Time-saving tricks on the command line

A few simple but very effective practical tips that should make you lightning fast on the command line. I use these literally every minute I spend in the shell. All the tips should work in Linux, UNIX, BSD and similar.
http://www.janosgyerik.com/practical-tips-tricks-in-the-linux-shell/

Transcript

1. time-saving tricks
   on the command line
   

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2. $ cd /usual/path/to/work/on/projectx
   $ screen -R projectx
   $ tail -f my.log
   ctrl-a c
   $ less config.sh
   gimme a new window
   Hm... what's in config.sh?
   Gimme a new window!
   

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3. gimme a new window
   gimme a new window
   gimme a new window
   gimme a new window
   gimme a new window
   $ tail -f /some/log
   ctrl-a c
   $ less /some/file
   ctrl-a c
   $ man some_doc
   ctrl-a c
   gimme another window
   ctrl-a is the command key
   c stands for create window
   

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4. ctrl-a n
   ctrl-a p
   ctrl-a w
   Next window
   Previous window
   Window list
   next prev window
   C-a p C-a n
   C-a p C-a n
   

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5. detach/reattach
   I want to get out!
   I want to go back!
   Terminal crashed!
   My sessions?
   # detach
   ctrl-a d
   # reattach
   $ screen -R label
   # detach and reattach
   $ screen -R label -D
   $ screen -ls
   

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6. ctrl-a ?
   

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7. search history with ctrl-r
   ...I want that for loop I
   used a while ago...
   ctrl-r and type "for"
   ctrl-r again...
   ctrl-r again...
   $ history | grep for
   362 for i in *; do mv "$i" "
   -t us-ascii//translit)" -v; don
   364 for i in *; do mv "$i" "
   us-ascii//translit)" -v; done
   (reverse-i-search)
   `for': history |grep
   for
   (reverse-i-search)`for': for i in *; do
   mv "$i" "$(echo $i | iconv -f utf-8 -t
   us-ascii//translit)" -v; done
   (reverse-i-search)`for': for i in *; do
   mv "$i" "$(echo $i | iconv -f iso8859-1
   -t us-ascii//translit)" -v; done
   

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8. ctrl-w
   ctrl-k
   ctrl-y
   ctrl-c
   Delete last word
   Delete until line end
   Paste deleted stuff
   Cancel entire line
   editing quickly
   

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9. ctrl-a
   ctrl-e
   Jump to line start
   Jump to line end
   moving quickly
   ctrl-a a inside screen
   

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10. man bash
    Search for: "READLINE"
    "Commands for Moving"
    "Commands for Changing Text"
    

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11. /error
    n
    N
    g
    G
    Search for "error"
    Next match
    Previous match
    Jump to first line
    Jump to last line
    moving quickly in less
    

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12. m a
    ' a
    -i
    :n
    Mark line in register "a", "b"
    Jump to register "a", "b"
    Toggle case sensitive search
    Go to next file
    moving quickly in less
    m b
    ' b
    

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13. h
    

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14. mail it to me
    # mail me the relevant stuff
    $ grep stuff /var/log/messages | mailx -s
    "stuff from logs" me@example.com
    # mail me the whole file
    $ uuencode /var/log/messages messages.
    txt | mailx -s "system logs on $HOST"
    me@example.com
    

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15. # after the loooong task, mail me
    $ rsync --progress /disk1/iso/*
    /disk2/iso/; ls -lha /disk2/iso/ |
    mailx -s "copy isos done"
    me@example.com
    mail me when finished
    

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16. # infinite loop until file appears and then mail me
    $ while :; do date; test -f file.txt &&
    break; sleep 300; done; ls -lh file.
    txt | mailx -s "file appeared"
    me@example.com
    mail me when file appears
    

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17. # infinite loop until matching line appears and then mail me
    $ while :; do date; grep pattern
    /path/to/log && break; sleep 300;
    done; { date; grep -B50 -A50
    pattern /path/to/log; } | mailx -s
    "log snippet" me@example.com
    mail me when log matches
    

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18. $ openssl des3 < secret.bin > secret.bin.des3
    enter des-ede3-cbc encryption password:
    Verifying - enter des-ede3-cbc encryption password:
    $ openssl des3 -d < secret.bin.des3 > decrypted.bin
    enter des-ede3-cbc decryption password:
    $ cmp secret.bin decrypted.bin
    $
    # empty output means the two files are identical
    encrypt and decrypt simply
    

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