Re: Newbie comments & queries
Brenda, Matthew, et al,
> You can try putting
> echo "running /etc/bash.bashrc"
> echo "running .bashrc"
> etc in your startup files, and see the lines print out when
> you log in. The full list of init files that are read for
> each login and new shell is given in bash(1) (search for
> INVOCATION) as Matthew Dalton suggested.
Two great suggestions, I have put in the echo lines to all files and can see
what is happening.
I was working thru the Config-HOWTO that came on the CD, but looking on the
Debian site as suggested gave me an eye-opener. The HOWTO had been seriously
updated (the one on my distribution disk was dated Sept 1999 inside, the
online one was perhaps a month or so old).
Printed out the latter (html) file from the browser and worked thru all the
config files in accordance with suggestions given. One I had it all correct it
worked fine with only a couple of points to note. This is not a debian-specific
HOWTO.
No.1.
In the /etc/profile file the line
eval $(dircolors /etc/DIR_COLORS -b)
gives an error because of the lack of the file DIR_COLORS. I have just put this
in as
eval $(dircolors -b) and it seems to go fine.
No.2
the etc/bashrc is equivalent to the debian etc/bash.bashrc (that is how I
deduce that the HOWTO is not a debian original.
No.3
When you run bash to open a non-login shell the following files are run
(sourced?)
/etc/bash.bashrc
/home/ian/.bashrc
/etc/bash.bashrc .... yes, again, a second time.
I'll look at that when I get a break, but it works fine in any case.
Now, onto new fields, I am running emacs (emacs20 sometimes but see no
difference) and am working thru the tutorial (the other night awoke dreaming of
linux and had to have a session at 3.00 am before I could get back to sleep! Am
I alone here?). OK so far.
On my first dos m/c I had an old word-processor called Tasword (a British
device). Menu at top looked like joe sort of thing. It could be customised to
suit all and any dot-matrix printers even pre-Epson standard ones. You could
fit the printer code for any function that the printer sported into it. If
your printer did an outline font, you could set that up permanently on the menu
with the appropriate code, enter it into the text at the on/off points, and
send to the printer. I still use it.
I guess I was looking for something like that, because I cannot see with emacs
how you can make things bold, italic, or anything else. Ok, somebody said that
unix programmes are generally designed to do one thing only - well. Point
taken, but this seems to mean that having typed the text in via an editor
whether emacs, vi, joe, jed, or whatever, that you have somehow now to go over
the text a second time to format it for the printer. What with may I ask?
Surely even linux users want to embolden and underline their missives. Am I in
for a major learning curve with tex or can I go looking on the web for a linux
word processor, or am I missing something other than a few iq points?
End of the month I should get the modem. There seems to be a wide choice of
programmes available for connecting to an isp and for receiving and processing
email. I assume that I will be getting nothing like Pegasus Mail, wonder which
of the options I should be looking at for a reliable dialup account and an
email programme capable of many things - I use it constantly, have mailing
lists, bulging address books and emails going back 5-10 years on file. Any
suggestions gratefully received. I wanted to have the modem on hand before I
did anything.
If I might ask, how do you handle the huge volume of traffic on this list,
there are hundreds of emails everytime that I connect. i have a filter set up
that deletes all mail from this list except those with the subject line as
used. I looked at usenet, but linux.debian.user does not mirror this list -
right? (maybe i must think also of getting newsgroups on the linubox as well as
email)
Regards
Ian
>
> $ man bash
>
> To search for a string, type a slash followed by the string,
> followed by <enter>. To search for the next occurence, type
> an n. To get rid of the highlighting, type <esc>u (hit the
> esc key, then hit the u key).
>
> --
> bjb@achilles.net
> Consider registering as a bone marrow donor
> http://www.bloodservices.ca/english/ubmdr
>
>
> --
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-request@lists.debian.org
> with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org
>
Ian Balchin
Grahamstown, South Africa.
Reply to: