ffsl - Linux

Overview

ffsl (Fast File System Lister) is a command-line utility designed for rapidly listing all files and directories within a specified directory in a structured, hierarchical format. It’s particularly useful for visualizing the file system structure and identifying files quickly.

Syntax

ffsl [options] [directory]

Options/Flags

  • -a, –all: List all files, including hidden ones (starting with a dot).
  • -d, –depth : Limit the depth of the file system traversal to the specified level.
  • -f, –filename-only: Display only the filenames, without any additional information.
  • -g, –group-by-extension: Group files by their extensions.
  • -h, –help: Display help message.
  • -l, –long-format: Display additional file information, including file size, modification time, and permissions.
  • -m, –max-depth : Limit the maximum depth of the file system traversal to the specified level.
  • -q, –quiet: Suppress all output except for errors.
  • -r, –recursive: Recursively traverse subdirectories.
  • -s, –sort-by: Sort the output by the specified criteria:
    • size
    • name
    • modification time
    • extension
  • -u, –unique: Display only unique files, ignoring duplicates.

Examples

List all files in a directory without hidden files:

ffsl /path/to/directory

List all files and directories in a directory recursively with filename only:

ffsl -ar -f /path/to/directory

List all files grouped by extension:

ffsl -g /path/to/directory

Common Issues

  • Permission denied: Ensure you have sufficient permissions to access the specified directory.
  • Directory not found: Verify that the specified directory exists and is accessible.

Integration

Combine with find to locate specific files:

find /path/to/directory | fgsl -s name

Use with xargs to delete files:

ffsl -r /path/to/directory | xargs rm

Related Commands

  • ls: Lists files and directories in a directory.
  • find: Searches for files and directories based on various criteria.
  • du: Estimates file system disk usage.
  • tree: Visualizes file system structure in a tree-like format.