cross-posted from: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/13814482

I just noticed that eza can now display total disk space used by directories!

I think this is pretty cool. I wanted it for a long time.

There are other ways to get the information of course. But having it integrated with all the other options for listing directories is fab. eza has features like --git-awareness, --tree display, clickable --hyperlink, filetype --icons and other display, permissions, dates, ownerships, and other stuff. being able to mash everything together in any arbitrary way which is useful is handy. And of course you can --sort=size

docs:

  --total-size               show the size of a directory as the size of all
                             files and directories inside (unix only)

It also (optionally) color codes the information. Values measures in kb, mb, and gb are clear. Here is a screenshot to show that:

eza --long -h --total-size --sort=oldest --no-permissions --no-user

Of course it take a little while to load large directories so you will not want to use by default.

Looks like it was first implemented Oct 2023 with some fixes since then. (Changelog). PR #533 - feat: added recursive directory parser with `–total-size` flag by Xemptuous

  • linuxPIPEpower
    OP
    2·
    8 months ago

    I am inclined to agree with you. See my comment in cross post of this thread.

    I’m just a home admin of my own local systems and while I try to avoid doing stuff that’s too wacky, in the context I don’t mind playing a bit fast n loose. If I screw it up, the consequences are my own.

    At work, I am an end user of systems with much higher grade of importance to lots of people. I would not be impressed to learn there was a bunch of novel bleeding edge stuff running on those systems. Administering them has a higher burden of care and responsibility and I expect the people in charge to apply more scrutiny. If it’s screwed up, the consequences are on a lot of people with no agency over the situation.

    Just like other things done at small vs large scale. Most people with long hair don’t wear a hairnet when cooking at home, although it is a requirement in some industrial food prep situations. Most home fridges don’t have strict rules about how to store different kinds of foods to avoid cross contamination, nor do they have a thermometer which is checked regularly and logged to show the food is being stored appropriately. Although this needs to be done in a professional context. Pressures, risks and consequences are different.

    To summarize: I certainly hope sysadmins aren’t on here installing every doohicky some dumbass like me suggests on their production systems. :D