, -l, and -n options.
The Long Format
If the -l or -n options are given, the following information is displayed
for each file: mode, number of links, owner, group, size in bytes, time
of last modification (``mmm dd HH:MM''), and the pathname. In addition,
for each directory whose contents are displayed, the first line displayed
is the total number of blocks used by the files in the directory. Blocks
are 512 bytes unless overridden by the -k option or BLOCKSIZE environment
variable.
If the owner or group name is not a known user or group name, respec-
tively, or the -n option is given, the numeric ID is displayed.
If the file is a character special or block special file, the major and
minor device numbers for the file are displayed in the size field.
If the -T option is given, the time of last modification is displayed
using the format ``mmm dd HH:MM:SS CCYY''.
If the file is a symbolic link, the pathname of the linked-to file is
preceded by ``->''.
The file mode printed under the -l or -n options consists of the entry
type, owner permissions, group permissions, and other permissions. The
entry type character describes the type of file, as follows:
b block special file
c character special file
d directory
l symbolic link
s socket link
p FIFO
w whiteout
- regular file
The next three fields are three characters each: owner permissions, group
permissions, and other permissions. Each field has three character posi-
tions:
1. If r, the file is readable; if -, it is not readable.
2. If w, the file is writable; if -, it is not writable.
3. The first of the following that applies:
S If in the owner permissions, the file is not exe-
cutable and set-user-ID mode is set. If in the
group permissions, the file is not executable and
set-group-ID mode is set.
s If in the owner permissions, the file is exe-
cutable and set-user-ID mode is set. If in the
group permissions, the file is executable and set-
group-ID mode is set.
x The file is executable or the directory is search-
able.
- The file is neither readable, writable, exe-
cutable, nor set-user-ID, nor set-group-ID, nor
sticky (see below).
These next two apply only to the third character in the last
group (other permissions):
T The sticky bit is set (mode 1000), but neither
executable nor searchable (see chmod(1) or
sticky(8)).
t The sticky bit is set (mode 1000), and is search-
able or executable (see chmod(1) or sticky(8)).
In addition, if the -o option is specified, the file flags (see
chflags(1)) are displayed as comma-separated strings in front of the file
size, abbreviated as follows:
- no flags
uappnd user append-only
uchg user immutable
nodump do not dump
opaque opaque file
sappnd system append-only
arch archived
schg system immutable
The ls utility exits 0 on success or >0 if an error occurred.
ENVIRONMENT
BLOCKSIZE If the environment variable BLOCKSIZE is set, and the -k
option is not specified, the block counts (see -s) will be
displayed in units of that size block.
COLUMNS If this variable contains a string representing a decimal
integer, it is used as the column position width for display-
ing multiple-text-column output. The ls utility calculates
how many pathname text columns to display based on the width
provided (see -C).
LS_COLOURS
The contents of this variable will set the display colours for
different file types for the terminal. For compatability
LS_COLORS will be accepted as an alternative spelling. The
content is a series of variable settings that are colon (:)
separated.
all for all file types
blk for block special files
chr for character special files
dir for directories
exe for executable files
fifo for FIFO's
lnk for linked files
match(pattern)
for 'pattern' matching filenames by the rules of
glob(3)
norm for regular files
sock for socket files
wht for whiteout files (not yet on Interix)
Variables are set equal to a value. You do not specify an
'escape' as this will be prefixed for you when colouring is
done. You may leave variables unset. You need to specify the
unsetting of the color with the same variable name suffixed
with a "_r". An example setting is:
dir=[31m:dir_r=[0m:norm=[0m:lnk=[34m:exe=[32m:all_r=[0m
The above example is setting foreground colours for an
"interix" terminal. You may also set background colours
instead or in combination with the foreground colour. With an
"interix" terminal setting the foreground to blue and back-
ground to grey would be the sequence "[34;47m" provided to one
of the setting listed above. The sequence may/can/will be dif-
ferent for different terminal types.
An example of using "match" to pattern match for files ending
is ".foo" is "match(*.foo)=[34m". Allowable pattern matches
are as described with the glob(3) manual page as called from
the function fnmatch(3).
It is always good practice for the setting "all_r" be used as
a "catch all" to revert back to normal colours. For the
interix terminal this is "[0m". You are not restricted to
just colour sequences -- any terminal sequence can be used
such alert (control G).
TZ The timezone to use when displaying dates. See environ(7) for
more information.
EXAMPLES
$ ls -l
List the contents of the current working directory in long format.
$ ls -lioF
In addition to listing the contents of the current working directory in
long format, show inode numbers, don't show the file owner and suffix
each filename with a symbol representing its file type.
$ ls -lt /var/log
List the files in /var/log, sorting the output such that the mostly
recently modified entries are printed first.
SEE ALSO
chmod(1), chown(1), fmt_scaled(3), fnmatch(3), fts(3), glob(3),
isatty(2), lc(1), stat(1), stat(2), strmode(3)
STANDARDS
The group field is now automatically included in the long listing for
files in order to be compatible with the IEEE Std 1003.2 (``POSIX.2'')
and SUS specifications.
The ls utility is expected to be a superset of the IEEE Std 1003.2
(``POSIX.2'') and SUS specifications.
HISTORY
An ls utility appeared in Version 3 AT&T UNIX.
NOTES
This version of ls is linked to a special instance of the fts routines to
handle a new option request to support the -U option.
Interix April 16, 2008 Interix