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Intermediate
Videos can also be accessed from the Linux Essentials Playlist on YouTube.
Linux set Command Summary with Examples (3:34)
Our forty-eighth word, or command to memorize is
set from our category
System.
set allows you to display or set
shell and environment variables.
| -options | description |
|---|---|
--help |
Print help screen |
Recall from the printenv and
export videos, we saw environment
variables? Well, set tacks on
variables unique to a shell program, like
bash.
Before we start, it helps to think of commands as mini programs and
most follow this structure:
command -option(s) argument(s).
This fairly advanced set command has
over 20 options which we won't cover here and the
argument is the variable and value.
Unlike most commands, help is not available with double-dash
--help because as a shell built-in,
documentation sits in the bash
manual page (man bash).
So why is set an important command?
Well, in some situations you may need to
set and
unset shell variables and functions.
And now you know how to do that.
Okay, the best way to embed this in your memory is by typing in your own terminal window.
Find this on your Mac using a program called Terminal. On Linux use Terminal or Konsole, and currently Microsoft is adding this functionality to Windows.
Here we go. So I mainly wanted to introduce you to
set as a way to understand that there
are environment variables, shell variables and a new concept called
functions. So instead of our regular demonstration, this will be
homework. So follow these steps.
First, enter printenv optionless,
like you did in video 46. Then type
set optionless and compare.
Output from set will be long, so use
Shift-PgUp and
Shift-PgDn right here in the
terminal, or write it to a file using the redirection symbol
> and then just take 5 minutes to
zip through it with less.
And last, functions on the output can be identified by curly braces
{ } and
if then.
Okay now you know how to use set.
And you know the syntax for commands, options and arguments.
One last tip about the set command.
So here I simply wanted you to see what's passed around behind the
innocent-looking terminal window. Don't worry, the next few videos will
be easier.
Okay, thanks for visiting today. I hope this was a helpful
introduction to the set command.
For an overview of the 100 videos, the 8 quizzes, a cheat sheet, the categories and a Q&A section, visit:
Not only will you find homework on our YouTube Channel, but also quizzes! Subscribe and follow to be a part of our smart group.
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