ls, dir, vdir - list contents of directories
ls [-abcdfgiklmnpqrstuxABCFGLNQRSUX1] [-w cols] [-T cols] [-I pattern] [--all] [--escape] [--directory] [--inode] [--kilobytes] [--numeric-uid-gid] [--no-group] [--hide- control-chars] [--reverse] [--size] [--width=cols] [--tab- size=cols] [--almost-all] [--ignore-backups] [--classify] [--file-type] [--full-time] [--ignore=pattern] [--derefer- ence] [--literal] [--quote-name] [--recursive] [--sort={none,time,size,extension}] [--for- mat={long,verbose,commas,across,vertical,single-column}] [--time={atime,access,use,ctime,status}] [--help] [--ver- sion] [name...]
This manual page documents the GNU version of ls. dir and vdir are versions of ls with different default output for- mats. These programs list each given file or directory name. Directory contents are sorted alphabetically. For ls, files are by default listed in columns, sorted verti- cally, if the standard output is a terminal; otherwise they are listed one per line. For dir, files are by default listed in columns, sorted vertically. For vdir, files are by default listed in long format. OPTIONS -a, --all List all files in directories, including all files that start with `.'. -b, --escape Quote nongraphic characters in file names using alphabetic and octal backslash sequences like those used in C. -c, --time=ctime, --time=status Sort directory contents according to the files' status change time instead of the modification time. If the long listing format is being used, print the status change time instead of the modifi- cation time. -d, --directory List directories like other files, rather than listing their contents. -f Do not sort directory contents; list them in what- ever order they are stored on the disk. The same as enabling -a and -U and disabling -l, -s, and -t. --full-time -g Ignored; for Unix compatibility. -i, --inode Print the index number of each file to the left of the file name. -k, --kilobytes If file sizes are being listed, print them in kilo- bytes. This overrides the environment variable POSIXLY_CORRECT. -l, --format=long, --format=verbose In addition to the name of each file, print the file type, permissions, number of hard links, owner name, group name, size in bytes, and timestamp (the modification time unless other times are selected). For files with a time that is more than 6 months old or more than 1 hour into the future, the times- tamp contains the year instead of the time of day. -m, --format=commas List files horizontally, with as many as will fit on each line, separated by commas. -n, --numeric-uid-gid List the numeric UID and GID instead of the names. -p Append a character to each file name indicating the file type. -q, --hide-control-chars Print question marks instead of nongraphic charac- ters in file names. -r, --reverse Sort directory contents in reverse order. -s, --size Print the size of each file in 1K blocks to the left of the file name. If the environment variable POSIXLY_CORRECT is set, 512-byte blocks are used instead. -t, --sort=time Sort directory contents by timestamp instead of alphabetically, with the newest files listed first. -u, --time=atime, --time=access, --time=use Sort directory contents according to the files' last access time instead of the modification time. If the long listing format is being used, print the List the files in columns, sorted horizontally. -A, --almost-all List all files in directories, except for `.' and `..'. -B, --ignore-backups Do not list files that end with `~', unless they are given on the command line. -C, --format=vertical List files in columns, sorted vertically. -F, --classify Append a character to each file name indicating the file type. For regular files that are executable, append a `*'. The file type indicators are `/' for directories, `@' for symbolic links, `|' for FIFOs, `=' for sockets, and nothing for regular files. -G, --no-group Inhibit display of group information in a long for- mat directory listing. -L, --dereference List the files linked to by symbolic links instead of listing the contents of the links. -N, --literal Do not quote file names. -Q, --quote-name Enclose file names in double quotes and quote non- graphic characters as in C. -R, --recursive List the contents of all directories recursively. -S, --sort=size Sort directory contents by file size instead of alphabetically, with the largest files listed first. -U, --sort=none Do not sort directory contents; list them in what- ever order they are stored on the disk. This option is not called -f because the Unix ls -f option also enables -a and disables -l, -s, and -t. It seems useless and ugly to group those unrelated things together in one option. Since this option doesn't do that, it has a different name. Sort directory contents alphabetically by file extension (characters after the last `.'); files with no extension are sorted first. -1, --format=single-column List one file per line. -w, --width cols Assume the screen is cols columns wide. The default is taken from the terminal driver if possi- ble; otherwise the environment variable COLUMNS is used if it is set; otherwise the default is 80. -T, --tabsize cols Assume that each tabstop is cols columns wide. The default is 8. -I, --ignore pattern Do not list files whose names match the shell pat- tern pattern unless they are given on the command line. As in the shell, an initial `.' in a file- name does not match a wildcard at the start of pat- tern. --help Print a usage message on standard output and exit successfully. --version Print version information on standard output then exit successfully.
On BSD systems, the -s option reports sizes that are half the correct values for files that are NFS-mounted from HP- UX systems. On HP-UX systems, it reports sizes that are twice the correct values for files that are NFS-mounted from BSD systems. This is due to a flaw in HP-UX; it also affects the HP-UX ls program.