Book Image

Linux Utilities Cookbook

By : James Kent Lewis
Book Image

Linux Utilities Cookbook

By: James Kent Lewis

Overview of this book

<p>Linux is a stable, reliable and extremely powerful operating system. It has been around for many years, however, most people still don't know what it can do and the ways it is superior to other operating systems. Many people want to get started with Linux for greater control and security, but getting started can be time consuming and complicated. <br /><br />A practical, hands-on guide that provides you with a number of clear step-by-step examples to help you solve many of the questions that crop up when using an operating system you may not be familiar with.</p> <p>Presenting solutions to the most common Linux problems in a clear and concise way, this helpful guide starts with spicing up the terminal sessions by command retrieval and line editing, and shell prompt variables. We will then get to know the different desktops (GUIs) available for Linux systems and which is the best fit for you. We will then explore the world of managing files and directories, connectivity, and what to do when it goes wrong. We will also learn a range of skills, from creating and managing user accounts to securing your system, managing and limiting processes, and letting information flow from one process to another using pipes. Later, we will master disk management, working with scripts and automating tasks quickly, and finally, understand the need for a custom kernel and tips on how to build one.</p> <p><br />Based on the author's extensive experience, there is a section on best practices that every Linux user should be familiar with.</p>
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
Linux Utilities Cookbook
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Using history


The standard Bash shell includes a history function. It records each command in a database that can be shown by running the history command. In this section we have shown how this is done.

Getting ready

All you need is a Bash terminal to follow the given steps.

See the following screenshot:

How to do it...

  1. Run a few commands such as route, uptime, date, and sync.

  2. Run the history command.

  3. Look for a command you would like to run again, but instead of typing the command, type an exclamation point (!) and then the number next to the command as shown in the history listing, and press Enter.

  4. That command will run again.

How it works...

Think of the command line history as a linear database. You can scroll up and down until you see the command you want. This is also helpful to recall something you did a while back. The HISTSIZE environment variable controls how many commands will be saved in the buffer.

Tip

Be careful with this feature. Make sure you have the correct command before running it.