File shows in File Manager but not from Terminal window

Ok - I'm tearing my hair out! I'm a Linux newbie - but I do intend to change that!

However, I have spent all morning trying to install codecs that will make mPlayer play XVID / DIVX files. I have searched the forums to death and read beginners guides and readme's till my eyes hurt! I'm not yet there but I have a problem that I'm really struggling with...

I have a file sitting in the Video directory - an avi file. mPlayer won't open it so I was going to try to start it from the Terminal command line to see if that worked. I can see the avi file in the file manager and look at it's properties etc. Premissions are Owner: User, Access:Read Write, Group: User, Access: Read Only, Other: Read Only.

However, when I go to a Terminal window and navigate to the Video folder (/home/user/Video/ and issue an ls command it does not show up. I have put an odt file in the same folder - just to make sure I'm looking in the correct folder and it shows up just fine with the ls command.

What am I doing wrong!

Thanks in advance,
RzB

 

I'd guess you're using an sd card as storage expansion. When you do that, the file systems merge into a larger home at /mnt/home but a terminal will still start at /home/user.

 

Many thanks for your help.

I am indeed using an SD card as storage expansion. I pulled the card an the avi file dissapeared with it! The odt file stayed put.

I'm really confused as to what is going on here - have I missed something in a Readme somewhere! I have two files that appear to be in the same folder via file manager, but only one of them is visible from the command line. So are they in the same folder or not?

If the avi file is in /mnt/home/user/Video/, why didn't the odt file go into /mnt/home/user/Video/ when I created it?

Also I don't appear to be able to get to /mnt/home/user/Video/ from the Terminal command line.

I don't understand - am I being daft?

Interestingly mPlayer now works ok if I start it from the command line - so some good news at least. Unfortunately, it still won't start by double clicking in the file manager. I did find a resolution to this in a post but it doesn't seem to work for me. Back to the drawing board!

Many thanks,
RzB

 

macles* has a really good description of what is going on with this stuff at ...

http://macles.blogspot.com/2008/09/abou ... spire.html

Cheers.

 

Many thanks for that! I will read and inwardly digest!!!

Thanks,
RzB

 

it's /mnt/home/Video, not /mnt/home/user/Video

 

Ahh - you are right. I can get to the /mnt/home/Videos/ folder from the Terminal command line.

Interestingly I have replaced the SD Extension card. Now I can see both files from the command line. I also did a restart so I guess that may also have fixed the problem!

I have read the macles doc. I need to read again and let it sink in

Many thanks for your help,
RzB