No matter – you will now need to edit text. You may remember the days when computers had text-based interfaces, or you may have only pushed buttons and tapped icons until now. It lets you get under the hood and really see what’s going on. In Raspbian, which is based on Debian Linux, you are far more likely to need to edit text files than on computers running MacOS or Windows. Every menu, every button, and every setting of every program started as a text document somewhere. A secret that most computer makers don’t tell you is that underneath all the gloss and shine of modern operating systems, it’s all text. It's all part of learning how computers really work. And, in case you want to stop a command you've input, you can do that by tapping the window (if it isn't already selected) and holding down the 'control' key and hitting 'c.' Or, if you want to repeat a command, simply use the up arrow key to cycle through previously used commands and, when you see the one you want, press 'return.'ĭon't worry if you make a mistake in your command pathways: You'll just get a message back saying something along the lines of, 'No such file or directory exists.Learning how to edit text files in the console and from the Raspbian GUI is a rite of passage for new Raspberry Pi owners. If you need to get to your Terminal's settings, hold down the command key while tapping the comma button. Note that the file pathway is also fundamental here. Open -a 'APP NAME' Open a text-based file using the text editor: Open Open a file using an application you specify:Īgain, you'll need the file pathway to use this command. In either case, hit the spacebar following the app name and then the command would take hold.

Even though the latter appears to only copy the actual file name, it actually captures the full pathway. To do so, you can either drag the file to the Terminal window to add to the line, or right click the file and select 'Copy ' and then use the Command+V shortcut to paste it into the Terminal. Open -a 'APPLICATION NAME' Open a file using the default application:įor this, you'll have to know the command pathway for the file you want to access. Or, if the application has a space in its name: If you input this exact phrasing, Terminal will open your Spotify app.

How to edit text file in terminal mac