Re: finding .m files using 'locate'

[Mike Miller]

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005, Henry F. Mollet wrote:

> Thank you. I'm beginning to understand. It implies that a fink 
> installation makes it easier to find octave and octave-forge .m files.
>
> What is the difference between locate and find? If both are to be used 
> in the terminal window why would I use locate, which requires the data 
> base to be brought up to date, when find will do the same thing all the 
> time?

'find' doesn't do quite the same thing as 'locate', but I would say that 
the major reason for using 'locate' with its 'locatedb' is that 'locate' 
is very fast.  The database stores an index of all files on the system, so 
'locate' uses that database instead of having to read all the filenames on 
the system like 'find'.  Compare them sometime and you will see - 'locate' 
can be hundreds of times faster than 'find.' A 'find' command can take 
many minutes to complete.

Mike



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