UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi,

I'm the new user of linux/unix. Can I ask that anybody know how to use the linux/unix shortcut key to search a specific file from a list of directory?
For example, I know the file name that I want to search. But I forget which directory or location is my desired file put.Got any shortcut key or alternative way that allows me just type in my filename then it will show the directory or location of my desired file.
Thanks a lot for your suggestion and advise.

Code:

find / -name <yourfile>

If you know at least part of the path/directory information, you can substitute that for the "/".

Welcome to the forums !

As a new user, we recommend you to make use of the search facility of the forum as the answer you are looking for there might be there already and as a bonus point you can get to see / know other similar type of questions, answers posted already.

Thanks a lot for your suggestion.
Sure I will do it for next time before I post any thread ^^
Do you have suggestion to use the linux shortcutkey to search specific file from a list of directory?
Thanks a lot for your advise



---------- Post updated at 01:10 AM ---------- Previous update was at 01:08 AM ----------

thanks for your suggestion.
Do you have any other faster way to search for the specific file from a list of directory?
Because the find / takes a long time to search for the specific file.

But hopefully you only have to do it one time.

If you have some idea of the first part of the path, at least, you can put that instead of using "/" and that should help some. Unfortunately, if you don't know where it is, ......

If the file is executable and it's in your path, you can try

Code:

which <filename>

haha...
Thanks a lot for your suggestion.
Hope that I can find a faster and more effective way to find a specific file from a list of directory soon

Depending on your Linux distribution, the 'locate' program might already be installed. Otherwise you can install it by installing either the 'locate' or 'slocate' package (name depends on distribution)

What this does is scan the directory tree (usually once per day) and build a database of files found, which you can query with the locate command.