book

From Bash to Z Shell: Conquering the Command Line

by Oliver Kiddle, Jerry Peek, Peter Stephenson

November 2004

Beginner to intermediate

469 pages

13h 57m

English

Apress

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How This Book Is StructuredWho Should Read This BookPrerequisitesTips for Reading Technical MaterialContacting the Authors
CHAPTER 1: Introduction to ShellsWhat's a Shell?Getting StartedSimple CommandsCommand LinesShell Types and VersionsThe Filesystem: Directories, PathnamesWhere the Commands Are LocatedRelative Pathnames and Your Current DirectoryBuilding Pathnames with WildcardsExpansion and SubstitutionBuilding Pathnames by CompletionCommand-Line EditingCommand HistoryMore Unix ProgramsSummary
Writing Output to Files: RedirectionUsing Programs Together: PipesJoining ForcesEditing Data, Continuing Command LinesCommand Substitutionfor and foreach LoopsMore About for LoopsBuilding Our ScriptMaking a Script FileRunning the ScriptPrograms and the PathUsing the Results (via Aliases and Functions)Summary
Passing Info to Processes with Environment VariablesStarting and Stopping Processes: Signals, Job ControlControl Shell Interpretation with QuotingQuick Directory Changes with cdpathSummary

CHAPTER 4: Entering and Editing the Command LineTerminals and ShellsThe Command LineLine Editing BasicsBeyond Keystrokes: Commands and BindingsOptions for EditingMultiline Editing and the zsh Editor StackKeyboard MacrosOther Tips on TerminalsSummary
Starting ShellsStartup Files, Login and Interactive ShellsShell OptionsGetting Started with CygwinSummary
Setting Up Variables"Bang" History: The Use of Exclamation MarksMore Options for Manipulating HistoryA Few More History TricksSummary
Basic PromptingPrompts in bashPrompts in zshChecking for Mail and Idle TerminalsSummary
Types of FilesFinding Commands and FilesManaging Directories with the ShellMore Argument Handling: BracesRedirectionHere-Documents and Here-StringsSummary
Basic GlobbingInternationalization and LocalesGlobbing in BashGlobbing in ZshGlob Qualifiers in ZshGlobbing Flags in ZshSummary
Getting Started with CompletionListing and Formatting Possible MatchesTypes of CompletionControlling MatchingReducing the Number of MatchesAutomatically Added SuffixesExact Ambiguous MatchesSummary
Mastering Job ControlHigh-Power Command SubstitutionsResource LimitsLying About the Program NameSummary
CHAPTER 12: VariablesArraysVariable AttributesNumeric Variables and ArithmeticComplex Variable ExpansionsAssociative ArraysVariable IndirectionSummary
Programming with the ShellInput and OutputPropagating FunctionsTraps and Special FunctionsDefining New Globbing QualifiersDebugging ScriptsSummary
Widgets and FunctionsSimple Recipe for a WidgetMaking Widgets Behave NaturallyCase Study I: Multiple Tasks in WidgetsCase Study 2: Overriding WidgetsCase Study 3: Locating Command-Line ArgumentsCase Study 4: Chaining Widgets TogetherApproximate MatchingAn Example Widget: Correcting SpellingInput and Output Within WidgetsSummary
CompletionsHelper FunctionsHandling StylesMaking Full Use of TagsTags, Labels, and DescriptionsPrefixes and SuffixesStand-alone Completion WidgetsSummaryAnd Finally...
bashzshGeneral

Overview

Some areas are covered in other books, but this one goes into some little-seen side streets and alleyways to show you the shortcuts to more efficient use of the shell. ...The material here is invaluable: you're not going to get it from the manual pages! I strongly recommend it.

- Ernest J.

This is a totally neat idea for a book... the command line gets addictive quickly.

- Bill Ryan, Bill's House O Insomnia

This comprehensive, hands-on guide focuses on two of the most popular and feature-rich shells, bash and zsh. From Bash to Z Shell: Conquering the Command Line is a book for all skill levels. Novices will receive an introduction to the features of shells and power users will get to explore the benefits of zsh--one of the most powerful, versatile shells ever written. Intermediate users will uncover hints, recipes, and ideas to enhance their skill sets.

The book covers shell programming, but is unique in its thorough coverage of using shells interactively--a powerful and time-saving alternative to windows and a mouse. This strong author team has written an immediately useful book, packed with examples and suggestions that users of Unix, Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows can readily apply.