Console and remote commands

linscp can send a single command to the server and show what it prints. This is not a terminal: there is no cursor control and no way to type into a running program. Use it for quick, non-interactive commands such as df -h or tar -czf site.tgz site. For a real terminal, use Commands › Open in PuTTY (see PuTTY and terminals).

Which protocols can run commands

Protocol	What you can run
SCP	Shell commands, in the same session.
SFTP	Shell commands, through a second, shell-only session that linscp opens for you the first time.
FTP	Raw FTP commands only, such as SITE CHMOD. Some servers offer SITE EXEC for shell commands.
WebDAV, S3	None.

The first time an SFTP session needs the extra shell session, linscp asks. Turn the question off under Opening separate shell session in the confirmations on Options › Preferences › Environment.

Use the console window

1. Choose Commands › Open Terminal (Ctrl+Shift+T).
2. Type a command in Enter command. Current directory shows where it will run.
3. Click Execute or press Enter. The result appears under Output.

cd changes the directory for the console and the remote panel alike. Right-click the output to Copy it, Select All, or Adjust Window so that the window fits the longest line.

Caution

Do not start commands that wait for input, such as top, vi or passwd. They never finish and the session hangs until it times out. If a command needs fixed input, pipe it in: echo yes | some-command.

Use the command line

In the Commander interface, a command line can sit below the panels.

• Show or hide it with Options › Command Line.
• Press Ctrl+Shift+M to move the cursor there.
• Press Ctrl+Enter in a panel to insert the names of the selected files into the line.

When the remote panel is active, the command runs on the server and the console window opens with the output. When a local panel is active, it runs on your computer.

Server and protocol information

Tabs › Server/Protocol Information describes the current session.

• Protocol – the server software, protocol version, ciphers in use, and the fingerprints of the host key (SSH) or certificate (TLS). Full certificate shows the whole TLS certificate.
• Capabilities – what the protocol supports on this server, followed by extra details the server reports, such as its SFTP or FTP extensions.
• Space available – free and total space for a Path, where the server can tell. Change the path and click Check space to ask about another one.

Copy to Clipboard copies everything in the dialog, which helps when you report a problem.

Change your password

Tabs › Change Password… sets a new login password on the server for the current user. It is offered only where the protocol supports it, which in practice means SSH-based sessions. If the site stores your password, update it in the Site Manager afterwards.

Automating commands

To run commands from a script, use the call command in scripting.