Back Cover Copy

Written by best-selling author Mark G. Sobell, A Practical Guide to Solaris enables both novice and experienced users to quickly learn Sun Microsystems' popular Solaris operating system. Designed to maximize accessibility, the book is divided into three parts. Part I is a tutorial that brings novice users--those with no UNIX/Solaris background, or no programming experience at all--quickly up to speed. Part II is geared toward intermediate and advanced users. Part III is a comprehensive reference guide covering more than ninety Solaris utilities with a clarity of explanation and range of examples not available from any other source.

A Practical Guide to Solaris provides invaluable information on the following:

• Solaris 7 (a.k.a. Solaris 2.7), as well as Solaris 2.6 and earlier versions for Intel and SPARC hardware. For beginning and experienced end users and C and shell programmers using either a command line or GUI interface.
• Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). Learning and using the X Window System and the CDE and OpenLook desktop managers. Offers extensive discussions of CDE and X customization.
• Networking, the Internet, and the World Wide Web. Explains what a network is, how it works, and how you can use it. Discusses types of networks, network implementations, distributed computing, how to use the network for communicating with other users, and using various networking utilities (such as rcp, telnet, ftp, nslookup, and more).
• Shells. Describes how to use the Bourne (sh), C (csh), and Korn (ksh) Shells as interactive command interpreters and as programming languages so you can write shell scripts. Extensive coverage of builtin commands, shell variables, options, customization, functions, and programming techniques.
• System Administration. Covers system operation from SPARC PROM mode/booting an Intel x86 through multiuser mode; types of files, including symbolic links and special files; adding and removing users, printers, devices and drivers; installing software, sharing and backing up filesystems, network services, system reports (sar, iostat, and more) and admintool; installing patches and system software; and problem solving.
• Programming Tools and Concepts. Covers both the Solaris (cc) and GNU (gcc) C compilers, debugging (lint and gcc warnings), shared libraries, make, SCCS, and more.

These essential topics are presented in a clear, easy-to-understand format with the help of the following:

• Examples. Both interactive and shell script examples are used throughout Parts I and II to provide added insight into Solaris features. Part III includes examples of more than ninety Solaris utilities.
• Tutorials. Step-by-step tutorials cover the vi, dtpad (CDE), and textedit (OpenLook) text editors; the dtmail (CDE), mailtool (OpenLook), and pine mail programs; the pine and Netscape newsreaders; the Netscape browser; and how to use a search engine. All tutorials are illustrated with real-world examples so you can practice as you read.
• Appendixes and Glossary. These cover regular expressions, POSIX standards, and security. The Help! appendix provides assistance on using your hardware and for locating, downloading, and installing Sun, public, and GNU software (including gzip and gcc).
• A Web site (www.sobell.com). Maintained by the author, this site provides help in locating Solaris documentation, software, patches, and free items, as well as corrections to, and downloadable examples from, this book.

Mark G. Sobell is the author of three best-selling UNIX and Linux books: A Practical Guide to the UNIX System, UNIX System V: A Practical Guide, and A Practical Guide to Linux. He has more than twenty years of experience working with UNIX and Linux and is president of Sobell Associates Inc., a consulting firm that designs and builds custom software applications, designs and writes documentation, and provides UNIX and Linux training and support.

Preface

This book is practical because it uses tutorial examples that show you what you will see on your terminal, workstation, or terminal emulator screen each step of the way. It is a guide because it takes you from logging in on your system (Chapter 2) through writing complex shell programs (Chapters 11, 12, and 13), using sophisticated software development tools (Chapter 14), and administrating a system (Chapter 15). Part III is a reference guide to more than 90 Solaris utilities. This Practical Guide is intended for people with some computer experience but little or no experience with a Solaris/UNIX system. However, more experienced Solaris/UNIX system users will find Parts II and III to be useful sources of information on subjects such as GUIs, basic and advanced shell programming, editing, C programming, debugging, source code management, networks, the Internet, the World Wide Web, and Solaris system administration.

Audience

This book appeals to a wide range of readers. As a minimum it assumes some experience with a PC or a Mac, but it does not require any programming experience. It is appropriate for:

Users of both single- and multiuser Solaris systems

Students taking a class about Solaris

Students taking any class in which they use Solaris

Computer science students studying the Solaris Operating System

People who want to run Solaris at home

Professionals who want to use Solaris at work

Programmers who need to understand the Solaris programming environment

Benefits

You will come away from this book with a broad knowledge of Solaris and how to use it in day-to-day work. Whether you are a C or Shell programmer or a user who wants to run application programs, this book will give you the knowledge to proceed. A Practical Guide to Solaris gives you a broad understanding of Solaris, including how to administer, maintain, and update the system. It will remain a valuable reference tool for years to come.

Scope of Coverage and Features

A Practical Guide to Solaris covers a wide range of topics, from writing simple shell scripts to recursive shell programming; from local email to using Netscape to browse the World Wide Web; from using simple utilities to source code management using SCCS; from using a system to administrating one. The following section highlights some of the features of this book and is followed by more in-depth discussions of some of these features.

Features

Full coverage of Sunis GUIs: Common Desktop Environment (CDE) and OpenLook Window Manager (olwm)

Tutorials on key topics (vi, CDE editor, Netscape, and more)

Discusses terminal emulation (logging in from a PC or other emulator)

Appendixes covering --Regular expressions --Help: covers finding and downloading software, login information, basic GUI information --Security --POSIX

Covers important GNU tools such as gcc and gzip

Covers the emacs and vi editors (one complete chapter on each)

Part III covers the use of over 90 utilities including many examples.

Solaris

Compatible with all releases of Solaris 2.x through System 7 (Solaris 2.7)

A complete discussion of the Solaris filesystem

A discussion of the SPARC PROM Mode

Coverage of both the Intel (x86) and SPARC versions of Solaris

Discusses SPARC and x86 (Intel) Boot procedures

Covers both the CDE and OpenLook GUI interfaces

Covers AnswerBook2 including installation and running from the CDROM (System 7 only)

Internet

Broad Internet coverage including Netscape, ftp, downloading software and documentation using a search engine, and constructing a

simple HTML page

Complete instructions on obtaining and using free software: finding, downloading (using Netscape or ftp), decompressing, compiling,

and installing software from the Internet

Guidance on using ping, whois, nslookup, traceroute, and more

Getting online documentation from many sources (local and Internet)

Tutorials

vi editor

dtmail mail program (CDE)

mailtool mail program (Open Look)

dtpad text editor (CDE)

textedit text editor (Open Look)

pine as a mail program

pine as a newsreader

Netscape as browser

Netscape as a newsreader

How to use a search engine

Assistance

Many examples throughout

Comprehensive index

Caution boxes warn you of the consequences of taking certain actions

Security boxes caution you where security may be breached

Tip boxes give you helpful hints

Appendix B, Help!, written in FAQ style covers (partial list): --Internet addresses of where you can obtain additional software (some free) --Downloading software from the Internet --Decompressing, compiling, and installing software obtained from the Internet --Basic login and GUI information to help you get started --Setting up special keyboard keys

The Shells

Thorough shell coverage including an introductory shell chapter as well as chapters on the Bourne Shell (sh), the C Shell (csh), and the

Korn Shell (ksh). Coverage includes both interactive use of the shells and programming.

Korn Shell coverage of the coprocess, with examples

The X Window System

Window managers

Bringing up and shutting down the X Window System

Setting X resources

Using the X Window System

Customizing the X Window System

Remote Computing and Local Displays

Common Desktop Environment (CDE) Desktop Manager

Window Manager (dtwm)

Creating and using Actions

File Manager (dtfile)

Front panel use and customization

Editing (dtpad)

Mail (dtmail)

Building Menus (dtwm)

Windows

Terminal emulation

Style Manager

Login Manager

Initialization files used to customize CDE

OpenLook Window Manager (olwm)

Workspace Menu

File Manager

Customizing the desktop

Help viewer

Customizing menus

System Administration

Using pkginfo, pkgadd, and pkgrm to add/remove software packages

Adding and removing users

Using patchadd/installpatch to install patches to the system

Adding local and remote printers

Installing AnswerBook2

Using admintool for system administration

Using ufsdump and ufsrestore to back up and restore files

Sharing files with other machines (RFS, NFS)

Coverage of ACL (Access Control List) permissions

Security issues

The PROCFS filesystem

Configuring and booting the system (both SPARC and x86)

Adding and removing devices and drivers

Performing a reconfigure reboot

Disk capacity planning and partitioning

Setting up network files

Running system reports (sar, iostat, vmstat, netstat, mpstat, top)

Programming Environment

Using SCCS (source code management)

Using make

Using the Sun C compiler (cc) as well as the GNU C compiler (gcc)

Using both the dbx and gdb debuggers

Using shared libraries

Parts I, II, and III

A Practical Guide to Solaris shows you how to use Solaris from your terminal. Part I comprises Chapters 1 through 5, which introduce the new user to Solaris: introduction, getting started, basic utilities, filesystem structure, and the shell. Part I contains step-by-step tutorials covering the most important aspects of the Solaris operating system.

Part II comprises Chapters 6 through 15, which cover intermediate and advanced aspects of Solaris: GUI interfaces, networking, the vi and emacs editors, the Bourne, C, and Korn Shells and shell scripts, programming, and system administration.

Part III offers a comprehensive, detailed reference to more than 90 Solaris utilities, with numerous examples. If you are already familiar with the Solaris/UNIX system, this part of the book will be a valuable, easy-to-use reference. If you are not an experienced user, you will find Part III a useful supplement while you are mastering the subjects and tutorials in Parts I and II.