adding an option to a 'tab' completion + ls

whatnoname · 06-06-2005, 08:19 PM

Hi all,

I wasn't too sure how to name the thread.. but...

I have

Code:

alias ls='ls -lh --color'

set in my /etc/bashrc file. Gives a nice output. But say I want to ls the contents of a folder I'm not sure of the exact name.. So for example you'd do " ls /usr/local <tab> <tab> ", but this gives the output in the bog standard short-ls way, and not my ls -lh --color way I prefer.

So what / where do I have to edit to get this altered <tab> output thingy

I's also like to change the ls format too, to show the total size of a directory.

Code:

drwx------  11 meep        users   4.0K Jun  7 01:19 meep
drwxr-xr-x   3 root        root    4.0K Dec  2  2004 www

So instead of it showing the '4.0K' it lists the actual size of the meep- or www folders inc. subdirs.

Thanks to you if you can set me straight!

nadroj · 06-06-2005, 09:22 PM

for the alias ls command you set i dont think you can have it work with the '<tab> thingy'. when u press tab like that it is a feature of the shell. it is for auto completion. when it finds only one result it will display that one, when it finds more than one it will display them all as a convenience to you to let you know which one you need to work with, or whatever. so, again, i dont think you can achieve what your saying.. someone correct me if im wrong, though.

for the directory size, the ls command is doing what it is supposed to.. its showing you the size of the file. however, in the case you mentioned, those files are 'directories' and they are handled the same way as any other file with ls. it IS showing you the size of it, but not the size of its contents and their contents (recursively). you would i think either need to write a script, or you can use the 'du' (disk usage) command. see the man page here
ex:

Code:

du /home/nadroj/mp3s

edit: i dont have access to *nix right now and i might be wrong here.. if its not du then the command is df, i havent used them in while and forget. it wont kill you if you accidently do either, of course.

whatnoname · 06-07-2005, 07:32 AM

Shame on both counts really - You get used to the long format for the ls command, and when you tab tab, and it's shown in the usual short ls manner, it's just bugging.
The command is du -sh say for the directory sizes, it would be nice (imho!) To have the size of directories shown in an ls command too, you could see all direcrotory sizes in one go then.

Thanks!