what does ~/. do?

Submitted by MattyZee on Sun, 12/13/2009 - 10:46
in

I've read Chapter 11 on files and directories about how to run binaries but i've come across the ~ symbol and and not sure what it means.

for example, if told to type ~/.shepherd/shepherd to run Shepherd, where is it installed? why the ~ symbol? and why slash then dot (/.) at the start not dot slash (./) like in Chpater 11?

Cheers

The ~ (called a tilde, not a

Submitted by arochester on Sat, 02/13/2010 - 14:09.

The ~ (called a tilde, not a tilda) is shorthand for the home directory.

The slash means a subdirectory.

The . before a file means that it is a hidden file. Hidden files can be made visible. I use PCMAN FM as a file manager and can go PCMAN FM>View>Show Hidden Files (or Ctrl+H)

As someone seriously

Submitted by icekool on Fri, 02/12/2010 - 22:50.

As someone seriously considering installing Linux for the 1st time and currently looking at my newly burned CD (Mint 8) just wanting to learn a bit more first, I also wondered about the ~ (I think its called a 'tilda') symbol, I often notice that this sort of very small detail is unexplained, especially when going through programming books etc.

So as Matty above asks, any chance of letting us know what this symbol is used for and when??

Any reply would be greatly appreciated..