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1 | @comment %**start of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.) |
2 | @setfilename rluser.info | |
3 | @comment %**end of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.) | |
4 | @setchapternewpage odd | |
5 | ||
6 | @ignore | |
7 | This file documents the end user interface to the GNU command line | |
8 | editing feautres. It is to be an appendix to manuals for programs which | |
9 | use these features. There is a document entitled "readline.texinfo" | |
10 | which contains both end-user and programmer documentation for the GNU | |
11 | Readline Library. | |
12 | ||
13 | Copyright (C) 1988 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
14 | ||
15 | Authored by Brian Fox. | |
16 | ||
17 | Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the | |
18 | results, provided the printed document carries copying permission notice | |
19 | identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph (this | |
20 | paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual). | |
21 | ||
22 | Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this manual | |
23 | provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on | |
24 | all copies. | |
25 | ||
26 | Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this | |
27 | manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the | |
28 | GNU Copyright statement is available to the distributee, and provided that | |
29 | the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a | |
30 | permission notice identical to this one. | |
31 | ||
32 | Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual | |
33 | into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions. | |
34 | @end ignore | |
35 | ||
36 | @node Command Line Editing | |
37 | @chapter Command Line Editing | |
38 | ||
39 | This text describes GNU's command line editing interface. | |
40 | ||
41 | @menu | |
42 | * Introduction and Notation:: Notation used in this text. | |
43 | * Readline Interaction:: The minimum set of commands for editing a line. | |
44 | * Readline Init File:: Customizing Readline from a user's view. | |
45 | @end menu | |
46 | ||
47 | @node Introduction and Notation | |
48 | @section Introduction to Line Editing | |
49 | ||
50 | The following paragraphs describe the notation we use to represent | |
51 | keystrokes. | |
52 | ||
53 | The text @key{C-k} is read as `Control-K' and describes the character | |
54 | produced when the Control key is depressed and the @key{k} key is struck. | |
55 | ||
56 | The text @key{M-k} is read as `Meta-K' and describes the character | |
57 | produced when the meta key (if you have one) is depressed, and the @key{k} | |
58 | key is struck. If you do not have a meta key, the identical keystroke | |
59 | can be generated by typing @key{ESC} @i{first}, and then typing @key{k}. | |
60 | Either process is known as @dfn{metafying} the @key{k} key. | |
61 | ||
62 | The text @key{M-C-k} is read as `Meta-Control-k' and describes the | |
63 | character produced by @dfn{metafying} @key{C-k}. | |
64 | ||
65 | In addition, several keys have their own names. Specifically, | |
66 | @key{DEL}, @key{ESC}, @key{LFD}, @key{SPC}, @key{RET}, and @key{TAB} all | |
67 | stand for themselves when seen in this text, or in an init file | |
68 | (@pxref{Readline Init File}, for more info). | |
69 | ||
70 | @node Readline Interaction | |
71 | @section Readline Interaction | |
72 | @cindex interaction, readline | |
73 | ||
74 | Often during an interactive session you type in a long line of text, | |
75 | only to notice that the first word on the line is misspelled. The | |
76 | Readline library gives you a set of commands for manipulating the text | |
77 | as you type it in, allowing you to just fix your typo, and not forcing | |
78 | you to retype the majority of the line. Using these editing commands, | |
79 | you move the cursor to the place that needs correction, and delete or | |
80 | insert the text of the corrections. Then, when you are satisfied with | |
81 | the line, you simply press @key{RETURN}. You do not have to be at the | |
82 | end of the line to press @key{RETURN}; the entire line is accepted | |
83 | regardless of the location of the cursor within the line. | |
84 | ||
85 | @menu | |
86 | * Readline Bare Essentials:: The least you need to know about Readline. | |
87 | * Readline Movement Commands:: Moving about the input line. | |
88 | * Readline Killing Commands:: How to delete text, and how to get it back! | |
89 | * Readline Arguments:: Giving numeric arguments to commands. | |
90 | @end menu | |
91 | ||
92 | @node Readline Bare Essentials | |
93 | @subsection Readline Bare Essentials | |
94 | ||
95 | In order to enter characters into the line, simply type them. The typed | |
96 | character appears where the cursor was, and then the cursor moves one | |
97 | space to the right. If you mistype a character, you can use @key{DEL} to | |
98 | back up, and delete the mistyped character. | |
99 | ||
100 | Sometimes you may miss typing a character that you wanted to type, and | |
101 | not notice your error until you have typed several other characters. In | |
102 | that case, you can type @key{C-b} to move the cursor to the left, and then | |
103 | correct your mistake. Aftwerwards, you can move the cursor to the right | |
104 | with @key{C-f}. | |
105 | ||
106 | When you add text in the middle of a line, you will notice that characters | |
107 | to the right of the cursor get `pushed over' to make room for the text | |
108 | that you have inserted. Likewise, when you delete text behind the cursor, | |
109 | characters to the right of the cursor get `pulled back' to fill in the | |
110 | blank space created by the removal of the text. A list of the basic bare | |
111 | essentials for editing the text of an input line follows. | |
112 | ||
113 | @table @asis | |
114 | @item @key{C-b} | |
115 | Move back one character. | |
116 | @item @key{C-f} | |
117 | Move forward one character. | |
118 | @item @key{DEL} | |
119 | Delete the character to the left of the cursor. | |
120 | @item @key{C-d} | |
121 | Delete the character underneath the cursor. | |
122 | @item @w{Printing characters} | |
123 | Insert itself into the line at the cursor. | |
124 | @item @key{C-_} | |
125 | Undo the last thing that you did. You can undo all the way back to an | |
126 | empty line. | |
127 | @end table | |
128 | ||
129 | @node Readline Movement Commands | |
130 | @subsection Readline Movement Commands | |
131 | ||
132 | ||
133 | The above table describes the most basic possible keystrokes that you need | |
134 | in order to do editing of the input line. For your convenience, many | |
135 | other commands have been added in addition to @key{C-b}, @key{C-f}, | |
136 | @key{C-d}, and @key{DEL}. Here are some commands for moving more rapidly | |
137 | about the line. | |
138 | ||
139 | @table @key | |
140 | @item C-a | |
141 | Move to the start of the line. | |
142 | @item C-e | |
143 | Move to the end of the line. | |
144 | @item M-f | |
145 | Move forward a word. | |
146 | @item M-b | |
147 | Move backward a word. | |
148 | @item C-l | |
149 | Clear the screen, reprinting the current line at the top. | |
150 | @end table | |
151 | ||
152 | Notice how @key{C-f} moves forward a character, while @key{M-f} moves | |
153 | forward a word. It is a loose convention that control keystrokes | |
154 | operate on characters while meta keystrokes operate on words. | |
155 | ||
156 | @node Readline Killing Commands | |
157 | @subsection Readline Killing Commands | |
158 | ||
159 | The act of @dfn{cutting} text means to delete the text from the line, and | |
160 | to save away the deleted text for later use, just as if you had cut the | |
161 | text out of the line with a pair of scissors. There is a | |
162 | ||
163 | @dfn{Killing} text means to delete the text from the line, but to save | |
164 | it away for later use, usually by @dfn{yanking} it back into the line. | |
165 | If the description for a command says that it `kills' text, then you can | |
166 | be sure that you can get the text back in a different (or the same) | |
167 | place later. | |
168 | ||
169 | Here is the list of commands for killing text. | |
170 | ||
171 | @table @key | |
172 | @item C-k | |
173 | Kill the text from the current cursor position to the end of the line. | |
174 | ||
175 | @item M-d | |
176 | Kill from the cursor to the end of the current word, or if between | |
177 | words, to the end of the next word. | |
178 | ||
179 | @item M-DEL | |
e62b9411 RP |
180 | Kill from the cursor to the start of the previous word, or if between |
181 | words, to the start of the previous word. | |
be9485d5 SG |
182 | |
183 | @item C-w | |
184 | Kill from the cursor to the previous whitespace. This is different than | |
185 | @key{M-DEL} because the word boundaries differ. | |
186 | ||
187 | @end table | |
188 | ||
189 | And, here is how to @dfn{yank} the text back into the line. Yanking | |
190 | is | |
191 | ||
192 | @table @key | |
193 | @item C-y | |
194 | Yank the most recently killed text back into the buffer at the cursor. | |
195 | ||
196 | @item M-y | |
197 | Rotate the kill-ring, and yank the new top. You can only do this if | |
198 | the prior command is @key{C-y} or @key{M-y}. | |
199 | @end table | |
200 | ||
201 | When you use a kill command, the text is saved in a @dfn{kill-ring}. | |
202 | Any number of consecutive kills save all of the killed text together, so | |
203 | that when you yank it back, you get it in one clean sweep. The kill | |
204 | ring is not line specific; the text that you killed on a previously | |
205 | typed line is available to be yanked back later, when you are typing | |
206 | another line. | |
207 | ||
208 | @node Readline Arguments | |
209 | @subsection Readline Arguments | |
210 | ||
211 | You can pass numeric arguments to Readline commands. Sometimes the | |
212 | argument acts as a repeat count, other times it is the @i{sign} of the | |
213 | argument that is significant. If you pass a negative argument to a | |
214 | command which normally acts in a forward direction, that command will | |
215 | act in a backward direction. For example, to kill text back to the | |
216 | start of the line, you might type @key{M--} @key{C-k}. | |
217 | ||
218 | The general way to pass numeric arguments to a command is to type meta | |
219 | digits before the command. If the first `digit' you type is a minus | |
220 | sign (@key{-}), then the sign of the argument will be negative. Once | |
221 | you have typed one meta digit to get the argument started, you can type | |
222 | the remainder of the digits, and then the command. For example, to give | |
223 | the @key{C-d} command an argument of 10, you could type @key{M-1 0 C-d}. | |
224 | ||
225 | ||
226 | @node Readline Init File | |
227 | @section Readline Init File | |
228 | ||
229 | Although the Readline library comes with a set of Emacs-like | |
230 | keybindings, it is possible that you would like to use a different set | |
231 | of keybindings. You can customize programs that use Readline by putting | |
232 | commands in an @dfn{init} file in your home directory. The name of this | |
233 | file is @file{~/.inputrc}. | |
234 | ||
235 | When a program which uses the Readline library starts up, the | |
236 | @file{~/.inputrc} file is read, and the keybindings are set. | |
237 | ||
238 | In addition, the @code{C-x C-r} command re-reads this init file, thus | |
239 | incorporating any changes that you might have made to it. | |
240 | ||
241 | @menu | |
242 | * Readline Init Syntax:: Syntax for the commands in @file{~/.inputrc}. | |
243 | * Readline Vi Mode:: Switching to @code{vi} mode in Readline. | |
244 | @end menu | |
245 | ||
246 | @node Readline Init Syntax | |
247 | @subsection Readline Init Syntax | |
248 | ||
249 | There are only four constructs allowed in the @file{~/.inputrc} | |
250 | file: | |
251 | ||
252 | @table @asis | |
253 | @item Variable Settings | |
254 | You can change the state of a few variables in Readline. You do this by | |
255 | using the @code{set} command within the init file. Here is how you | |
256 | would specify that you wish to use Vi line editing commands: | |
257 | ||
258 | @example | |
259 | set editing-mode vi | |
260 | @end example | |
261 | ||
262 | Right now, there are only a few variables which can be set; so few in | |
263 | fact, that we just iterate them here: | |
264 | ||
265 | @table @code | |
266 | ||
267 | @item editing-mode | |
268 | @vindex editing-mode | |
269 | The @code{editing-mode} variable controls which editing mode you are | |
270 | using. By default, GNU Readline starts up in Emacs editing mode, where | |
271 | the keystrokes are most similar to Emacs. This variable can either be | |
272 | set to @code{emacs} or @code{vi}. | |
273 | ||
274 | @item horizontal-scroll-mode | |
275 | @vindex horizontal-scroll-mode | |
276 | This variable can either be set to @code{On} or @code{Off}. Setting it | |
277 | to @code{On} means that the text of the lines that you edit will scroll | |
278 | horizontally on a single screen line when they are larger than the width | |
279 | of the screen, instead of wrapping onto a new screen line. By default, | |
280 | this variable is set to @code{Off}. | |
281 | ||
282 | @item mark-modified-lines | |
283 | @vindex mark-modified-lines | |
284 | This variable when set to @code{On}, says to display an asterisk | |
285 | (@samp{*}) at the starts of history lines which have been modified. | |
286 | This variable is off by default. | |
287 | ||
288 | @item prefer-visible-bell | |
289 | @vindex prefer-visible-bell | |
290 | If this variable is set to @code{On} it means to use a visible bell if | |
291 | one is available, rather than simply ringing the terminal bell. By | |
292 | default, the value is @code{Off}. | |
293 | @end table | |
294 | ||
295 | @item Key Bindings | |
296 | The syntax for controlling keybindings in the @file{~/.inputrc} file is | |
297 | simple. First you have to know the @i{name} of the command that you | |
298 | want to change. The following pages contain tables of the command name, | |
299 | the default keybinding, and a short description of what the command | |
300 | does. | |
301 | ||
302 | Once you know the name of the command, simply place the name of the key | |
303 | you wish to bind the command to, a colon, and then the name of the | |
304 | command on a line in the @file{~/.inputrc} file. The name of the key | |
305 | can be expressed in different ways, depending on which is most | |
306 | comfortable for you. | |
307 | ||
308 | @table @asis | |
309 | @item @w{@var{keyname}: @var{function-name} or @var{macro}} | |
310 | @var{keyname} is the name of a key spelled out in English. For example: | |
311 | @example | |
312 | Control-u: universal-argument | |
313 | Meta-Rubout: backward-kill-word | |
314 | Control-o: ">&output" | |
315 | @end example | |
316 | ||
317 | In the above example, @samp{C-u} is bound to the function | |
318 | @code{universal-argument}, and @samp{C-o} is bound to run the macro | |
319 | expressed on the right hand side (that is, to insert the text | |
320 | @samp{>&output} into the line). | |
321 | ||
322 | @item @w{"@var{keyseq}": @var{function-name} or @var{macro}} | |
323 | @var{keyseq} differs from @var{keyname} above in that strings denoting | |
324 | an entire key sequence can be specified. Simply place the key sequence | |
325 | in double quotes. GNU Emacs style key escapes can be used, as in the | |
326 | following example: | |
327 | ||
328 | @example | |
329 | "\C-u": universal-argument | |
330 | "\C-x\C-r": re-read-init-file | |
331 | "\e[11~": "Function Key 1" | |
332 | @end example | |
333 | ||
334 | In the above example, @samp{C-u} is bound to the function | |
335 | @code{universal-argument} (just as it was in the first example), | |
336 | @samp{C-x C-r} is bound to the function @code{re-read-init-file}, and | |
337 | @samp{ESC [ 1 1 ~} is bound to insert the text @samp{Function Key 1}. | |
338 | ||
339 | @end table | |
340 | @end table | |
341 | ||
342 | @menu | |
343 | * Commands For Moving:: Moving about the line. | |
344 | * Commands For History:: Getting at previous lines. | |
345 | * Commands For Text:: Commands for changing text. | |
346 | * Commands For Killing:: Commands for killing and yanking. | |
347 | * Numeric Arguments:: Specifying numeric arguments, repeat counts. | |
348 | * Commands For Completion:: Getting Readline to do the typing for you. | |
349 | * Miscellaneous Commands:: Other miscillaneous commands. | |
350 | @end menu | |
351 | ||
352 | @node Commands For Moving | |
353 | @subsubsection Commands For Moving | |
354 | @ftable @code | |
355 | @item beginning-of-line (C-a) | |
356 | Move to the start of the current line. | |
357 | ||
358 | @item end-of-line (C-e) | |
359 | Move to the end of the line. | |
360 | ||
361 | @item forward-char (C-f) | |
362 | Move forward a character. | |
363 | ||
364 | @item backward-char (C-b) | |
365 | Move back a character. | |
366 | ||
367 | @item forward-word (M-f) | |
368 | Move forward to the end of the next word. | |
369 | ||
370 | @item backward-word (M-b) | |
371 | Move back to the start of this, or the previous, word. | |
372 | ||
373 | @item clear-screen (C-l) | |
374 | Clear the screen leaving the current line at the top of the screen. | |
375 | ||
376 | @end ftable | |
377 | ||
378 | @node Commands For History | |
379 | @subsubsection Commands For Manipulating The History | |
380 | ||
381 | @ftable @code | |
382 | @item accept-line (Newline, Return) | |
383 | Accept the line regardless of where the cursor is. If this line is | |
384 | non-empty, add it to the history list. If this line was a history | |
385 | line, then restore the history line to its original state. | |
386 | ||
387 | @item previous-history (C-p) | |
388 | Move `up' through the history list. | |
389 | ||
390 | @item next-history (C-n) | |
391 | Move `down' through the history list. | |
392 | ||
393 | @item beginning-of-history (M-<) | |
394 | Move to the first line in the history. | |
395 | ||
396 | @item end-of-history (M->) | |
397 | Move to the end of the input history, i.e., the line you are entering! | |
398 | ||
399 | @item reverse-search-history (C-r) | |
400 | Search backward starting at the current line and moving `up' through | |
401 | the history as necessary. This is an incremental search. | |
402 | ||
403 | @item forward-search-history (C-s) | |
404 | Search forward starting at the current line and moving `down' through | |
405 | the the history as neccessary. | |
406 | ||
407 | @end ftable | |
408 | ||
409 | @node Commands For Text | |
410 | @subsubsection Commands For Changing Text | |
411 | ||
412 | @ftable @code | |
413 | @item delete-char (C-d) | |
414 | Delete the character under the cursor. If the cursor is at the | |
415 | beginning of the line, and there are no characters in the line, and | |
416 | the last character typed was not C-d, then return EOF. | |
417 | ||
418 | @item backward-delete-char (Rubout) | |
419 | Delete the character behind the cursor. A numeric arg says to kill | |
420 | the characters instead of deleting them. | |
421 | ||
422 | @item quoted-insert (C-q, C-v) | |
423 | Add the next character that you type to the line verbatim. This is | |
424 | how to insert things like C-q for example. | |
425 | ||
426 | @item tab-insert (M-TAB) | |
427 | Insert a tab character. | |
428 | ||
429 | @item self-insert (a, b, A, 1, !, ...) | |
430 | Insert yourself. | |
431 | ||
432 | @item transpose-chars (C-t) | |
433 | Drag the character before point forward over the character at point. | |
434 | Point moves forward as well. If point is at the end of the line, then | |
435 | transpose the two characters before point. Negative args don't work. | |
436 | ||
437 | @item transpose-words (M-t) | |
438 | Drag the word behind the cursor past the word in front of the cursor | |
439 | moving the cursor over that word as well. | |
440 | ||
441 | @item upcase-word (M-u) | |
442 | Uppercase the current (or following) word. With a negative argument, | |
443 | do the previous word, but do not move point. | |
444 | ||
445 | @item downcase-word (M-l) | |
446 | Lowercase the current (or following) word. With a negative argument, | |
447 | do the previous word, but do not move point. | |
448 | ||
449 | @item capitalize-word (M-c) | |
450 | Uppercase the current (or following) word. With a negative argument, | |
451 | do the previous word, but do not move point. | |
452 | ||
453 | @end ftable | |
454 | ||
455 | @node Commands For Killing | |
456 | @subsubsection Killing And Yanking | |
457 | ||
458 | @ftable @code | |
459 | ||
460 | @item kill-line (C-k) | |
461 | Kill the text from the current cursor position to the end of the line. | |
462 | ||
463 | @item backward-kill-line () | |
464 | Kill backward to the beginning of the line. This is normally unbound. | |
465 | ||
466 | @item kill-word (M-d) | |
467 | Kill from the cursor to the end of the current word, or if between | |
468 | words, to the end of the next word. | |
469 | ||
470 | @item backward-kill-word (M-DEL) | |
471 | Kill the word behind the cursor. | |
472 | ||
473 | @item unix-line-discard (C-u) | |
474 | Do what C-u used to do in Unix line input. We save the killed text on | |
475 | the kill-ring, though. | |
476 | ||
477 | @item unix-word-rubout (C-w) | |
478 | Do what C-w used to do in Unix line input. The killed text is saved | |
479 | on the kill-ring. This is different than backward-kill-word because | |
480 | the word boundaries differ. | |
481 | ||
482 | @item yank (C-y) | |
483 | Yank the top of the kill ring into the buffer at point. | |
484 | ||
485 | @item yank-pop (M-y) | |
486 | Rotate the kill-ring, and yank the new top. You can only do this if | |
487 | the prior command is yank or yank-pop. | |
488 | @end ftable | |
489 | ||
490 | @node Numeric Arguments | |
491 | @subsubsection Specifying Numeric Arguments | |
492 | @ftable @code | |
493 | ||
494 | @item digit-argument (M-0, M-1, ... M--) | |
495 | Add this digit to the argument already accumulating, or start a new | |
496 | argument. M-- starts a negative argument. | |
497 | ||
498 | @item universal-argument () | |
499 | Do what C-u does in emacs. By default, this is not bound. | |
500 | @end ftable | |
501 | ||
502 | ||
503 | @node Commands For Completion | |
504 | @subsubsection Letting Readline Type For You | |
505 | ||
506 | @ftable @code | |
507 | @item complete (TAB) | |
508 | Attempt to do completion on the text before point. This is | |
509 | implementation defined. Generally, if you are typing a filename | |
510 | argument, you can do filename completion; if you are typing a command, | |
511 | you can do command completion, if you are typing in a symbol to GDB, you | |
512 | can do symbol name completion, if you are typing in a variable to Bash, | |
513 | you can do variable name completion... | |
514 | ||
515 | @item possible-completions (M-?) | |
516 | List the possible completions of the text before point. | |
517 | @end ftable | |
518 | ||
519 | @node Miscellaneous Commands | |
520 | @subsubsection Some Miscellaneous Commands | |
521 | @ftable @code | |
522 | ||
523 | @item re-read-init-file (C-x C-r) | |
524 | Read in the contents of your @file{~/.inputrc} file, and incorporate | |
525 | any bindings found there. | |
526 | ||
527 | @item abort (C-g) | |
528 | Ding! Stops things. | |
529 | ||
530 | @item do-uppercase-version (M-a, M-b, ...) | |
531 | Run the command that is bound to your uppercase brother. | |
532 | ||
533 | @item prefix-meta (ESC) | |
534 | Make the next character that you type be metafied. This is for people | |
535 | without a meta key. Typing @samp{ESC f} is equivalent to typing | |
536 | @samp{M-f}. | |
537 | ||
538 | @item undo (C-_) | |
539 | Incremental undo, separately remembered for each line. | |
540 | ||
541 | @item revert-line (M-r) | |
542 | Undo all changes made to this line. This is like typing the `undo' | |
543 | command enough times to get back to the beginning. | |
544 | @end ftable | |
545 | ||
546 | @node Readline Vi Mode | |
547 | @subsection Readline Vi Mode | |
548 | ||
549 | While the Readline library does not have a full set of Vi editing | |
550 | functions, it does contain enough to allow simple editing of the line. | |
551 | ||
552 | In order to switch interactively between Emacs and Vi editing modes, use | |
553 | the command M-C-j (toggle-editing-mode). | |
554 | ||
555 | When you enter a line in Vi mode, you are already placed in `insertion' | |
556 | mode, as if you had typed an `i'. Pressing @key{ESC} switches you into | |
557 | `edit' mode, where you can edit the text of the line with the standard | |
558 | Vi movement keys, move to previous history lines with `k', and following | |
559 | lines with `j', and so forth. | |
560 |