HI
from exam sample questions (LPI101) on the LPI site:

Which command will show how much free disk space is available in the current directory?
Answers
A) df .
B) df
C) du /
D) du .
E) df /

Do they mean "current filesystem"?

The question is worded correctly.

First, the correct command is A (disk free [space] plus the dot).

Second using the dot as the argument means the current working directory. However, since df shows the free space on a partition (file system) it will show the information about the file system in which the current working directory resides.

You could have tried each command to see what happens rather than post a question. Then if you didn't understand the results you could have asked about what you found.

Tricky question....I totally understand why you would think they meant "filesystem". Perhaps the way to think of it is: "how much disk space is available to the current directory?".....the point being that directories do not have size limitations---only the partitions (filesystems) that are mounted to them.

On my system, "df ." and "df /" give the same answer---but only because they live on the same partition.

pixellany:

I'm sure there are places on 99.9999999999999999% of unix-like systems where . and / are not on the same partition including yours . Also, on 100% of computer systems there is a place where . and / are on the same partition.

Well, it was early in CA when you posted that. Perhaps more coffee?

As far as the LPI exam (at least when I was involved with the project early on), the intent was to get a bunch of questions and put the good quality ones on the exam and the ones that weren't worded well on the practice tests with the idea that the really bad ones would be replaced over time. Basically in this example, you can expect to have questions pertaining to df and du on the exam, but you should also expect them to be a little more clear in what they are asking.

Forrest

I'm trying hard to work that one out, and it's giving me an headache.

brianL:

cd to /

. and / are the same thing

mount a cdrom/floppy/usbstick/any_other_filesystem_containing_hardware and cd to it's mount point

. and / are NOT the same thing.

HTH

Forrest

Ok, I feel like wasting time...

The question is open to interpretations. One way of looking at it is...

"Which command will show how much free disk space is available (for you/root/userX) in the current directory?"

Now, "df ." is not fully correct if you consider the current scenario

1. "." can be your home directory
2. Root user might have turned on quota on your system
3. Now, if you interpret the question as "... is available for you...", then the answer is not "df ."
(. need not be home, but could be any place on a partition where root/admin has turned on quota for userX )

For that reason and others, the question is poorly written. Since it is poorly written, it won't be on the test, but it is "good enough" to be on the practice test.

HTH

Forrest

Thanks for the explanation, forrestt, my headache's gone.

More coffee will not help this thread......
I'm pretty sure that you are chiding me because I said something that should be obvious---not because I made a mistake.........I absolutely HATE making mistakes--which is why I do it so rarely....

PS:
As I think about it, it's pretty rare for "." and "/" to be the same thing. In fact, if they are, it means you are living on the edge. Anytime that I DO go to /, I leave immediately.

I would certainly not attempt to insinuate that you made a mistake .

Just pointing out that in most systems you can get "df ." and "df /" to give the same answer and also different answers.

Forrest

we're in violent agreement!!

I don't think it is. I think it should be
Which command will show how much free disk space is available to the current directory
not
Which command will show how much free disk space is available in the current directory

but that aside, I see what they're getting at, which I didn't before.