Access the high performance computer (HPC)

The hpc environment is not GUI (graphical user interface) oriented, rather you use a UNIX environment giving commends in terms of words in a terminal application.

key points

• The computer you are sitting at is your LOCAL computer, Raapoi is the REMOTE computer
• Unix does not like spaces in file or folder names, Important NEVER use spaces in file or directory names. if you want a "gap" use an underscore. So rather than having a folder called "my lab" use "my_lab".
• Unix does not like special characters, Important ONLY use alpha-numberic characters (and underscore) in file or directory names.

Basic commands

• ls list
• cd directory_name change to directory_name
• cd .. go back one directory
• pwd print your path (where you are in the directory tree)
• mkdir directory_name make a new directory called directory_name
• cp file_name1 file_name2 copy file_name1 to file_name2
• mv file_name1 file_name2 move file_name1 to file_name2
• rm file_name1 file_name2 remove file_name1 to file_name2
• head file_name1 prints top few lines of a file to the screen
• tail file_name1 prints last few lines of a file to the screen
• cat file_name1 prints whole file to the screen

using vi (text editor)

• vi file_name open file in vi
• i go to insert mode
• esc go to command mode
• :q! quit without saving any changes
• :wq write (save the file) and quit vi
• control-f move forward 1/2 screen
• control-b move backward 1/2 screen
• shift-g go to the end of the file
• 1 then shift-g go to the start of the file
• :/word search forward for "word"
• :?word search backward for "word"

Resources

• There is much more than just the few simple commands given here, there are lots of resources on-line and in books, but this will get you started!
• Unix and linux are versions of the same thing, you can treat them interchangeably in terms of commands, here is a resource for learning about the commands above and some more! link
• My favourite book for this is UNIX for Programmers and Users By Graham Glass, King Ables, any edition is fine.
• look for and down load a vi "cheat sheet", this is a good one link