Need help with directories & files

[Ezor]

1 -Linux, unlike msdos, does not show directories as directories, and files as files. How can you differentiate when doing a dir?

2 - I downloaded FreePascal, saved a couple documents with OpenOffice, and everything went in the directory username@computername:~$. I'd like to make a couple subdirectories, but I'm afraid the path might not let the files be found unless I change it.

3 - I have downloaded some PDF documents. I know Adobe Reader is in here someplace, but can't open the files to read.

Any help is appreciated.

[Markus]

1. There's a "d" for directory at the beginning of ls -l output:
markus@fujibox:~$ mkdir directory
markus@fujibox:~$ touch file
markus@fujibox:~$ ls -ld directory file
drwx------ 2 markus markus 4096 Jan 3 19:26 directory
-rw------- 1 markus markus 0 Jan 3 19:26 file

2. Not sure I understand you.
You can change the path in /etc/profile and make a directory with: mkdir dirname

3. Try: apropos pdf
It should give at least xpdf and kghostview

[Ezor]

Thanks Marcus, and sorry for the lack of clarity in my questions. Being new to Linux and used to msdos, the difference in which directory contents are displayed had me a little confused. In one of the Linux books I'm reading, the author says to forget everything the reader ever knew about msdos.

Got the PDF files open ok.