Inventory shell to browse files offline using unix-like commands
Ish is a bash script that presents a shell to the user to create and access inventory files (or index files) that contain a list of file with meta data (date, size, etc.). The access mimics aspects of a unix-like shell. The intended use of ish is to keep track of data stored at various locations and files systems. The current version of ish is 0.998.
Ish originated out of a need to keep track of files stored on IBM's 'High Performance Storage System', or HPSS. It still has a number of hpss targeted functionality when it comes to building inventory files, which require the hsi and htar programs by Gleicher Enterprises.
Despite this, ish can be used separate from HPSS.
ish is open-source, and is released under the MIT license. This library is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY. For details, see the file named 'LICENSE', and license statements in the source files.
Ish is written in bash and will thus need a relative recent version of bash. Copying the script called "ish" to a location in your PATH, and setting its execution bit (chmod +x ish) should be enough to install it.
Ish has been tested with bash version 4.1.2, and some earlier versions. Bash version 3.2.16 is known to have some issues with parts of the script. A number of utilities such as zgrep, zdiff, tar,... are also needed. Apologies for there not being an exhaustive list of prerequisites yet; this one reason why this is still version 0.998.
Ish contains a near-complete documentation system through its help command. "ish help" gives a list of all ish commands. "ish help CMD", where CMD is one of those ish commands, gives a detailed 'manpage' for that ish command. It is highly recommanded to read this documentation, especially since many ish commands resemble commands in bash and other unix-like shells, but are not precisely the same in functionality or in syntax.
Under the license, you are not required to report bugs, but are encouraged to do so. If you find a bug, you may report it to rzon@scinet.utoronto.ca or vanzonr@gmail.com. Errors or omissions in the help can be reported to the same address.
ish: The application, written in bash.
WARRANTEE: File that expresses that there is no warrantee
LICENSE: Text of the MIT license
AUTHOR: Name and email address of the author
README.md: This file
- 8 April 2014 / updated 13 May 2016