On: Cool, but obscure Unix tools

[hubb]

sudo apt-get install ack

got me:

ack - Kanji code converter

:(

[kevindication → hubb]

On debian (and derivatives) the package is called "ack-grep"

[selectnull → kevindication]

I always install it by downloading standalone version from http://betterthangrep.com/ There is a command on the homepage you can copy paste to shell and execute.

Ack is simply too often used and I don't want to type ack-grep all the time.

[__david__ → selectnull]

  sudo dpkg-divert  --local --divert /usr/bin/ack --rename --add /usr/bin/ack-grep

That way you still get the benefits of the packaging system and you don't have to alias or create a /usr/local/bin symlink.

[pyre → selectnull]

"man alias" ?

[sixtofour → pyre]

    <nit>
    $ man alias
    No manual entry for alias
    $ man bash

    ALIASES
           Aliases allow a string to be substituted for a word when it is used as the first word of a simple command.
    </nit>

alias is not a standalone, it's part of the shell (in bash at least).

[pyre → sixtofour]

Sometimes there are aliases for bash built-ins that will take you to the manpage. For me, 'man alias' brings up:

  BASH_BUILTINS(1)

Though, I'm using zsh which may be layering something in there.

[jewel → sixtofour]

Try "help alias"

[selectnull → pyre]

Alias (though not 'man alias' :) ) could work. But I prefer my way (on server) because I have one thing less to worry about, namely putting 'alias ack=ack-grep' to .bash_aliases. Yeah, it's quick and dirty I guess...