Questions tagged [documentation]
Manuals or other information for system users detailing software features and functionality.
250 questions
0
votes
2
answers
72
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Tools for coloured information from command line
I want to provide information to users.
For example, it would be helpful to provide curated lists of recommended
programs tailored to users’ needs-such as a Disk Usage Analyzer for those
managing ...
0
votes
1
answer
120
views
Is there an official (re)source where is list it all the categories of commands with their respective set of commands?
Just being curious:
Question
Is there an official (re)source where is list it all the categories of commands with their respective set of commands?
Something like Linux Foundation for Filesystem ...
-3
votes
1
answer
156
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bash -n is a not documented in manpages or info documents [closed]
Even though bash -n is a valid and widely used option, some manpages don't clearly document it in the bash options section, even though it is implemented. It's also not in the GNU Bash Reference ...
0
votes
1
answer
55
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Why index++ of SWISH++ is so slow?
I'm periodically running dwww+++ to add to searchable docs what info I add to local drive. It writes "Executing index++" and it runs for minutes, whereas my CPU load is ~2-3% of one core. ...
0
votes
1
answer
86
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Relationship between CLONE_NEWUSER, `/bin/unshare` and `unshare(2)` as it relates to User Namespace
I am trying to comprehend some man7.org documentation
about the User Namespace and the /bin/unshare command.
I started by reading this page:
https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man7/user_namespaces.7....
0
votes
1
answer
94
views
Misdocumentation in nftables?
As someone who hasn't hammered in all the parts of the OSI layers, I got quite frustrated with the documentation of bridge filtering in nftables: https://wiki.nftables.org/wiki-nftables/index.php/...
0
votes
1
answer
85
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Where is documentation for `/boot/config-<kernel_version>`?
I am working on understanding of how cgroups memory resource controller is enabled on Ubuntu 20.04. I have several Ubuntu machines that make up a Slurm 23.02.7 cluster. In cgroup.conf, SchedMD ...
0
votes
1
answer
58
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IPFW documentation
I am setting up router inside freebsd jail with ipfw, I might be blind, but I could not find comprehensive documentation on IPFW, which would make subject clear.
I read both "firewall" and &...
1
vote
0
answers
169
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Documentation for /tmp's default permissions
Is there any documentation for the default permissions of the /tmp folder on *nix, in particular Linux?
(Or perhaps /tmp doesn't have specified default permissions?)
Background:
I'm trying to ensure ...
0
votes
1
answer
52
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How do I report a Pop! OS documentation bug?
I used to be able to just file bug reports on Launchpad, but now, with the ubuntu-bug application I am defeated. Specifying the package results in an error telling me that it cannot collect any ...
0
votes
1
answer
2k
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How to update GRUB after updating system, on Fedora, with NVMe SSD
The Fedora documentation on updating to a new Fedora release recommends that, after we update, we should update the GRUB bootloader. They provide the following suggested advice on how to update:
$ ...
-1
votes
1
answer
84
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'input-file' and 'output-file' vs. 'source-file' and 'target-file' as generic names [closed]
When documenting command-line things, it is often necessary to use generic names.
Sometimes I use input and output words, and they play nice:
# example 1
pandoc input_file.md -o output_file.htm
But ...
0
votes
1
answer
102
views
What do (G) and (S) mean in samba's parameter configuration?
In the official documentation of Samba, the smb.conf(5) page has an "Explanation Of Each Parameter" section.
For some parameters, two possible values (either (G) or (S)) are shown at the end ...
0
votes
1
answer
154
views
How does the auto format of the join command work?
Here is an example:
$ cat file1
hello
there
$ cat file2
some,very,long,line,hello,csv
some,very,long,line,nope,csv
$ join -t, -1 1 -2 5 file1 file2
hello,some,very,long,line,csv
This works as ...
0
votes
1
answer
54
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rsync: need help resolving a "nomenclature" question
I've used rsync for a while, and it's always performed very well. However, trying to rsync my macOS (source, APFS file system) with my Synology NAS (dest, btrfs filesystem) seems to always present &...
1
vote
1
answer
339
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Where is the wpa_supplicant.conf option "update_config=1" documented?
First of all, I know what the option does. According to the Arch Linux Wiki, it gives the command line "wpa_cli" utility the permission to rewrite wpa_supplicant.conf:
Warning: Setting ...
0
votes
1
answer
115
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ansible-doc getting started?
Is there a vimtutor eqvivalent to ansible?
I know I can read up on the syntax of a particular module using ansible-doc <module> - but what if I can't recall the module name?
If I find myself ...
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Kernel-mounted vs FUSE-mounted exfat filesystem
I have read that support for the exfat filesystem has been incorporated in the Linux kernel since kernel ver 5.4 was released in late 2019 - early 2020. I'm confused about what this means wrt the ...
1
vote
3
answers
379
views
Getting 'emacs-common-non-dfsg' from Debian bookworm-backports
This in reference to this question. Many thanks to user Marcus Müller for providing the silver bullet for getting Emacs 29 from Debian backports. I've done this already, and profited.
However, one ...
0
votes
1
answer
181
views
How do I install the manual pages on NetBSD?
I've done a "Minimal" installation of NetBSD 9.3 from the ISO image, just to examine the behavior of one particular command (mktemp) as it differs from Linux.
I'm not seeing man pages for… ...
1
vote
1
answer
43
views
Does Debian ship the documentation for btrfs?
While researching the answer for this question, I noticed there is a documentation page for man 5 btrfs that I see online. But I don't see that on Debian 12. Did this get shipped at all? How can I ...
12
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Where is the syntax for /etc/environment documented?
I want to know the exact syntax for /etc/environment. I know it's not an ordinary shell script, but how exactly are single and double quotes processed?
Can environment variables defined earlier in the ...
-2
votes
1
answer
974
views
Get help for zsh builtin command (--help' does not work) [closed]
Why, unlike Bash, almost all Zsh executable's option of '--help' cannot work, what'd be its counterpart to help user doing on it ?
1
vote
0
answers
227
views
Error when trying to build Linux documentation
I have Linux git repository cloned, latest version of sphinx, GNU make, python, and all dependencies handled, running on MacOS (making the documentation to modify Linux on a VM), I am getting the ...
1
vote
1
answer
40
views
Standard utilities notation for SYNOPSIS sections
I want to construct a program utility synopsis for optional comma separated keywords.
utility [KEYWORD[,KEYWORD]...]
I worder where I should put the repeating pattern ....
I want to allow the ...
1
vote
0
answers
338
views
Where can I find the documentation for the Linux NPU API?
For example the Samsung Galaxy S10 has an Exynos 9820 CPU with integrated NPU. We all know Android is based on Linux.
So where can I find the Linux API documentation about how to interact with the NPU?...
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
Character Classes in GNU grep manual
Trying to understand why does the grep manual state the character classes with one square bracket.
https://www.gnu.org/software/grep/manual/html_node/Character-Classes-and-Bracket-Expressions.html
For ...
1
vote
2
answers
120
views
Multi-line documentation for bash inspired by lisp
I want to print some usage information for some functions. I customarily use echo or printf for each line.
echo "-V, --version"
echo " Display the version number and copyrights ...
1
vote
1
answer
3k
views
(Linux Mint) Does selecting "Encrypt Home Folder" after you chose Full Disk Encryption only encrypt the home folder?
I am not new to Linux but I am new to Linux Mint since I switched from Ubuntu due to reasons out of scope of this question (snapd, update borked my computer)
I selected for FDE (Full Disk Encryption) ...
1
vote
0
answers
34
views
How do I preview a unix document file? [duplicate]
I want to preview these unix docs : https://github.com/axboe/liburing/tree/master/man , what should I do?
1
vote
1
answer
3k
views
systemd - does the `DynamicUser` option work with user units and if so, how?
For systemd's system units (the units you operate with systemctl --system (default)), it's possible to specify DynamicUser=yes to make systemd dynamically allocate a user and group for the service to ...
1
vote
1
answer
221
views
Where to find purpose of each system default Groups and Users in Linux
when I cat /etc/group and cat /etc/passwd I get a list in which I find many I don't know. I know only group sudo group. But there is are many which I don't knows such as sys, adm .... I like to learn ...
3
votes
1
answer
68
views
Debian or other convention for installing info files in multiple languages
I am working on the installation for Maxima, a computer algebra system. The reference manual is written as a collection of Texinfo files. The primary documentation is English, but there are several ...
5
votes
1
answer
692
views
What is the official 'man' location in the web?
I had the following experience:
ps command: how to know all the headers with their respective descriptions?
The answer is totally valid, the man available by the OS itself is not updated, so the web ...
1
vote
1
answer
94
views
How to get help on vim's `complete` variable, not vim's `complete' function?
In vim, there is both a function and a variable called complete.
If you do help complete, you get the function's help.
How do you get the help for the variable?
2
votes
1
answer
148
views
Where are the kernel arguments documented?
I want to read more about the Linux Kernel argument for memtest. Where can I find out more information about the arguments my kernel accepts?
2
votes
1
answer
608
views
List of all file command outputs?
The file -b <path> command seems useful for scripting (filtering file types, not necessarily by extension). But for that you have to know the actual string output for your target filetype(s)
If ...
1
vote
2
answers
497
views
How to change the pager for info command
On GNU/Linux is it possible to change the default pager for info command? I would like to use less as the pager (similar to man pages). I have customized less to use colors to make navigation of man ...
1
vote
1
answer
983
views
Linux - Where to place manuals and docs for user binaries?
For applications installed via system package manager, binaries, man pages, and docs go in /usr/bin/, /usr/share/man/man<n>/, and /usr/share/doc/<app-name>/ respectively. For example:
...
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why through man page does not show the complete list of options and through -help yes?
I understood that man <command> is the manual page for any command.
For man groupdel is possible see only two options:
-h --help
-R --root CHRROT_DIR
Until here at a first glance one can assume ...
3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Installing man pages for section 9 (kernel routines)
I use kernel.org docs to read about kernel functions. Now I am trying to make possible reading manuals for kernel-mode functions, such as printk with man 9 printk. The section 9 is used for this ...
2
votes
1
answer
438
views
Is there any good documentation on sysfs? [closed]
I'm looking for good documentation for sysfs; the man page is incomplete and even has one sentence that just stops half way through. I've found the Linux kernel documentation but that's a little bit ...
1
vote
2
answers
1k
views
Offline Documentation of kernel.org
i wanted to find a website to download linux kernel documents offline in eother pdf or html or any kind but i dont know where to find and where to download
any help would be appreciated
the link i ...
3
votes
1
answer
463
views
How to get apropos to show only executable programs/shell commands?
Most of the times when I use apropos I don't care about system calls, library calls etc — I'm just trying to find a command I forgot the name of. Is there a way to trim down the output of apropos to ...
0
votes
0
answers
69
views
How to find descriptions for exit codes in Linux? [duplicate]
I'm looking for textual explanation of Linux exit codes (like 124 for timeout, 130 for SIGINT received, etc).
I thought errno from moreutils does this but it seems it is for looking for error numbers? ...
2
votes
1
answer
516
views
Where to get offline documentation/descriptions of individual sysctl kernel tunable parameters?
The NOTES section of $ man 5 sysctl.conf states: The description of individual parameters can be found in the kernel documentation.
But is there a way for me to find this kernel documentation offline? ...
2
votes
1
answer
496
views
What are the expansions of TUN and TAP acronyms?
Many VPN software use the TUN or TAP kernel driver to create a virtual network interface (mainly for Linux and FreeBSD systems). I know how they work and the differences, this is purely a ...
1
vote
2
answers
193
views
Where to Find Linux Kernel Driver Documentation by Filename
Simple, top level question (which, maddeningly has eluded my sorry level of Google-fu):
Poking around in my (admittedly out of date) machine, I find the following file:
/lib/modules/4.9.0-0.bpo.14-...
1
vote
1
answer
454
views
Error installing VirtualBox on Kali Linux following the Kali doc
https://stackexchange.com/users/9328287/telcom I found a very useful and meaningful answer of yours about this error:
E: The repository 'http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian n/a ...
0
votes
3
answers
193
views
How and where to find out details on which directories and files a package effects?
In the context of adding capabilities to BaseX,I can see some information about a package:
nicholas@mordor:~$
nicholas@mordor:~$ apt show basex
Package: basex
Version: 9.0.1+ds-1
Priority: optional
...