Number of files in a directory?

[Michael Hoffos]

Dumb question time.  I have been using UNIX for many years, but I have
never figured out how to do something: how can you get the number of
files that are in a directory?  This would be really handy for figuring
out how efficient a backup was (you need the number of files backed-up in
order to figure in the header info tar adds for each file).

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Mike Hoffos
--
I am working for the summer at the University of Calgary doing contour
tracing and thinning algorithm research.  My thoughts, deeds, and opinions
do not reflect the U of C's, nor do I speak for it.