Solved Command Prompt Help

[Phishfry]

One of my problem migrating to Unix is the command prompt. When I run a command like ifconfig on a box with many interfaces it overflows the screen and I don't know how to get a page by page view like the DOS suffix of /p.

I have copied enough online instructions to know it seems a pipe is probably involved.

A ifconfig or cat /var/run/dmesg.boot example would be great.
Please show me what to search for as more(1) didn't help me.

Since my experience has mostly been serial console I limp along with putty's buffer...

Thanks

 

[Phishfry]

Looking here it seems:

less /var/run/dmesg.boot is what I need.

Is that the best approach?

 

[Phishfry]

Seems the -e is needed to exit the command at EOF

less -e /var/run/dmesg.boot

 

[Phishfry]

less ifconfig does not seem to work for me. I guess it is only good for file results.

So what to use for ifconfig /p ?

 

[robroy]

Phishfry, try: ifconfig | less.

 

[Phishfry]

Thanks robroy That works. To drop back to command prompt I added an -e to the end.

gpioctl -lv | less -e on the arm boards will be a good test as i has hundreds of lines.

I owe you a tall cool one for that dumb question I should have asked a year ago.

 

[SirDice]

Thanks robroy That works. To drop back to command prompt I added an -e to the end.

There's no need for it. You can quit less(1) with the 'q' key.

 

[fullauto2012]

I always use <command> | more
give you the ability to scroll up and down.

 

[wblock@]

There's no need for it. You can quit less(1) with the 'q' key.

Better yet, it doesn't make the decision, it lets you choose when you are done looking.

 

[wblock@]

I always use <command> | more
give you the ability to scroll up and down.

On FreeBSD, less(8) and more(8) are the same command. It is actually a very versatile command, with lots of useful abilities and options. It is well worth reading the man page just to get an idea of all those capabilities.

 

[Phishfry]

I tried to use the manual. My eyes glazed by time I got to lesskey(1)!

I did find the help most useful for debugging a Hauppauge TV-Tuner I am trying to figure out.

pciconf -lv is now useful for me without a windowed crutch.

Thanks for everyones help

 

[fulano]

In console you can also use the Scroll Lock and up/down keys.

 

[Master_Oogway]

tmux. CTRL-b + PageUp/Down. Then q when finished viewing.