In terminal how to list the files and subdirectories in the /Downloads directory

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Level 1

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In terminal how to list the files and subdirectories in the /Downloads directory

I have a Macbook Pro 2017 model and I am running Big Sur 11.3

I am a user with admin rights.

I can use the ls command in my home directory and some of the other directories like applications or documents . However for some reason why I try to list the /Downloads directory ls does not work.

The files are there, but I cannot use the ls command to list them. See the example from terminal below

I used Sudo su to give me the Super User privileges

sh-3.2# pwd

/Users/simonmansfield

sh-3.2# ls /Downloads

ls: /Downloads: No such file or directory

sh-3.2# ls

.CFUserTextEncoding Dropbox (Old)

.DS_Store Library

.Trash Movies

.bash_history Music

.bash_sessions Parallels

.config Pictures

.cups Public

.dropbox VirtualBox VMs

.lesshst des_keysm

.zoomus keysm

Applications nmaphelp.txt

Applications (Parallels) rfc3766.txt

Desktop rfc3766sm.dec

Documents rfc3766sm.enc

Downloads rfc3766sm.txt

Dropbox

sh-3.2#

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 27, 2021 9:42 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

VikingOSX

Community+ 2024

Level 10

112,349 points

Apr 29, 2021 2:19 PM in response to CyberSecGuy

Give Terminal full disk access in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Full Disk Access by + and adding Terminal.app:

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Answer 2

CyberSecGuy Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 29, 2021 2:03 PM in response to Barney-15E

Hi Barney

I was working from the default directory that I am in when I launch terminal. I assume that would be my Home directory right ?

When I use the la command from there it shows that there is a Downloads subdirectory off this Home directory. I can CD /Downloads to this subdirectory but I can lis any file there when I use the ls command I receive a "ls: .: Operation not permitted"error

See the cpy of from terminal

The default interactive shell is now zsh.

To update your account to use zsh, please run `chsh -s /bin/zsh`.

For more details, please visit https://support.apple.com/kb/HT208050.

Simons-MacBook-Pro:~ simonmansfield$ pwd

/Users/simonmansfield

Simons-MacBook-Pro:~ simonmansfield$ ls

Applications Pictures

Applications (Parallels) Public

Desktop VirtualBox VMs

Documents des_keysm

Downloads keysm

Dropbox nmaphelp.txt

Dropbox (Old) rfc3766.txt

Library rfc3766sm.dec

Movies rfc3766sm.enc

Music rfc3766sm.txt

Parallels

Simons-MacBook-Pro:~ simonmansfield$ cd Downloads

Simons-MacBook-Pro:Downloads simonmansfield$ pwd

/Users/simonmansfield/Downloads

Simons-MacBook-Pro:Downloads simonmansfield$ ls

ls: .: Operation not permitted

Simons-MacBook-Pro:Downloads simonmansfield$

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

113,160 points

Apr 28, 2021 5:29 AM in response to CyberSecGuy

You are trying to list a “Downloads” folder located at the top level directory of the Startup volume.

There generally isn’t one there.

There should be one at ~/, meaning your home directory.

ls ~/Downloads

If the current working directory is your home folder, you don’t need the ~/,

ls Downloads.

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In terminal how to list the files and subdirectories in the /Downloads directory

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