Prime version 1.0: Overview

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## 1 Overview of the Prime console file manager

### What is Prime?

Prime is a GNU software, part of the GnuDOS package. Prime is a file manager which works under the GNU/Linux console. It was influenced by other file managers (like the well known XTree Gold which was popular under MS-DOS). It provides a user friendly interface with menus, shortcuts, and key navigation. It is distributed as part of the GnuDOS package which was developed to help users coming from DOS-like environments feel ease when dealing with the GNU system. Prime provides multi-level experience, the level of complexity can be adjusted by the user: you want to use DOS-keys with a few basic GNU ones? you want to go with the full power of the GNU system? All are options that are provided by the six levels of experience of Prime:

1- Newbie: All DOS shortcut keys, no GNU keys yet 2- Novice: DOS shortcut keys, some of which are replaced with GNU’s 3- Intermediate: DOS keys with a few more replaced with GNU keys 4- ÙAdvanced: ... And more GNU keys in 5- ÙExpert: Very few DOS keys, most are GNU keys 6- ÙVeteran: Only GNU keys, no DOS-like keys

You start with level 1 by default. To set your level, call the mino with ’–levelX’ or ’-lX’ options, Where X is the level desired, for example:

    $prime --level2

### Which keys are defined for which level?

Below is a table showing the DOS-like key combinations along with their respective GNU key bindings. To the right is the level at which a certain key is defined. Each key defined is recognized in higher levels (e.g. level 2 keys are recognized in levels 3-4-5-6). Note that in level 5 only GNU keys are defined, no DOS keys will work at this level!.

Keybindings: In the table below, C-something means pressing down CTRL and then pressing the other key. Note that ’^’ is the same as ’C’, meaning CTRL key, it is just typed like this so DOS users can feel familiar with the text. The same as M-something, which means META or ALT.

===================================================================== Function DOS-like key GNU key GnuDOS Level ===================================================================== All DOS bindings and no GNU bindings Newbie

Next Line Down C-n Novice Prev. Line Up C-p Novice Backward Left C-b Novice Forward Right C-f Novice Back One Word ^Left M-b Novice Fwd One Word ^Right M-f Novice

Cancel ESC C-g Intermediate Next Screen PgDn C-v Intermediate Prev. Screen PgUp M-v Intermediate Start of Line Home C-a Intermediate End of Line End C-e Intermediate Start of text ^Home C-< Intermediate End of text ^End C-> Intermediate

Del prev char BkSpc DEL (is BkSpc) Advanced Del next char Delete C-d Advanced Del prev word ^BkSpc M-DEL (is M-BkSpc) Advanced Del next word ^Delete M-d Advanced Select text SHIFT+Arrow C-Space Advanced Del selection BkSpc/Del C-w Advanced

Quit ^Q C-x C-c Expert Paste (yanking) ^V C-y Expert Del Line ^D C-k Expert Undo ^Z C-/, C-_, C-x u Expert Open File ^O C-x C-f Expert Save File ^S C-x C-s Expert Find (Search) ^F C-s (forward search) Expert C-r (reverse search) Expert Help F1 C-h ? Expert

All GNU bindings and no DOS bindings Veteran =====================================================================

### Why should I use it?

If you like using the console (like most GNU/Linux vintage users do), and you came from DOS land, having a nice and easy way to run through your directory trees and moving files around will be an important asset in your toolset, plus you will easily dive into the GNU system key bindings.

### What do I need?

The program can be invoked from the linux console or under X11 from an xterm.

### How to use it?

Simply invoke the ’prime’ executable from the bash shell. The components of the main window can be found under See Main Window. The description of the menus in See Menus. And the shortcut keys in See Shortcuts.

### What else?

To help the developers (and yourself) debugging the program, Prime sends log information by default to a file named ’prime.log’ in the user’s home directory (e.g. /home/username). If you wish log information to be sent to another file, invoke the program with the file name on the command line, e.g.

    $prime log-file-name

If you don’t want log information, invoke Prime as

    $prime --no-log

You can export directory tree of a given directory to a given file without starting Prime by typing:

    $prime -e|--export dirname filename

Note you will only type `'-e'` or `'--export'`, not both.
Prime starts with the directory tree of the current working directory. To open Prime with the directory tree of another location, type:

    $prime -d|--dir dirname

Where `dirname` is the path name which is to be loaded into Prime on program start.
Currently there is partial wildcard support. That means for example that you can specify ’~’ to indicate your home directory, and you can use ’*’ inside the program (in the search dialog box) but no further wildcards (like ’?’) are supported. Examples:

    $prime ~/projects

Will open the subdirectory ’projects’ of the home directory
The following are examples of accepted ways to enter wildcard strings in the Find file dialog box:

    file*
    *.c
    a*.c

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