Jaguar wrote:
>
> Is there a HOWTO on the basic file types, and where certain types are located
> ie: as in *.DOC is a document, *.INI is an initialization file located in the
> Windows SUB-DIR.
You can usually tell what type of file it is by using the command:
file <filename>
It will respond with it's type.
For beginners, system configuration files are in /etc. Files necessary
to boot the system are in /bin, /sbin, /lib, /boot, and /etc. System
administration files are in /sbin and /usr/sbin. Libraries are kept in
/usr/lib. The X Window System is stored in /usr/X11R6. Local software
installations typically go in /usr/local. Files that change frequently
get stored in /var. /tmp _used_ to be cleaned at each boot, but I'm not
sure if that's true anymore (and I'm not interested enough to check the
boot script). System daemons and other services are launched from
scripts within /etc/rc.d. /opt is typically used for large commercial
packages like StarOffice, etc.
Hope that brief rundown gives you a general idea of things...
> I guess what I would like is to understand the why's/where's of the file
> structure and naming convention's of Linux. Maybe knowing what is what will
> allow me to get a better grip on Linux. As I see it, when I install a new
> program, unless it creates a link TO the file in a menu, I have NO clue where
> it ends up on the HD. Only using the FIND FILE can I try to narrow it down,
> and even then I can't always find them...:(
If the files come in an .rpm package, you can use the command:
rpm -ql <package>
to list the files contained in the package. If you find a file and
wonder what package it came from, you can use:
rpm -qf <filename>
To get a brief description of the package, use:
rpm -qi <package>
> Sorry to be long winded, but as a newbie, I am sure other's have similar
> problems, and understanding them might make it easier on me/us.
There is a document called the Linux Filesystem Heirarchy which goes
into much more detail about the hows and whys of the filesystem layout.
If you ever get a free weekend and are still curious about it, do a web
search. It's a great document for understanding WHY things are placed
where they are. It's also a little frustrating to realize that the
thing is a couple years old and distributions STILL violate it's
suggestions.
--
Steve Philp
Network Administrator
Advance Packaging Corporation
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
