Using the manpath command (with examples)
- Linux
- November 5, 2023
The manpath command is used to determine the search path for manual pages on a Unix-like system. It helps you find the location of various man pages that provide documentation for command-line programs and system files. This article will explore different use cases of the manpath command, along with a code example, motivation, explanation, and example output for each use case.
Display the search path used to find man pages
To display the search path used to find man pages, you can simply run the following command:
manpath
Motivation: This use case can be helpful when you are unsure where the system is searching for man pages. By knowing the search path, you can locate the manual pages for different commands and programs more easily.
Explanation:
When you run the manpath command without any arguments, it will display the search path used by your system to find man pages. It lists the directories in which the system looks for manual pages when you run the man command.
Example output:
/usr/local/man:/usr/local/share/man:/usr/share/man
Show the entire global manpath
To see the entire global manpath, you can use the --global option along with the manpath command:
manpath --global
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to identify all the directories included in the global manpath. By listing the entire global manpath, you can determine the locations where man pages are available.
Explanation:
The --global option is used to specify that you want to see the complete global manpath. The global manpath includes directories set by the system administrator, which are available to all users on the system.
Example output:
/usr/local/man:/usr/local/share/man:/usr/share/man:/usr/man
In this example, the additional directory “/usr/man” is included in the global manpath, which means there are man pages available in that directory as well.
In conclusion, the manpath command is a useful tool for determining the search path for manual pages on a Unix-like system. By using the manpath command, you can find the location of man pages and gain access to valuable documentation for command-line programs and system files.
