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Convert seconds to [DD:][HH:]MM:SS
Converts any number of seconds into days, hours, minutes and seconds. sec2dhms() { declare -i SS="$1" D=$(( SS / 86400 )) H=$(( SS % 86400 / 3600 )) M=$(( SS % 3600 / 60 )) S=$(( SS % 60 )) [ "$D" -gt 0 ] && echo -n "${D}:" [ "$H" -gt 0 ] && printf "%02g:" "$H" printf "%02g:%02g\n" "$M" "$S" }

Search command history on bash
Very handy and time-saving. Do a 'ctrl+ r' on command prompt. You will see a "(reverse-i-search)`':" mark. Just type any sub-string of the command you want to search(provided you have used it sometime in the same session). Keep on searching by repeatedly pressing ctrl+r. Press enter once you get the desired command string.

Enable programmable bash completion in debian lenny
The really awesome bash completion in debian seems to be an extra package now, which has to be installed. After sourcing /etc/bash_completion it completes almost everything (package names in apt... etc) :-) To make this permanent, put something like this in your .bashrc: if [ -f /etc/bash_completion]; then source /etc/bash_completion fi

Purge configuration file of all desinstalled package
From: http://www.debian-administration.org/users/fsateler/weblog/4

Close specify detached screen
-X Send the specified command to a running screen session. -S Option to specify the screen session if you have several screen sessions running. $screen -ls for listing current screens and its sessionname

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 your external IP address ( 10 characters long )
Shortest url to a external IP-service, 10 characters.

list all hd partitions
Only one command and not dependant on full read access to the devices.

Show Directories in the PATH Which does NOT Exist
I often need to know of my directory in the PATH, which one DOES NOT exist. This command answers that question * This command uses only bash's built-in commands * The parentheses spawn a new sub shell to prevent the modification of the IFS (input field separator) variable in the current shell

Set audible alarm when an IP address comes online
Waiting for your server to finish rebooting? Issue the command above and you will hear a beep when it comes online. The -i 60 flag tells ping to wait for 60 seconds between ping, putting less strain on your system. Vary it to your need. The -a flag tells ping to include an audible bell in the output when a package is received (that is, when your server comes online).


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