Linux From Scratch: Version 5.0-pre1
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# Util-linux

For installation instructions see the Section called Installing Util-linux-2.12 in Chapter 6.

## Official Download Location

Util-linux (2.12):
http://ftp.cwi.nl/aeb/util-linux/

## Contents of Util-linux

(Last checked against version 2.11t.)

The Util-linux package contains a number of miscellaneous utility programs. Some of the more prominent utilities are used to mount, unmount, format, partition and manage disk drives, open tty ports and fetch kernel messages.

Util-linux installs the following:

### Program Files

agetty, arch, blockdev, cal, cfdisk, chkdupexe, col, colcrt, colrm, column, ctrlaltdel, cytune, ddate, dmesg, elvtune, fdformat, fdisk, fsck.cramfs, fsck.minix, getopt, hexdump, hwclock, ipcrm, ipcs, isosize, line, logger, look, losetup, mcookie, mkfs, mkfs.bfs, mkfs.cramfs, mkfs.minix, mkswap, more, mount, namei, parse.bash, parse.tcsh, pg, pivot_root, ramsize (link to rdev), raw, rdev, readprofile, rename, renice, rev, rootflags (link to rdev), script, setfdprm, setsid, setterm, sfdisk, swapoff (link to swapon), swapon, test.bash, test.tcsh, tunelp, ul, umount, vidmode (link to rdev), whereis and write

##

## Descriptions

(Last checked against version 2.11t.)

### Program file descriptions

#### agetty

agetty opens a tty port, prompts for a login name and invokes the /bin/login command.

#### arch

arch prints the machine architecture.

#### blockdev

blockdev allows to call block device ioctls from the command line.

#### cal

cal displays a simple calender.

#### cfdisk

cfdisk is a libncurses based disk partition table manipulator.

#### chkdupexe

chkdupexe finds duplicate executables.

#### col

col filters reverse line feeds from input.

#### colcrt

colcrt filters nroff output for CRT previewing.

#### colrm

colrm removes columns from a file.

#### column

column columnates lists.

#### ctrlaltdel

ctrlaltdel sets the function of the CTRL+ALT+DEL key combination (hard or soft reset).

#### cytune

cytune queries and modifies the interruption threshold for the Cyclades driver.

#### ddate

ddate converts Gregorian dates to Discordian dates.

#### dmesg

dmesg is used to examine or control the kernel ring buffer (boot messages from the kernel).

#### elvtune

elvtune lets you tune the I/O elevator per block device queue basis.

#### fdformat

fdformat low-level formats a floppy disk.

#### fdisk

fdisk is a disk partition table manipulator.

#### fsck.cramfs

No description is currently available.

#### fsck.minix

fsck.minix performs a consistency check for the Linux MINIX filesystem.

#### getopt

getopt parses command options the same way as the getopt C command.

#### hexdump

hexdump displays specified files, or standard input, in a user specified format (ascii, decimal, hexadecimal, octal).

#### hwclock

hwclock queries and sets the hardware clock (also called the RTC or BIOS clock).

#### ipcrm

ipcrm removes a specified resource.

#### ipcs

ipcs provides information on IPC facilities.

#### isosize

isosize outputs the length of an iso9660 file system.

#### line

line copies one line (up to a newline) from standard input and writes it to standard output.

#### logger

logger makes entries in the system log.

#### look

look displays lines beginning with a given string.

#### losetup

losetup sets up and controls loop devices.

#### mcookie

mcookie generates magic cookies for xauth.

#### mkfs

mkfs builds a Linux filesystem on a device, usually a harddisk partition.

#### mkfs.bfs

mkfs.bfs creates an SCO bfs file system on a device, usually a harddisk partition.

#### mkfs.cramfs

No description is currently available.

#### mkfs.minix

mkfs.minix creates a Linux MINIX filesystem on a device, usually a harddisk partition.

#### mkswap

mkswap sets up a Linux swap area on a device or in a file.

#### more

more is a filter for paging through text one screen full at a time.

#### mount

mount mounts, from many possible sources, filesystems or directories on a directory (mount point).

#### namei

namei follows a pathname until a terminal point is found.

#### parse.bash, parse.tcsh, test.bash, test.tcsh

These are example scripts for using the getopt program with either BASH or TCSH.

#### pg

No description is currently available.

#### pivot_root

pivot_root moves the root file system of the current process.

#### ramsize

ramsize queries and sets RAM disk size.

#### raw

raw is used to bind a Linux raw character device to a block device.

#### rdev

rdev queries and sets image root device, swap device, RAM disk size or video mode.

#### readprofile

readprofile reads kernel profiling information.

#### rename

rename renames files.

#### renice

renice alters priority of running processes.

#### rev

rev reverses lines of a file.

#### rootflags

rootflags queries and sets extra information used when mounting root.

#### script

script makes a typescript of terminal session.

#### setfdprm

setfdprm sets user-provided floppy disk parameters.

#### setsid

setsid runs programs in a new session.

#### setterm

setterm sets terminal attributes.

#### sfdisk

sfdisk is a disk partition table manipulator.

#### swapoff

swapoff disables devices and files for paging and swapping.

#### swapon

swapon enables devices and files for paging and swapping.

#### tunelp

tunelp sets various parameters for the LP device.

#### ul

ul reads a file and translates occurrences of underscores to the sequence which indicates underlining for the terminal in use.

#### umount

umount unmounts a mounted filesystem or directory.

#### vidmode

vidmode queries and sets the video mode.

#### whereis

whereis locates a binary, source and manual page for a command.

#### write

write sends a message to another user, if that user has writing enabled (usually by using mesg).

##

## Util-linux Installation Dependencies

(Last checked against version 2.11n.)

Bash: sh
Binutils: as, ld
Coreutils: cat, chgrp, chmod, cp, install, ln, mv, rm, uname, whoami
Diffutils: cmp
GCC: cc, cc1, collect2, cpp, cpp0
Gettext: msgfmt, xgettext
Glibc: rpcgen
Grep: grep
Make: make
Sed: sed

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