xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

Hi

I'm not sure if this is a noobie question or not. I guess it depends on a few things. I'm far from a new user since I've had my n800 for almost a year now. I would assume that learning how to use xTerm is well beyond what could be done in a thread like this, so I'm really mostly asking here about where I can go to learn some useful things about how to use it. I have searched on this subject on this site, on Maemo's site and on Google in general and don't really find any clear options. Did those of you who know how to use it just learn xTerm while learning Linux or what? I'm not sure how much time I have for learning Linux. But I do have some time to at least learn to do some basic things with xTerm. If you just have the time to write here about words I can use to effectively search on this subject, that's fine. Please do.

Thanks much,
Neil

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

- you can walk through the xterm-osso menus with no problem?

- if so, the task you're asking, i assume, is that of learning about busybox, and more so, the ash shell..

(dunno how many n8x0 bash users are here)...

- you'll want to learn:

completion
help
built-ins
redirection
stdout
stdin
append
here
scripting
operators
functions
and other grammar of the busybox shell

- take a look at:

busybox home page

(please note, i'm not a busybox expert, but have been using a *nix shell for many, many years; i'm more used to bourne, csh, tcsh, zsh, and mostly, bash)

(also note that i'm not familiar w/Nokia's busybox implementation)

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

I suspect "xterm" isn't what you want to learn, you want to learn the Linux command line.

Also known as "OK, I tapped the xterm icon, now what?"

Like most things, the best way to learn is to have a reason to, a job you want to do. I figure most of the things you want to do will be:
- understand some terms like "directory" and "device"
- see what is in each directory
- move between directories and know how to get back where you came from
- look inside files
- move files, copy files, rename files
- have some idea of the layout so you know where to find things
- know about some tools that give you more than the file manager does.

Basically, what you want is a simple Linux/unix tutorial.

Any of the basic linux tutorials will give you all that. many will have things you don't really need to know at the moment, like how to create users, or the boot process.

try http://www.linux-tutorial.info/ and look at the first three sections in the basic tutorial. The rest will be good for you, but not required :)

If you find that doesn't really work for you, then look for other "basic linux" or "linux tutorial" sites.

Some things to learn to do (to give you a reason to mess about)
- learn what the name of the directory is that you get dropped into when you start xterm. How can you tell when you are there?
- learn about the ls command and what is different if you use ls compared to ls -a. And what is different when you use ls -aR. Why might you do that?
- learn how to navigate to the /etc directory
- learn how to see the contents of /etc/mce/mce.ini
- learn how to find what processes are running on the system
- learn how to create a directory to put files in
- learn how to put files there.

Zebee

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

[QUOTE=linux_author;125186]- you can walk through the xterm-osso menus with no problem?

- take a look at:

busybox home page

No, I know not thing one about xTerm. If the answer then to my question is go learn Linux and then learn how to use xTerm as part of that endeavor, OK well, maybe I need to just delete xTerm from my n800. ( or take a Linux class)

Edit: I wrote the above post prior to receiving Zebees interesting post. It does sound like learning how to use xTerm means learning about Linux.

Neil

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

yes, because "xterm" is just a way to get to the command line for linux.

The equivalent of the "msdos" button in Windows XP.

if you don't need to do things at the command line then you don't need to use xterm.

If you plan to do big jobs like boot from SD card, or other hackery things them you should get familiar with it because you are less likely to misread an instruction or fumble.

If you are just going to mess about with the applications in the tablet and not do fancy stuff them you don't need xterm because you don't need the command line.

Most people don't need it. Some of us can't live without it :)

Zebee

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

Hi Zebee,

Thanks for your input. I kind of thought this was what xTerm was about. I guess I was just sorta wondering if maybe I could put in a few hours of self education so I could use the command line to help with some of the less ported installations. Right now this Koffice thing has me really interested but I can't even use xterm to confirm a downloaded file size or know how to put a file in the right place to aid installation. Thanks for the link to the Linux tutorial. I will click on that and see if I have time for it.

Neil

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

Neil,

When you find a tutorial that works for you, pay particular attention to these commands"
ls = lists the contents of a directoryy
pwd = tells you the name of the directory you are in
cp = copies a file
mv = moves a file
cd = changes to a new directory.
rm = removes a file
df = how much disk space is left
If you are going to mess about with the command line (it's good for you!) then you will need to know the switches and arguments to use with those.

You will definitely need to know
ls -l
ls -a
ls -R
rm -i
df -h

With that lot you will be able to do most of what you want.

later on you'll start thinking about tar, and ps, and it is all downhill from there!

Zebee

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

This is great and all (I know how to use a command line thanks to Ubuntu). It's really handy. But..how do you enter the commmand. Like you know send the command after typing it.. Sadly that's the part that has me stuck lol.

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

YOu are going to kick yourself for this....

Use the "enter" key :)

As in the L shape with the arrow head.

Zebee

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

*kicks myself* Thanks lol. I completly missed that. Probably because I close the virtual keyboard after I'm done typing a command.

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

Have a look at:
http://www.linuxcommand.org/learning_the_shell.php

It's quite complete and will teach you even to make your own scripts!
Good luck.

Re: xTerm - How to Learn it? Where to go to find help using it?
 

Another good general place for learning about Linux is

http://www.linuxbasics.org/