ls(1)
Name
ls − list and generate statistics for files
Syntax
ls [ options ] name ...
Description
For each directory argument, ls lists the contents of the directory. For each file argument, ls repeats the file name and gives any other information you request with the options available. By default, the list is sorted alphabetically. When no argument is given, the current directory is listed. When several arguments are given, files are listed first, followed by directories and the files within each directory. Options are listed below.
Options
−1Displays one entry per line. This is the default when output is not to a terminal.
−aDisplays all entries including those beginning with a period (.).
−CForces multicolumn output for pipe or filter. This is the default when the output is to a terminal.
−cUses time of last file status change (ctime), reflecting file creation, mode, etc., for sorting (with the −t option) or printing (with the −l option) rather than the time of file modification or access. See also the −t and −u options.
−dDisplays names of directories only, not contents. Use this option with −l to get the status of a directory.
−FMarks directories with trailing slash (/), sockets with a trailing equal sign (=), symbolic links with a trailing at sign (@), and executable files with a trailing asterisk (*).
−fDisplays names in the order they exist in directory. For further information, see dir(.). Entries beginning with a period (.) are also listed. This option overrides the −l, −t, −s, and −r options.
−gDisplays assigned group ID (used with −l only). Default is assigned owner ID.
−iDisplays the i-number for each file in the first column of the report.
−LLists the information, if the file is a symbolic link, for the file or directory the link references rather than that for the link itself.
−lLists the mode, number of links, owner, size in bytes, and time of last modification (mtime) for each file. If the file is a special file, the size field contains the major and minor device numbers instead of the size. If the file is a symbolic link, the pathname of the linked-to file is printed, preceded by “−>”.
The mode field consists of 11 characters. The first character indicates the type of entry:
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
l if the entry is a symbolic link
s if the entry is a socket
− if the entry is a plain file
The next 9 characters are interpreted as three sets of three characters each. The first set of three characters refers to file-access permissions for the user; the next set, for the user-group; and the last set, for all others. 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 the set-group-id bit set; likewise, the user-execute permission character is given as s if the file has the set-user-id bit set.
The last character of the mode (normally ‘x’ or ‘−’) is t if the 1000 bit of the mode is on. See chmod() for the meaning of this mode.
−qForces the printing of nongraphic characters in file names as the question mark character (?). This is the default when output is to a terminal.
−RRecursively lists all subdirectories.
−rSorts entries in reverse alphabetic or time order.
−sDisplays the size in kilobytes of each file. This is the first item listed in each entry.
−tSorts by time modified (most recently modified first) instead of by name. See also the −c and −u options.
−uUses the time of last access (atime) instead of last modification for sorting (with the −t option) or printing (with the −l option).
Restrictions
The output device is assumed to be 80 columns wide.
New line and tab are considered printing characters in file names.
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 ls almost certain to fail.
Files
/etc/passwd Used to obtain user id’s for ls −l
/etc/group Used to obtain group id’s for ls −g