Shell Programming
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"Shell Programming"
3 days
Next Public Offering: 9/13-9/15 Seattle |
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Course Description
This course teaches skills that work with with the "shell" programs found on contemporary UNIX and Linux systems.
The role of the shell is to provide a command-line interface to the UNIX/Linux system. Unlike graphical user interfaces, the shell provides access to the full richness and power of the operating system.
The Bourne shell is the classic programming language of UNIX System Administrators. Its successor, the Korn shell, provides additional programming features while preserving backwards compatibility with the Bourne shell. The Bash shell, most commonly found on Linux systems, is an open-Source descendant of the Korn shell that provides the best features of its predecessors along with additional new features.
While emphasizing the (many) features that are common to these shells, this lecture/lab course shows the student how to customize the shell's configuration and create custom programs (shell scripts) that increase productivity by automating mundane tasks.
The Instructor demonstrates common mistakes and shows how they can be avoided, and explains proper application of the Consultix Shell Quoting Guidelines.
We typically offer this course in the same week as UNIX/Linux Utilities, so the student can learn the "vocabulary" of shell programming (the utilities) immediately after learning the "grammar" (shell programming).
Who Should Attend
This course is intended for those who want to customize the settings of their login shell and write custom shell scripts.Prerequisites
Students should be experienced with one of the following text editors: vi, emacs, or pico (or another locally available editor, for on-site classes). Students should also have a familiarity with the hierarchical file system and basic commands such as cd, ls, chmod, & grep. This background can be achieved by attending UNIX Fundamentals. Previous programming experience is very helpful, but logically-minded individuals without such a background can also benefit from attending.Author & Instructor
Dr. Tim Maher wrote a course on the Bourne shell for AT&T in the early 80s, and taught it for many years to AT&T's customers and employees. Since the 1980s, he has taught many thousands of students to use UNIX/Linux shells. Dr. Maher has also written many sophisticated applications in shell languages, including an eight-thousand line user interface used by students at U.C. Berkeley, and a source code beautifier for the C++ language (published in Dr. Dobb's Journal). He is a recognized expert on Shell Programming, and as founder and head of CONSULTIX, he regularly teaches courses on a wide variety of UNIX/Linux topics.CONSULTIX instructors are renowned for their ability to communicate complex concepts in simple terms and to make the study of dry technical material enjoyable.
Topics
| Start-Up Files | Shell Variables | Argument Handling |
| I/O Redirection | Conditional Execution | Looping Constructs |
| Variable Substitution | File-Name Generation | Command Substitution |
| Aliases | Built-In Commands | Quoting Techniques |
| The Process Hierarchy | Shell Scripts | Quoting Guidelines |
Other Courses
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A former student says:
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Greg Mott, Mfg. Systems Engineer, Kaiser Aluminum Corp. Attended: Bash Shell Programming & Linux Utilities |