using nano to navigate the linux file system

**twsLeGR** · September 7th, 2013

Can't seem to get to grips with nano when i want to open a file in a different directory than Home. For example, if i wanted to start up nano and open a file at the same time (the file is in my Football directory), i typed: nano /Football/filename. But all i get is nano opens as a new file? Hope someone can help this noob, please.

**steeldriver** · September 7th, 2013

The leading slash says 'start from the root of the filesystem tree' - if the file is in your Football directory that would be

Code:

/home/yourusername/Football/filename

or, for short

Code:

~/Football/filename

**sudodus** · September 7th, 2013

When in the home directory try the relative path

Code:

nano Football/filename

or from any directory the absolute path

Code:

nano ~/Football/filename

Tilde '~' is short for the home directory alias /home/$USER

**twsLeGR** · September 7th, 2013

Very big thanks for the help guys

**DarkAmbient** · September 7th, 2013

Could add that in Ubuntu you can see where you are located on your filesystem in the PS1 (the text prior to input is called that)

Example: (below is my PS1)

Code:

r@i7:~$

Means I am r, at computer i7, in folder ~.

Code:

r@i7:~/Dokument$

Means I am in /home/r/Dokument, you get the idea...

You can always type pwd to get full path or where you are located, and just like the guys explained above about path with nano, you use either full or relative path with cd to move around.

Like cd /home/r takes me to ~ no matter where I am located. (or cd ~ or just cd for that matter)

If I'd be in /home/ and type cd r it would also take me to ~.
cd .. takes you to the parent-folder, aslong as you'r not located in /, which is the top.

You can see what folders there are in the location you'r in using ls.

**tgalati4** · September 7th, 2013

You can also use dot (.) notation. The dot means "here".

Code:

cd
mkdir test_directory
nano ./testdirectory/test_file.txt

You can also use double dot (..) notation. Double dot means up one directory from here.

Hence:

Code:

cd
cd test_directory
nano ../test_directory/test_file.txt

I hope that sorted your football pool.

**Tony Flury** · September 7th, 2013

Just to be clear in case twsLeGR or any other new user is confused - the file name shortcuts that people have mentioned in this thread : ~, .., and . are not specific to nano - they work with every command that uses file names - they are provided by the command line interpreter which you are typing into.