Re: Need help with 'du' command

[Bob Proulx]

Dr. Jones wrote:
> I want to do the following:
> List the size of each primary directory off / root, listing the size in
> human readable form, i.e., /usr 400mb /var 1.2 gb and so forth, without
> listing every file, or every subdirectory.

If I understand you correctly then I think this is what you want to
do.  Try this.

  cd /
  du -sh *

The '*' expands to match all of the names of all of the directories
off of the / root.  (It also includes non-directories.)  It prints the
size in -s summary form of only the top level and in human readable
sizes.  If you want to list only directories then using find or ls to
do that turns the command into this.  Try this.

  du -sh $(find . -maxdepth 1 -type d -print)

Alternate method of listing only dirs.

  du -sh $(ls -l | awk '/^d/{print$9}')

Hope this helps,
Bob