Working with the Unix Timeshare

What is the Unix Timeshare

• The UCSC Unix Timeshare is a server that every student is allowed to connect to. The purpose of the server is to provide a place for storing student files, as well as for distributing an environment with the same software for every student.

• For example, your personal computer running Windows/MacOS etc. may not have a C++ compiler installed on it. But if you connect to the Unix Timeshare, you (and every other student) have the means to compile and run C++ code.

How to get on the Timeshare using SSH

• The Unix Timeshare can be accessed from the its.ucsc.edu website here: (https://its.ucsc.edu/unix-timeshare/tutorials/how-to-connect.html)

• SSH, as described in the above link, is a terminal/console only program that connects a user (you) to an SSH host (the server).

• Some Linux Commands include:

  • ‘ls’: list all files in the current directory

  • ‘pwd’: print the current directory (your location in the system)

  • ‘mkdir’: make a directory provided a name. e.g ‘mkdir stuff’ would make a directory called stuff.

  • ‘rmdir’: the same as mkdir, but removes a directory. Only removes if it’s empty.

  • ‘touch’: same as mkdir, but for non-folder files. ‘touch prog.py’ would make a file called prog.py

  • ‘rm’: same as rmdir, but works on non-folder files.

    • ‘rm -r’: this will recursively remove items from a directory. If you have a folder called ‘MyFolder’ with 100 items in it, using ‘rm -r MyFolder’ will remove ALL the items in the folder.

    • To be really clear, this does NOT move items to a recycle bin that you can bring back. These files are gone forever, so be really careful with this.

A better way to get on the Timeshare

• For those who are not super into working with the command-line and MUCH prefer working with their Windows File Explorer/MacOS Finder, you will likely want an alternative.

• Introducing SSHFS: Using SSH to create a temporary file system on your computer that, as you edit, is updated on the Unix Timeshare.

• Here are a couple videos I made on how to get SSHFS to work on your system:

  • Windows:

  • Linux:

    • codeconnect.sh:

      sudo mkdir ~/UCSC_UNIX
      cd ~
      sudo chown <username> UCSC_UNIX
      chmod 777 UCSC_UNIX
      sshfs <yourCruzID>@unix.ucsc.edu:/afs/cats.ucsc.edu/users/p/<yourCruzID> ./UCSC_UNIX
      

  • MacOS:

    • sshfs command:

      sshfs <yourCruzID>@unix.ucsc.edu:/afs/cats.ucsc.edu/users/p/<yourCruzID> ./UCSC_UNIX