Manual: Difference between revisions
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Most | == About == | ||
Most [[UBO]]s have manual pages. | |||
MAN(1) OpenBSD Reference Manual MAN(1) | MAN(1) OpenBSD Reference Manual MAN(1) | ||
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man -k keyword | man -k keyword | ||
DESCRIPTION | DESCRIPTION | ||
The types of manpages have sections which they are grouped in. Here is the manual page layout of [[BSD]]: | The types of manpages have sections which they are grouped in. Here is the manual page layout of [[BSD]]: | ||
;Section 1 : General commands (tools and utilities) | ;Section 1 : General commands (tools and utilities) | ||
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; Section 8 : System maintenance and operation commands | ; Section 8 : System maintenance and operation commands | ||
; Section 9 : Kernel internals | ; Section 9 : Kernel internals | ||
When someone tells you to run "man 6 tetris", that means that you should read the tetris manpage found in section 6 of the manpages. Sometimes the same manpage name exists, but in different sections. One example is the fstat manpage it exists in sections 1 and 2. The lower number sections take precedence over higher numbered sections. Thus, to see the manpage for fstat in section 2 you would type: | When someone tells you to run "man 6 tetris", that means that you should read the tetris manpage found in section 6 of the manpages. Sometimes the same manpage name exists, but in different sections. One example is the fstat manpage it exists in sections 1 and 2. The lower number sections take precedence over higher numbered sections. Thus, to see the manpage for fstat in section 2 you would type: | ||
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Similarely functions, [[syscall]]s or commands are sometimes mentioned with the section of manpages in brackets behind them like so: '''fstat(2)''', you'll see this mentioned a lot in this wiki. | Similarely functions, [[syscall]]s or commands are sometimes mentioned with the section of manpages in brackets behind them like so: '''fstat(2)''', you'll see this mentioned a lot in this wiki. | ||
Simple example to type at your [[shell]] prompt of most [[UBO]]s: | |||
$ man 1 intro | |||
This brings up the man page for intro(1). You can use your spacebar to go down a page, and "q" for quit. | |||
== Installing manpages == | |||
On [[Debian]] based GNU/[[Linux]]: | |||
$ sudo apt-get install manpages | |||
== Creating windex == | |||
If you're looking for a man page and get the following: | If you're looking for a man page and get the following: | ||
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It means you have yet to create your Index: | It means you have yet to create your Index: | ||
# /usr/bin/catman -w | # [[variables|/usr/bin/catman]] -w | ||
# | # | ||
== Searching for Manual Pages == | |||
It is possible to do a keyword search in the manpage system. | It is possible to do a keyword search in the manpage system. | ||
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<code>$MANPATH</code> is used, unless something else is explicitly specified. | <code>$MANPATH</code> is used, unless something else is explicitly specified. | ||
== Location of Manual Pages == | |||
In [[BSD]] the default manual pages are located in /usr/share/man. This can be changed with the MANPATH [[environment variable]]: | In [[BSD]] the default manual pages are located in /usr/share/man. This can be changed with the MANPATH [[environment variable]]: | ||
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/ | / | ||
which is to "find another instance". | which is to "find another instance". This btw can also be achieved by typing "n" (lowercase) to search forward and "N" (uppercase) to search backwards, at least on [[FreeBSD]]. | ||
Latest revision as of 02:20, 26 September 2012
About
Most UBOs have manual pages.
MAN(1) OpenBSD Reference Manual MAN(1)
NAME
man - display the on-line manual pages
SYNOPSIS
man [-achw] [-C file] [-M path] [-m path] [-S subsection] [-s section]
[section] name [...]
man -f command
man -k keyword
DESCRIPTION
The types of manpages have sections which they are grouped in. Here is the manual page layout of BSD:
- Section 1
- General commands (tools and utilities)
- Section 2
- System calls and error numbers
- Section 3
- Library functions, especially for C and Tk
- Section 4
- Special files and hardware support
- Section 5
- File formats, especially configuration files
- Section 6
- Games
- Section 7
- Miscellaneous information pages
- Section 8
- System maintenance and operation commands
- Section 9
- Kernel internals
When someone tells you to run "man 6 tetris", that means that you should read the tetris manpage found in section 6 of the manpages. Sometimes the same manpage name exists, but in different sections. One example is the fstat manpage it exists in sections 1 and 2. The lower number sections take precedence over higher numbered sections. Thus, to see the manpage for fstat in section 2 you would type:
$ man 2 fstat
Similarely functions, syscalls or commands are sometimes mentioned with the section of manpages in brackets behind them like so: fstat(2), you'll see this mentioned a lot in this wiki.
Simple example to type at your shell prompt of most UBOs:
$ man 1 intro
This brings up the man page for intro(1). You can use your spacebar to go down a page, and "q" for quit.
Installing manpages
$ sudo apt-get install manpages
Creating windex
If you're looking for a man page and get the following:
# man -k snoop /usr/share/man/windex: No such file or directory
It means you have yet to create your Index:
# /usr/bin/catman -w #
Searching for Manual Pages
It is possible to do a keyword search in the manpage system.
$ man -k filesystem OpenBSD::Vstat (3p) - virtual filesystem for pkg_add(1) simulations dump (8) - filesystem backup fstab (5) - static information about the filesystems ...
Another command synonymous to man -k is apropos:
$ apropos archiver tar (1) - tape archiver
Do notice that the section of the manpage is displayed in the keyword search, this is to ease viewing the particular manpage.
$MANPATH is used, unless something else is explicitly specified.
Location of Manual Pages
In BSD the default manual pages are located in /usr/share/man. This can be changed with the MANPATH environment variable:
$ export MANPATH=/usr/local/man $ man ls man: no entry for ls in the manual. $ unset MANPATH $ man ls LS(1) OpenBSD Reference Manual LS(1) ...
Another manpage section can be added on to the current MANPATH:
$ export MANPATH=/usr/share/man:/usr/local/man
Searching in a man page
Often you will want to search a man page you are viewing for a particular keyword. You can preceed this search word with a "/". If I wanted to see what mediaopt(ions) my sis NIC has I could do
/mediaopt
while reading the sis(4) manpage I have on my system. If the first result is not what I want, I don't have to type the full search word after the first time, I can simply use
/
which is to "find another instance". This btw can also be achieved by typing "n" (lowercase) to search forward and "N" (uppercase) to search backwards, at least on FreeBSD.
