The Nwadmin tool is perhaps one of the most easy interfaces for network administration; so easy in fact, that the Microsoft MMC is an obvious attempt to copy this single point modular interface. Unfortunately there are times when all you have is a local console or need a function that the all-powerful interface does not provide. It is at these times that knowing the command line functions comes into play.

Before we begin, I'd like to take a moment to thank all of the readership for all the positive emails about this series and I'd like to clarify a question that has arisen several times:

"When are you posting the next part?"

Now, I'm happy that you're all excited about the series - I know that I am - but I'd like you all to understand that the sections on System toolbox are reoccurring monthly; there are 8 sections and the site posts twice a week (Typically Tuesday and Thursday). This being said, understand that when you only get one column a month, that's just the nature of the schedule. As always, feel free to email me with any questions in the interim, if you need help with a command that is not yet mentioned, etc.

Now, on to the commands!

NDIR

Ndir is a wholly powerful directory information command. In most NOS' the directory listing command must be 'piped' into another parsing or sorting command to customize the output. Ndir has most of the functions that you could require from the get go.

    NDIR (path) | (option=filename) or (filename)

Filename(not)                     =  List all files related to filename
                                     (not) - List all files not related to filename.

Owner(not)                        =  List all files related to owner
                                     (not) - List all files not related to owner.

Access (not) Bef/Aft MM-DD-YY     =  List all files that were accessed Before or
                                     After Specified date
                                     (not) List all files that were not accessed
                                     Before or After Specified date

Update (not) Bef/Aft MM-DD-YY     =  List all files that were updated Before or
                                     After Specified date
                                     (not) List all files that were not updated
                                     Before or After Specified date

Create (not) Bef/Aft MM-DD-YY     =  List all files that were created Before or
                                     After Specified date
                                     (not) List all files that were not created
                                     Before or After Specified date

Size (not) GR/LE (size)           =  List all files that are greater than or less
                                     than  specified size.
                                     (not) List all files that are not greater than
                                     or less than  specified size.

(reverse)sort filename            =  Sort listing on filename in alphabetical order.
                                     (reverse) Sort listing on filename in reverse alphabetical order

(reverse)sort owner               =  Sort listing on owner in alphabetical order.
                                     (reverse) Sort listing on owner in reverse
                                     alphabetical order

(reverse)sort access              =  Sort listing on access date in chronological order.
                                     (reverse) Sort listing on access date in reverse
                                     chronological order

(reverse)sort update              =  Sort listing on update date in chronological order.
                                     (reverse) Sort listing on update date in reverse
                                     chronological order

(reverse)sort creation            =  Sort listing on creation date in chronological order.
                                     (reverse) Sort listing on creation date in
                                     reverse chronological order

(reverse)sort size                =  Sort listing on  size in descending order.
                                     (reverse) Sort listing on size in ascending order

(not)SY                           =  List all files with 'system file' attribute
                                     (not) List all files without 'system file' attribute.

(not)H                            =  List all files with 'hidden' attribute
                                     (not)  List all files without 'hidden' attribute.

(not)M                            =  List all files with 'modified' attribute
                                     (not) List all files without 'modified' attribute.

(not)RO                           =  List all files with 'Read Only' attribute
                                     (not) List all files without 'read only' attribute.

(not)RW                           =  List all files with 'read write' attribute
                                     (not)  List all files without 'read write' attribute.

(not)I                            =  List all files with 'indexed; attribute
                                     (not)  List all files without 'indexed' attribute.

(not)T                            =  List all files with 'transactional file' attribute
                                     (not)  List all files without 'transactional
                                     file' attribute.

In all honesty, the NDIR command is so functional that an entire article could be written on it alone! We've covered some of the basics here, but be sure to try 'NDIR help' for even more functionality!

NPRINT

The Nprint command enables a print job to be submitted to any printer, any queue and any server you can see more of the applied power of this command in it's option settings.

            Nprint path\file (option)



S(Server)              =            Specify server to print too

J(Job)                 =            Specify job name of print job

P(Printer)             =            Specify printer to print to

Q(Queue)               =            Specify Queue to submit job to.

C(Copies)              =            Specify Number of copies to print.
                                    (Up to 255.)

NAM(Name)              =            Specify Name to appear on banner page

B(Banner)              =            Specify text for banner page.
                                    Defaults to filename

NB(No Banner)          =            Specify not to print banner page.
                                    (I bet most of the searches made on the
                                     internet for Novell commands are searching
                                     for this.  ;) )

D(Delete)              =            Delete file after printing it

NVER

The nver command is used to determine the versions that you're running. Try it an see!

Never

PSTAT

Use pstat to obtain information about the printers attached to a given server or about to the server itself

            Pstat S=(server)

            Pstat P=(printer)

PURGE

One of the greatest features of Novell as a server is the fact that it more or less has server-wide file deletion. When files are deleted, they are not actually deleted, just removed from the user / admin's perception. The files are stored in a separate location where they can be later recovered using the salvage command.

This functionality means that additional disk space is required and occasionally it is nessacery to remove these stored files. This is what purge does.

            purge

REMOVE

The remove command is used to either remove a user from a group or a user or group from exisitence

            Remove (user/group) (group)

REVOKE

The revoke function is used to remove a user/group's rights to a specified resource, such as a file or a directory.

            Revoke (option) FROM (user) (group)

D(Delete)                   =            Delete file after printing it

R(Read)                     =            Revoke the Read right

W(Write)                    =            Revoke the Write right

O(Open)                     =            Revoke the Open right

C(Create)                   =            Revoke the Create right

D(Delete)                   =            Revoke the Delete right

S(Search)                   =            Revoke the Search right

M(Modify)                   =            Revoke the Modify right

ALL                         =            Revoke the All rights

SALVAGE

The salvage command restores files or directories that have been accidentally erased. Note that this WILL NOT work if you've run the PURGE command since the files were erased. Also note that this should be done from the same location that the file was erased from.

            Salvage (path)

Well, that's it for this month. We'll continue next month. In the interim, have fun with your newfound command line knowledge.

• Novell Console Commands, A quick tutorial (Part 1)
• Novell Console Commands, A quick tutorial (Part 2)
• Novell Console Commands, A quick tutorial (Part 4)