A Practical Guide to Solaris

by Sobell, Mark G.

• ISBN13: 9780201895483
• ISBN10: 020189548X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-06-10
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional

Summary

This book is practical because it uses tutorial examples that show you what you will see on your terminal, workstation, or terminal emulator screen each step of the way. It is a guide because it takes you from logging in on your system (Chapter 2) through writing complex shell programs (Chapters 11, 12, and 13), using sophisticated software development tools (Chapter 14), and administrating a system (Chapter 15). Part III is a reference guide to more than 90 Solaris utilities. This Practical Guide is intended for people with some computer experience but little or no experience with a Solaris/UNIX system. However, more experienced Solaris/UNIX system users will find Parts II and III to be useful sources of information on subjects such as GUIs, basic and advanced shell programming, editing, C programming, debugging, source code management, networks, the Internet, the World Wide Web, and Solaris system administration.

Audience

This book appeals to a wide range of readers. As a minimum it assumes some experience with a PC or a Mac, but it does not require any programming experience. It is appropriate for

• Users of both single- and multiuser Solaris systems
• Students taking a class about Solaris
• Students taking any class in which they use Solaris
• Computer science students studying the Solaris Operating System
• People who want to run Solaris at home
• Professionals who want to use Solaris at work
• Programmers who need to understand the Solaris programming environment

Benefits

You will come away from this book with a broad knowledge of Solaris and how to use it in day-to-day work. Whether you are a C or Shell programmer or a user who wants to run application programs, this book will give you the knowledge to proceed. A Practical Guide to Solaris gives you a broad understanding of Solaris, including how to administer, maintain, and update the system. It will remain a valuable reference tool for years to come.

Scope of Coverage and Features

A Practical Guide to Solaris covers a wide range of topics, from writing simple shell scripts to recursive shell programming; from local email to using Netscape to browse the World Wide Web; from using simple utilities to source code management using SCCS; from using a system to administrating one. The following section highlights some of the features of this book and is followed by more in-depth discussions of some of these features.

Features

• Full coverage of Sunis GUIs: Common Desktop Environment (CDE) and OpenLook Window Manager (olwm)
• Tutorials on key topics (vi, CDE editor, Netscape, and more)
• Discusses terminal emulation (logging in from a PC or other emulator)
• Appendixes covering
• --Regular expressions
• --Help: covers finding and downloading software, login information, basic GUI information
• --Security
• --POSIX
• Covers important GNU tools such as gcc and gzip
• Covers the emacs and vi editors (one complete chapter on each)
• Part III covers the use of over 90 utilities including many examples.

Solaris

• Compatible with all releases of Solaris 2.x through System 7 (Solaris 2.7)
• A complete discussion of the Solaris filesystem
• A discussion of the SPARC PROM Mode
• Coverage of both the Intel (x86) and SPARC versions of Solaris
• Discusses SPARC and x86 (Intel) Boot procedures
• Covers both the CDE and OpenLook GUI interfaces
• Covers AnswerBook2 including installation and running from the CDROM (System 7 only)

Internet

• Broad Internet coverage including Netscape, ftp, downloading software and documentation using a search engine, and constructing a simple HTML page
• Complete instructions on obtaining and using free software: finding, downloading (using Netscape or ftp), decompressing, compiling, and installing software from the Internet
• Guidance on using ping, whois, nslookup, traceroute, and more
• Getting online documentation from many sources (local and Internet)

Tutorials

• vi editor
• dtmail mail program (CDE)
• mailtool mail program (Open Look)
• dtpad text editor (CDE)
• textedit text editor (Open Look)
• pine as a mail program
• pine as a newsreader
• Netscape as browser
• Netscape as a newsreader
• How to use a search engine

Assistance

• Many examples throughout
• Comprehensive index
• Caution boxes warn you of the consequences of taking certain actions
• Security boxes caution you where security may be breached
• Tip boxes give you helpful hints
• Appendix B, Help!, written in FAQ style covers (partial list):
• --Internet addresses of where you can obtain additional software (some free)
• --Downloading software from the Internet
• --Decompressing, compiling, and installing software obtained from the Internet
• --Basic login and GUI information to help you get started
• --Setting up special keyboard keys

The Shells

• Thorough shell coverage including an introductory shell chapter as well as chapters on the Bourne Shell (sh), the C Shell (csh), and the Korn Shell (ksh). Coverage includes both interactive use of the shells and programming.
• Korn Shell coverage of the coprocess, with examples

The X Window System

• Window managers
• Bringing up and shutting down the X Window System
• Setting X resources
• Using the X Window System
• Customizing the X Window System
• Remote Computing and Local Displays

Common Desktop Environment (CDE) Desktop Manager

• Window Manager (dtwm)
• Creating and using Actions
• File Manager (dtfile)
• Front panel use and customization
• Editing (dtpad)
• Mail (dtmail)
• Building Menus (dtwm)
• Windows
• Terminal emulation
• Style Manager
• Login Manager
• Initialization files used to customize CDE

OpenLook Window Manager (olwm)

• Workspace Menu
• File Manager
• Customizing the desktop
• Help viewer
• Customizing menus

System Administration

• Using pkginfo, pkgadd, and pkgrm to add/remove software packages
• Adding and removing users
• Using patchadd/installpatch to install patches to the system
• Adding local and remote printers
• Installing AnswerBook2
• Using admintool for system administration
• Using ufsdump and ufsrestore to back up and restore files
• Sharing files with other machines (RFS, NFS)
• Coverage of ACL (Access Control List) permissions
• Security issues
• The PROCFS filesystem
• Configuring and booting the system (both SPARC and x86)
• Adding and removing devices and drivers
• Performing a reconfigure reboot
• Disk capacity planning and partitioning
• Setting up network files
• Running system reports (sar, iostat, vmstat, netstat, mpstat, top)

Programming Environment

• Using SCCS (source code management)
• Using make
• Using the Sun C compiler (cc) as well as the GNU C compiler (gcc)
• Using both the dbx and gdb debuggers
• Using shared libraries

Parts I, II, and III

A Practical Guide to Solaris shows you how to use Solaris from your terminal. Part I comprises Chapters 1 through 5, which introduce the new user to Solaris: introduction, getting started, basic utilities, filesystem structure, and the shell. Part I contains step-by-step tutorials covering the most important aspects of the Solaris operating system.

Part II comprises Chapters 6 through 15, which cover intermediate and advanced aspects of Solaris: GUI in

Author Biography

Mark G. Sobell is president of Sobell Associates Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in UNIX/Linux training, support, and custom software development. He is the author of many best-selling UNIX and Linux books and has more than twenty-five years of experience working with UNIX and Linux.

Table of Contents

Preface	xli
Introduction to Solaris
The Solaris Operating System	3	(12)
Getting Started	15	(26)
The Solaris Utilities	41	(34)
The Solaris Filesystem	75	(28)
The Shell I	103	(26)
II Intermediate/Advanced Solaris
Graphical User Interfaces	129	(56)
Networking and the Internet	185	(60)
The vi Editor	245	(46)
The emacs Editor	291	(56)
The Shell II (sh)	347	(46)
Bourne Shell Programming	393	(42)
The C Shell	435	(44)
The Korn Shell and Advanced Shell Programming	479	(68)
Programming Tools	547	(44)
System Administration	591	(434)
III The Solaris Utility Programs
A Regular Expressions	953	(10)
B Help!	963	(30)
C Security	993	(14)
D The POSIX Standards	1007	(18)
Glossary	1025	(26)
Index	1051

Excerpts

This book ispracticalbecause it uses tutorial examples that show you what you will see on your terminal, workstation, or terminal emulator screen each step of the way. It is aguidebecause it takes you from logging in on your system (Chapter 2) through writing complex shell programs (Chapters 11, 12, and 13), using sophisticated software development tools (Chapter 14), and administrating a system (Chapter 15). Part III is a reference guide to more than 90 Solaris utilities. ThisPractical Guideis intended for people with some computer experience but little or no experience with a Solaris/UNIX system. However, more experienced Solaris/UNIX system users will find Parts II and III to be useful sources of information on subjects such as GUIs, basic and advanced shell programming, editing, C programming, debugging, source code management, networks, the Internet, the World Wide Web, and Solaris system administration. AudienceThis book appeals to a wide range of readers. As a minimum it assumes some experience with a PC or a Mac, but it does not require any programming experience. It is appropriate for Users of both single- and multiuser Solaris systems Students taking a class about Solaris Students taking any class in which they use Solaris Computer science students studying the Solaris Operating System People who want to run Solaris at home Professionals who want to use Solaris at work Programmers who need to understand the Solaris programming environment BenefitsYou will come away from this book with a broad knowledge of Solaris and how to use it in day-to-day work. Whether you are a C or Shell programmer or a user who wants to run application programs, this book will give you the knowledge to proceed.A Practical Guide to Solarisgives you a broad understanding of Solaris, including how to administer, maintain, and update the system. It will remain a valuable reference tool for years to come. Scope of Coverage and FeaturesA Practical Guide to Solariscovers a wide range of topics, from writing simple shell scripts to recursive shell programming; from local email to using Netscape to browse the World Wide Web; from using simple utilities to source code management using SCCS; from using a system to administrating one. The following section highlights some of the features of this book and is followed by more in-depth discussions of some of these features. Features Full coverage of Sunis GUIs: Common Desktop Environment (CDE) and OpenLook Window Manager (olwm) Tutorials on key topics (vi, CDE editor, Netscape, and more) Discusses terminal emulation (logging in from a PC or other emulator) Appendixes covering --Regular expressions --Help: covers finding and downloading software, login information, basic GUI information --Security --POSIX Covers important GNU tools such as gcc and gzip Covers the emacs and vi editors (one complete chapter on each) Part III covers the use of over 90 utilities including many examples. Solaris Compatible with all releases of Solaris 2.x through System 7 (Solaris 2.7) A complete discussion of the Solaris filesystem A discussion of the SPARC PROM Mode Coverage of both the Intel (x86) and SPARC versions of Solaris Discusses SPARC and x86 (Intel) Boot procedures Covers both the CDE and OpenLook GUI interfaces Covers AnswerBook2 including installation and running from the CDROM (System 7 only) Internet Broad Internet coverage including Netscape, ftp, downloading software and documentation using a search engine, and constructing a simple HTML page Complete instructions on obtaining and using free software: finding, downloading (using Netscape or ftp), decompressing, compiling, and installing software from the Internet Guidance on using ping, whois, nsloo