ff Command
Purpose
Lists the file names and statistics for a file system.
Syntax
ff [ -a Number ] [ -c Number ] [ -I ] [ -l ] [ -m Number ] [ -n File ] [-o Options] [ -p Prefix ] [ -s ] [ -u ] [ -V VFSName ] [ -i I-Number [ ,I-Number ... ] ] [ FileSystem | DeviceName]
Description
The ff command reads the i-nodes in the file system specified by the FileSystem parameter and then writes information about them to standard output. It assumes the FileSystem is a file system, which is referenced in the /etc/filesystems file, and saves i-node data for files specified by flags.
The output from the ff command consists of the path name for each requested i-node number, in addition to other file information that you can request using the flags. The output is listed in order by i-node number, with tabs between all fields. The default line produced by the ff command includes the path name and i-node number fields. With all flags enabled, the output fields include path name, i-node number, size, and UID (user ID).
The Number parameter is a decimal number that specifies a number of days. It is prefixed by a + or - (plus or minus sign). Therefore, +3 means more than 3 days, -3 means less than 3 days, and 3 means 3 days, where a day is defined as a 24-hour period.
The ff command lists only a single path name out of many possible ones for an i-node with more than one link, unless you specify the -l flag. With the -l flag, the ff command lists all links.
Flags
Item | Description |
---|---|
-a Number | Displays the file if it has been accessed within the number of days specified by the Number parameter. |
-c Number | Displays the file if its i-node has been changed within the number of days specified by the Number parameter. |
-i I-Number | Displays the files corresponding to the i-node numbers specified by the I-Number parameter. The i-node numbers listed must be separated by a comma. |
-I | (This flag is an uppercase i.) Does not display the i-node after each path name. |
Item | Description | |
---|---|---|
-l | (This flag is a lowercase L.) Additionally displays a list of pathnames for files with more than one link. | |
-m Number | Displays the file if it has been modified within the number of days specified by the Number parameter. | |
-n File | Displays the file if it has been modified more recently than the file specified by the File parameter. | |
-o Options | Specifies a comma-separated
list of implementation-specific options for a virtual file system.
The following options are specific to the enhanced journaled file system (JFS2): -o snapshot=snapName Specifies the name of the internal snapshot subject to the ff command. The file system owning the snapshot must be mounted. |
|
-p Prefix | Adds the prefix specified by the Prefix parameter to each path name. The default prefix is . (dot). | |
-s | Writes the file size, in bytes, after each path name. | |
-u | Writes the owner's login name after each path name. | |
-V VFSName | Instructs the ff command to assume the file system is of type VFSName, overriding the value in the /etc/filesystems file. |
Security
Examples
- To list the path names
of all files in a given file system, enter: ff -I /dev/hd0This displays the path names of the files on the /dev/hd0 device. If you do not specify the -I flag, the ff command also displays the i-node number of each file.
- To list files that have
been modified recently, enter: ff -m -2 -u /dev/hd0This displays the path name, i-node number, and owner's user name (the -u flag) of each file on the /dev/hd0 device that has been modified within the last two days ( -m -2).
- To list files that have not been
used recently, enter: ff -a +30 /dev/hd0This displays the path name and i-node of each file that was last accessed more than 30 days ago ( -a +30).
- To find out the paths
corresponding to certain i-node numbers, enter: ff -l -i 451,76 /dev/hd0This displays all the path names (-l) associated with i-nodes 451 and 76.
Files
Item | Description |
---|---|
/etc/vfs | Contains descriptions of virtual file system types. |
/etc/filesystems | Lists the known file systems and defines their characteristics. |