Viewing Files

Pagers

The most widely used way to view files quickly without editing is to use a pager. A pager prints to the terminal window the amount of text that fits in that window. The default pager on Linux is more (also called less because “less is more”).

more filename

This displays file the contents on the screen with line scrolling. To scroll you can use ‘arrow’ keys. To advance one line, press the Enter key. To advance a full page, press the space bar. Press q to exit.

$more ~/rivanna-cli/shakespeare/Lear.txt

To page upward within the text, press b (back).

Searching.

You can search in the forward direction with /, where pattern is a combination of characters you wish to find.

$more ~/rivanna-cli/shakespeare/Lear.text
 /serpent

 ...skipping
     Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
     To laughter and contempt, that she may feel
     How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
     To have a thankless child! Away, away!                Exit.

Search stops at the first occurrence. To locate the next one, type n.