4BSD/usr/man/cat1/ls.1
LS(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual LS(1)
NAME
ls - list contents of directory
SYNOPSIS
ls [ -abcdfgilmqrstux1CFR ] name ...
l [ _l_s options ] name ...
DESCRIPTION
For each directory argument, _l_s lists the contents of the
directory; for each file argument, _l_s repeats its name and
any other information requested. The output is sorted
alphabetically by default. When no argument is given, the
current directory is listed. When several arguments are
given, the arguments are first sorted appropriately, but
file arguments appear before directories and their contents.
There are three major listing formats. The format chosen
depends on whether the output is going to a teletype, and
may also be controlled by option flags. The default format
for a teletype is to list the contents of directories in
multi-column format, with the entries sorted down the
columns. (Files which are not the contents of a directory
being interpreted are always sorted across the page rather
than down the page in columns. This is because the indivi-
dual file names may be arbitrarily long.) If the standard
output is not a teletype, the default format is to list one
entry per line. Finally, there is a stream output format in
which files are listed across the page, separated by `,'
characters. The -m flag enables this format; when invoked
as _l this format is also used.
There are an unbelievable number of options:
-l List in long format, giving mode, number of links,
owner, size in bytes, and time of last modification for
each file. (See below.) If the file is a special file
the size field will instead contain the major and minor
device numbers.
-t Sort by time modified (latest first) instead of by
name, as is normal.
-a List all entries; usually `.' and `..' are suppressed.
-s Give size in blocks, including indirect blocks, for
each entry.
-d If argument is a directory, list only its name, not its
contents (mostly used with -l to get status on direc-
tory).
-r Reverse the order of sort to get reverse alphabetic or
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oldest first as appropriate.
-u Use time of last access instead of last modification
for sorting (-t) or printing (-l).
-c Use time of file creation for sorting or printing.
-i Print i-number in first column of the report for each
file listed.
-f Force each argument to be interpreted as a directory
and list the name found in each slot. This option
turns off -l, -t, -s, and -r, and turns on -a; the
order is the order in which entries appear in the
directory.
-g Give group ID instead of owner ID in long listing.
-m force stream output format
-1 force one entry per line output format, e.g. to a tele-
type
-C force multi-column output, e.g. to a file or a pipe
-q force printing of non-graphic characters in file names
as the character `?'; this normally happens only if the
output device is a teletype
-b force printing of non-graphic characters to be in the
\ddd notation, in octal.
-x force columnar printing to be sorted across rather than
down the page; this is the default if the last charac-
ter of the name the program is invoked with is an `x'.
-F cause directories to be marked with a trailing `/' and
executable files to be marked with a trailing `*'; this
is the default if the last character of the name the
program is invoked with is a `f'.
-R recursively list subdirectories encountered.
The mode printed under the -l option contains 11 characters
which are interpreted as follows: the first character is
d if the entry is a directory;
b if the entry is a block-type special file;
c if the entry is a character-type special file;
m if the entry is a multiplexor-type character special
file;
- if the entry is a plain file.
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The next 9 characters are interpreted as three sets of three
bits each. The first set refers to owner permissions; the
next to permissions to others in the same user-group; and
the last to all others. Within each set the three charac-
ters indicate permission respectively to read, to write, or
to execute the file as a program. For a directory, `exe-
cute' permission is interpreted to mean permission to search
the directory for a specified file. The permissions are
indicated as follows:
r if the file is readable;
w if the file is writable;
x if the file is executable;
- if the indicated permission is not granted.
The group-execute permission character is given as s if the
file has set-group-ID mode; likewise the user-execute per-
mission character is given as s if the file has set-user-ID
mode.
The last character of the mode (normally `x' or `-') is t if
the 1000 bit of the mode is on. See _c_h_m_o_d(1) for the mean-
ing of this mode.
When the sizes of the files in a directory are listed, a
total count of blocks, including indirect blocks is printed.
FILES
/etc/passwd to get user ID's for `ls -l'.
/etc/group to get group ID's for `ls -g'.
BUGS
Newline and tab are considered printing characters in file
names.
The output device is assumed to be 80 columns wide.
The option setting based on whether the output is a teletype
is undesirable as ``ls -s'' is much different than
``ls -s | lpr''. On the other hand, not doing this setting
would make old shell scripts which used _l_s almost certain
losers.
Column widths choices are poor for terminals which can tab.
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