From owner-freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Dec 24 05:08:51 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D7FAC16A4CE for ; Fri, 24 Dec 2004 05:08:51 +0000 (GMT) Received: from mail.oregonfast.net (ip205-38.oregonfast.net [216.110.205.38]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 765C943D41 for ; Fri, 24 Dec 2004 05:08:51 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from shines@smaller.net) Received: (qmail 79411 invoked by uid 98); 24 Dec 2004 05:08:51 -0000 Received: from ip147.kings-court.pdx.ygnition.net (HELO musal32mpxlg) (shines@smaller.net@66.199.65.147) by mail.oregonfast.net with SMTP; 24 Dec 2004 05:08:50 -0000 From: "Sally Hines" To: "'Scott Emerson Longley'" Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 21:09:00 -0800 Message-ID: <000101c4e976$ae538b60$6400a8c0@musal32mpxlg> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6626 Importance: Normal In-Reply-To: X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 X-Spam-Rating: mail.oregonfast.net 0/1/N cc: freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org Subject: RE: Manpage interpreter X-BeenThere: freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list Reply-To: shines@smaller.net List-Id: Gathering place for new users List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 05:08:52 -0000 Hi Scott, Thank you for the tips. This will be very helpful. I've instintively = tried some of this, scanning through, seeing if anything in the detailed = sections looks like it addresses any or my issues.=20 Sally Hines -----Original Message----- From: Scott Emerson Longley [mailto:emerson@WPI.EDU]=20 Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2004 8:42 PM To: Sally Hines Cc: 'Tyler Gee'; 'Mervin McDougall'; freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org Subject: RE: Manpage interpreter On Thu, 23 Dec 2004, Sally Hines wrote: > I want to thank everyone for offering me good information on=20 > automating the ports update. My real question, though, is how to read=20 > and understand manpages. Where is the interpreter? I know I am not the = > only noob to ever have this problem? I can solve my own problems much=20 > better if I can interpret the instructions. >=20 > Thank you again, >=20 > Sally Hines Finding good documentation can be a really big challenge. I've had = success with a multi-pronged approach involving many sources. However, for those times when manpages are best, I've found that there are certain sections that are immediately useful, and they're mostly near the bottom. If = there's an "examples" section, it's likely to prove relevant to simple queries. = If you're not sure you're looking at the right page, skip straight to the = "see also" section to get your bearings. --generally, if I don't see see something at the top that seems immediately relevant, I skip straight to = all the little sections at the bottom before digging into the middle. Even a one-liner "history" section has occasionally given me some context that = I needed. Also, try searching the manpage for words relevent to your = question (type "/", then a word). Different Unix-derived sytems have similar commands, so it might also be = useful to check out their manpages, if you have access to them.=20 Having said all that, often, the right book will save lots of time. I = figure that when someone has bothered to put a cohesive chapter together that covers the subject of your question, that's worth an awful lot. The = FreeBSD Handbook is the obvious choice for a book (and a good choide, I = believe). If you like examples (and have non-FreeBSD-specific questions), I highly reccomend "Unix Power Tools". Also, "Absolute BSD" provides a nice = refrain from the often overly-detail-oriented nature of manpages. I hope my scatter-brained answer is helpful :-) -Scott Longley