How do I get ls to display in
color?
By default, the GUI terminals and console shell prompt display files
in various contextual colors. However, you may have to add color to the
ls command if, for example you are logged into a
machine that does not support colored directory listings by default. If
this is the case, just include the --color option. For
example:
Some users feel that adding --color does more than
add a splash of color; it gives a clue about the types of files in a
directory. For example, directories might all be a royal blue, program
files would be green, and so on.
Displaying the listing in color all the time involves a little more
work. You will need to add one line to the .bashrc
file in your home directory. The .bashrc file is
used by your shell when you login. Make sure you are in your
/home/login directory and copy the
.bashrc file, keeping it in the same directory, but
with a name like .bashrc2.
If you make a mistake or have trouble, you can replace your
.bashrc file by typing:
at the shell prompt.
Open the .bashrc file with your favorite text
editor. For example, you could type pico .bashrc
at the command line to open the file. You should see something like
this:
# .bashrc
# User specific aliases and functions
# Source global definitions
if [ -f /etc/bashrc ]; then
. /etc/bashrc
fi
|
Under the line # User specific aliases and
functions type:
alias ls="ls -al --color"
Make sure to write your changes to the file and save them. To make
the change work immediately, run the source command
to the .bashrc file with the following command:
