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Thread: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    In Windows 7, I kept all my files in a tree except for downloads.
    But I don't understand the Ubuntu file system.
    With the tree, I can back up the whole tree or branches.
    As I understand Ubuntu, the files are kept in workspaces ??
    How do I transfer my files to Ubuntu in a way that makes good sense ??
    When I backup in Ubuntu, can I choose a workspace to backup ??

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    7,339

    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    The root of a Linux filesystem is indicated by the forward slash (/) so that if you open a terminal and type: ls / you will see all the upper level directories. Running that command on any of these directories will show their sub-directories. User data is usually in the /home/username directory although you can create other directories or partitions on which to hold them.

    As I understand Ubuntu, the files are kept in workspaces ??]
    I don't know what you mean by that. I've never heard it referred to in that manner unless you mean the /home directory? I'm not really sure what you mean by a 'workspace'. Usually, one would backup data to another drive or some other medium. In order to back up system files, you would need to have root/administrator privileges.
    Last edited by oldos2er; June 18th, 2014 at 09:58 PM. Reason: Fixed quote tag

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    67

    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    In your /home directory, Ubuntu creates folders by default as follows:
    Downloads
    Pictures
    Videos
    Documents
    Music


    You can direct most browsers to put any files you download from the web into your Downloads folder, and move them from there to wherever you please using a file manager (Thunar in Xubuntu, PCManFM in Lubuntu, etc).

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    50
    Distro
    Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr

    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    It may be confusing that the default view in the Nautilus file manager isn't as clearly a tree view as is Windows Explorer. Nevertheless, if you go to the Documents folder you can create a sub-folder, just as in Windows. Folder/sub-folder/sub-folder/files. The logical structure is there, but many Linux file managers don't show it the same way Windows does.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    7,339

    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    The root of a Linux filesystem is indicated by the forward slash (/) so that if you open a terminal and type: ls / you will see all the upper level directories. Running that command on any of these directories will show their sub-directories. User data is usually in the /home/username directory although you can create other directories or partitions on which to hold them.

    As I understand Ubuntu, the files are kept in workspaces ??]
    I don't know what you mean by that. I've never heard it referred to in that manner unless you mean the /home directory? I'm not really sure what you mean by a 'workspace'. Usually, one would backup data to another drive or some other medium. In order to back up system files, you would need to have root/administrator privileges.
    Last edited by yancek; June 20th, 2014 at 02:37 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    London, England
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    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    I don't know what you mean by "workspaces" either. But in Linux, each user has their own area, a subdirectory under /home. For example, my home directory is /home/steve and I keep all my documents and files in there, in /home/steve/Documents, /home/steve/Music etc.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Santander, Spain
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    1,981
    Distro
    Xubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver

    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    Ubuntu organizes its files also in a hierarchical tree, as windows does. One of the difference is the name of directories in this tree (also the security and permissions of such directories).

    Please, read: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Li...emTreeOverview I think it will clarify the item.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Glos, UK
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    469
    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    In Nautilus, you can see the tree structure by choosing View>List, as distinct from View>Icons and the contents of folders/subfolders/sub-subfolders etc by clicking on them.

    In Ubuntu, a Workspace is nothing to do with the way files or folders are organised. Each Workspace is a desktop display. A running program which has a display window (ie not the background ones) puts that window into a Workspace - normally the one which was showing when the program started. you can move a display which has the focus to a diffrent Workspace by right-clicking on its tab in the taskbar and choosing one of the relevant options. The Workspaces are shown (for me) in miniature at the far right of the taskbar, with the one currently showing highlit; clicking on one of the others switches the display to that one. Rightclicking any of the miniatures offers "Preferences" where (amongst other things) the number of Workspaces can be altered.

    No doubt other people use them differently, but I tend to use them to group related running tasks together - if I get asked to interrupt one activity to do something else urgently, I do the new work in a fresh Workspace to keep it away from the other task. A word of warning, though: if (say) Libreoffice crashes, all instances die - whatever Workspace they are in. Workspaces are for organising what you see, and do not reflect how the computer is functioning behind the scenes.
    Ask me a dumb question. Then I'll know I am in good company.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
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    28

    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    Hill0093, workspaces is a feature you turn on that allows you to split the desktop into quadrants. For example, you can have an email client open in the upper left quadrant, a web browser open in the upper right quadrant, and so on......but it has nothing to do with the filesystem.

    TB

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Beans
    94

    Re: Understanding the Ubuntu file system

    If I interpret you correctly, "ls /" lists the names of
    the top level directories and files.
    Are blues directories, are greens executables, are whites texts?
    What does "ls" alone give?
    And how do I get some desired details about the items?
    Like size, dates, etc.?

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