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Backup of a partition
Clone a partion with tar.

Search for a string inside all files in the current directory
Searches all files,dirs (also hidden) recursively

Create a mirror of a local folder, on a remote server
Create a exact mirror of the local folder "/root/files", on remote server 'remote_server' using SSH command (listening on port 22) (all files & folders on destination server/folder will be deleted)

Get yesterday's date or a previous time
With this command you can get a previous or future date or time. Where can you use this? How about finding all files modified or created in the last 5 mins? touch -t `echo $(date -d "5 minute ago" "+%G%m%d%H%M.%S")` me && find . -type f -newer me List all directories created since last week? touch -t `echo $(date -d "1 week ago" "+%G%m%d%H%M.%S")` me && find . -type d -cnewer me I'm sure you can think of more ways to use it. Requires coreutils package.

Rename files in batch

Remove all unused kernels with apt-get
TIMTOWTDI

Search for a string inside all files in the current directory
options: -n line nbrs, -i ignore case, -s no "doesn't exist", -I ignore binary args: * for all files of current dir (not hidden), .[!.]* for all hidden files I don't include by default the -R (recursive) option, which is not always useful. You add it by hand when needed.

Rolling upgrades via aptitude
This has been my "sysupgrade" alias since ca. 2006, first used on Debian Sid, then Sabayon, and it still does its duty on Mint nowadays without breaking stuff.

Print every Nth line
Sometimes commands give you too much feedback. Perhaps 1/100th might be enough. If so, every() is for you. $ my_verbose_command | every 100 will print every 100th line of output. Specifically, it will print lines 100, 200, 300, etc If you use a negative argument it will print the *first* of a block, $ my_verbose_command | every -100 It will print lines 1, 101, 201, 301, etc The function wraps up this useful sed snippet: $ ... | sed -n '0~100p' don't print anything by default $ sed -n starting at line 0, then every hundred lines ( ~100 ) print. $ '0~100p' There's also some bash magic to test if the number is negative: we want character 0, length 1, of variable N. $ ${N:0:1} If it *is* negative, strip off the first character ${N:1} is character 1 onwards (second actual character).

A simple command to toggle mute with pulseaudio (any sink)
0 can also be replaced by the source name, e.g. alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo


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