2 .\" MAN PAGE COMMENTS to
5 .\" Information Network Services
6 .\" Case Western Reserve University
9 .\" Last Change: Wed Jan 28 15:43:53 EST 2004
11 .TH READLINE 3 "2004 January 28" "GNU Readline 5.0"
13 .\" File Name macro. This used to be `.PN', for Path Name,
14 .\" but Sun doesn't seem to like that very much.
20 readline \- get a line from a user with editing
26 #include <readline/readline.h>
27 #include <readline/history.h>
34 \fBreadline\fP (\fIconst char *prompt\fP);
37 .if n Readline is Copyright (C) 1989\-2004 by the Free Software Foundation, Inc.
38 .if t Readline is Copyright \(co 1989\-2004 by the Free Software Foundation, Inc.
42 will read a line from the terminal
47 is \fBNULL\fP or the empty string, no prompt is issued.
48 The line returned is allocated with
50 the caller must free it when finished. The line returned
51 has the final newline removed, so only the text of the line
55 offers editing capabilities while the user is entering the
57 By default, the line editing commands
58 are similar to those of emacs.
59 A vi\-style line editing interface is also available.
61 This manual page describes only the most basic use of \fBreadline\fP.
62 Much more functionality is available; see
63 \fIThe GNU Readline Library\fP and \fIThe GNU History Library\fP
64 for additional information.
68 returns the text of the line read. A blank line
69 returns the empty string. If
71 is encountered while reading a line, and the line is empty,
75 is read with a non\-empty line, it is
79 An emacs-style notation is used to denote
80 keystrokes. Control keys are denoted by C\-\fIkey\fR, e.g., C\-n
81 means Control\-N. Similarly,
83 keys are denoted by M\-\fIkey\fR, so M\-x means Meta\-X. (On keyboards
86 key, M\-\fIx\fP means ESC \fIx\fP, i.e., press the Escape key
89 key. This makes ESC the \fImeta prefix\fP.
90 The combination M\-C\-\fIx\fP means ESC\-Control\-\fIx\fP,
91 or press the Escape key
92 then hold the Control key while pressing the
96 Readline commands may be given numeric
98 which normally act as a repeat count. Sometimes, however, it is the
99 sign of the argument that is significant. Passing a negative argument
100 to a command that acts in the forward direction (e.g., \fBkill\-line\fP)
101 causes that command to act in a backward direction. Commands whose
102 behavior with arguments deviates from this are noted.
104 When a command is described as \fIkilling\fP text, the text
105 deleted is saved for possible future retrieval
106 (\fIyanking\fP). The killed text is saved in a
107 \fIkill ring\fP. Consecutive kills cause the text to be
108 accumulated into one unit, which can be yanked all at once.
109 Commands which do not kill text separate the chunks of text
111 .SH INITIALIZATION FILE
113 Readline is customized by putting commands in an initialization
114 file (the \fIinputrc\fP file).
115 The name of this file is taken from the value of the
117 environment variable. If that variable is unset, the default is
119 When a program which uses the readline library starts up, the
120 init file is read, and the key bindings and variables are set.
121 There are only a few basic constructs allowed in the
122 readline init file. Blank lines are ignored.
123 Lines beginning with a \fB#\fP are comments.
124 Lines beginning with a \fB$\fP indicate conditional constructs.
125 Other lines denote key bindings and variable settings.
126 Each program using this library may add its own commands
132 M\-Control\-u: universal\-argument
136 C\-Meta\-u: universal\-argument
141 would make M\-C\-u execute the readline command
142 .IR universal\-argument .
144 The following symbolic character names are recognized while
145 processing key bindings:
159 In addition to command names, readline allows keys to be bound
160 to a string that is inserted when the key is pressed (a \fImacro\fP).
164 The syntax for controlling key bindings in the
166 file is simple. All that is required is the name of the
167 command or the text of a macro and a key sequence to which
168 it should be bound. The name may be specified in one of two ways:
169 as a symbolic key name, possibly with \fIMeta\-\fP or \fIControl\-\fP
170 prefixes, or as a key sequence.
172 When using the form \fBkeyname\fP:\^\fIfunction-name\fP or \fImacro\fP,
174 is the name of a key spelled out in English. For example:
177 Control\-u: universal\-argument
179 Meta\-Rubout: backward\-kill\-word
181 Control\-o: "> output"
184 In the above example,
186 is bound to the function
187 .BR universal\-argument ,
189 is bound to the function
190 .BR backward\-kill\-word ,
193 is bound to run the macro
194 expressed on the right hand side (that is, to insert the text
195 .if t \f(CW> output\fP
199 In the second form, \fB"keyseq"\fP:\^\fIfunction\-name\fP or \fImacro\fP,
203 above in that strings denoting
204 an entire key sequence may be specified by placing the sequence
205 within double quotes. Some GNU Emacs style key escapes can be
206 used, as in the following example, but the symbolic character names
210 "\eC\-u": universal\-argument
212 "\eC\-x\eC\-r": re\-read\-init\-file
214 "\ee[11~": "Function Key 1"
219 is again bound to the function
220 .BR universal\-argument .
222 is bound to the function
223 .BR re\-read\-init\-file ,
226 is bound to insert the text
227 .if t \f(CWFunction Key 1\fP.
228 .if n ``Function Key 1''.
230 The full set of GNU Emacs style escape sequences available when specifying
248 literal ", a double quote
251 literal ', a single quote
255 In addition to the GNU Emacs style escape sequences, a second
256 set of backslash escapes is available:
285 the eight-bit character whose value is the octal value \fInnn\fP
286 (one to three digits)
289 the eight-bit character whose value is the hexadecimal value \fIHH\fP
290 (one or two hex digits)
294 When entering the text of a macro, single or double quotes should
295 be used to indicate a macro definition. Unquoted text
296 is assumed to be a function name.
297 In the macro body, the backslash escapes described above are expanded.
298 Backslash will quote any other character in the macro text,
302 allows the current readline key bindings to be displayed or modified
305 builtin command. The editing mode may be switched during interactive
310 builtin command. Other programs using this library provide
311 similar mechanisms. The
313 file may be edited and re-read if a program does not provide
314 any other means to incorporate new bindings.
317 Readline has variables that can be used to further customize its
318 behavior. A variable may be set in the
320 file with a statement of the form
323 \fBset\fP \fIvariable\-name\fP \fIvalue\fP
326 Except where noted, readline variables can take the values
330 (without regard to case).
331 The variables and their default values are:
335 .B bell\-style (audible)
336 Controls what happens when readline wants to ring the terminal bell.
337 If set to \fBnone\fP, readline never rings the bell. If set to
338 \fBvisible\fP, readline uses a visible bell if one is available.
339 If set to \fBaudible\fP, readline attempts to ring the terminal's bell.
341 .B comment\-begin (``#'')
342 The string that is inserted in \fBvi\fP mode when the
345 This command is bound to
351 .B completion\-ignore\-case (Off)
352 If set to \fBOn\fP, readline performs filename matching and completion
353 in a case\-insensitive fashion.
355 .B completion\-query\-items (100)
356 This determines when the user is queried about viewing
357 the number of possible completions
358 generated by the \fBpossible\-completions\fP command.
359 It may be set to any integer value greater than or equal to
360 zero. If the number of possible completions is greater than
361 or equal to the value of this variable, the user is asked whether
362 or not he wishes to view them; otherwise they are simply listed
365 .B convert\-meta (On)
366 If set to \fBOn\fP, readline will convert characters with the
367 eighth bit set to an ASCII key sequence
368 by stripping the eighth bit and prefixing it with an
369 escape character (in effect, using escape as the \fImeta prefix\fP).
371 .B disable\-completion (Off)
372 If set to \fBOn\fP, readline will inhibit word completion. Completion
373 characters will be inserted into the line as if they had been
374 mapped to \fBself-insert\fP.
376 .B editing\-mode (emacs)
377 Controls whether readline begins with a set of key bindings similar
385 .B enable\-keypad (Off)
386 When set to \fBOn\fP, readline will try to enable the application
387 keypad when it is called. Some systems need this to enable the
390 .B expand\-tilde (Off)
391 If set to \fBon\fP, tilde expansion is performed when readline
392 attempts word completion.
394 .B history-preserve-point
395 If set to \fBon\fP, the history code attempts to place point at the
396 same location on each history line retrived with \fBprevious-history\fP
397 or \fBnext-history\fP.
399 .B horizontal\-scroll\-mode (Off)
400 When set to \fBOn\fP, makes readline use a single line for display,
401 scrolling the input horizontally on a single screen line when it
402 becomes longer than the screen width rather than wrapping to a new line.
405 If set to \fBOn\fP, readline will enable eight-bit input (that is,
406 it will not clear the eighth bit in the characters it reads),
407 regardless of what the terminal claims it can support. The name
409 is a synonym for this variable.
411 .B isearch\-terminators (``C\-[ C\-J'')
412 The string of characters that should terminate an incremental
413 search without subsequently executing the character as a command.
414 If this variable has not been given a value, the characters
415 \fIESC\fP and \fIC\-J\fP will terminate an incremental search.
418 Set the current readline keymap. The set of legal keymap names is
419 \fIemacs, emacs-standard, emacs-meta, emacs-ctlx, vi, vi-move,
422 \fIvi\fP is equivalent to \fIvi-command\fP; \fIemacs\fP is
423 equivalent to \fIemacs-standard\fP. The default value is
427 also affects the default keymap.
429 .B mark\-directories (On)
430 If set to \fBOn\fP, completed directory names have a slash
433 .B mark\-modified\-lines (Off)
434 If set to \fBOn\fP, history lines that have been modified are displayed
435 with a preceding asterisk (\fB*\fP).
437 .B mark\-symlinked\-directories (Off)
438 If set to \fBOn\fP, completed names which are symbolic links to directories
439 have a slash appended (subject to the value of
440 \fBmark\-directories\fP).
442 .B match\-hidden\-files (On)
443 This variable, when set to \fBOn\fP, causes readline to match files whose
444 names begin with a `.' (hidden files) when performing filename
445 completion, unless the leading `.' is
446 supplied by the user in the filename to be completed.
448 .B output\-meta (Off)
449 If set to \fBOn\fP, readline will display characters with the
450 eighth bit set directly rather than as a meta-prefixed escape
453 .B page\-completions (On)
454 If set to \fBOn\fP, readline uses an internal \fImore\fP-like pager
455 to display a screenful of possible completions at a time.
457 .B print\-completions\-horizontally (Off)
458 If set to \fBOn\fP, readline will display completions with matches
459 sorted horizontally in alphabetical order, rather than down the screen.
461 .B show\-all\-if\-ambiguous (Off)
462 This alters the default behavior of the completion functions. If
465 words which have more than one possible completion cause the
466 matches to be listed immediately instead of ringing the bell.
468 .B show\-all\-if\-unmodified (Off)
469 This alters the default behavior of the completion functions in
470 a fashion similar to \fBshow\-all\-if\-ambiguous\fP.
473 words which have more than one possible completion without any
474 possible partial completion (the possible completions don't share
475 a common prefix) cause the matches to be listed immediately instead
478 .B visible\-stats (Off)
479 If set to \fBOn\fP, a character denoting a file's type as reported
480 by \fIstat\fP(2) is appended to the filename when listing possible
483 .SS Conditional Constructs
485 Readline implements a facility similar in spirit to the conditional
486 compilation features of the C preprocessor which allows key
487 bindings and variable settings to be performed as the result
488 of tests. There are four parser directives used.
492 construct allows bindings to be made based on the
493 editing mode, the terminal being used, or the application using
494 readline. The text of the test extends to the end of the line;
495 no characters are required to isolate it.
498 The \fBmode=\fP form of the \fB$if\fP directive is used to test
499 whether readline is in emacs or vi mode.
500 This may be used in conjunction
501 with the \fBset keymap\fP command, for instance, to set bindings in
502 the \fIemacs-standard\fP and \fIemacs-ctlx\fP keymaps only if
503 readline is starting out in emacs mode.
505 The \fBterm=\fP form may be used to include terminal-specific
506 key bindings, perhaps to bind the key sequences output by the
507 terminal's function keys. The word on the right side of the
509 is tested against the full name of the terminal and the portion
510 of the terminal name before the first \fB\-\fP. This allows
517 .IP \fBapplication\fP
518 The \fBapplication\fP construct is used to include
519 application-specific settings. Each program using the readline
520 library sets the \fIapplication name\fP, and an initialization
521 file can test for a particular value.
522 This could be used to bind key sequences to functions useful for
523 a specific program. For instance, the following command adds a
524 key sequence that quotes the current or previous word in Bash:
529 # Quote the current or previous word
530 "\eC-xq": "\eeb\e"\eef\e""
536 This command, as seen in the previous example, terminates an
539 Commands in this branch of the \fB$if\fP directive are executed if
542 This directive takes a single filename as an argument and reads commands
543 and bindings from that file. For example, the following directive
544 would read \fI/etc/inputrc\fP:
548 \fB$include\fP \^ \fI/etc/inputrc\fP
553 Readline provides commands for searching through the command history
554 for lines containing a specified string.
555 There are two search modes:
558 .IR non-incremental .
560 Incremental searches begin before the user has finished typing the
562 As each character of the search string is typed, readline displays
563 the next entry from the history matching the string typed so far.
564 An incremental search requires only as many characters as needed to
565 find the desired history entry.
566 To search backward in the history for a particular string, type
567 \fBC\-r\fP. Typing \fBC\-s\fP searches forward through the history.
568 The characters present in the value of the \fBisearch-terminators\fP
569 variable are used to terminate an incremental search.
570 If that variable has not been assigned a value the \fIEscape\fP and
571 \fBC\-J\fP characters will terminate an incremental search.
572 \fBC\-G\fP will abort an incremental search and restore the original
574 When the search is terminated, the history entry containing the
575 search string becomes the current line.
577 To find other matching entries in the history list, type \fBC\-s\fP or
578 \fBC\-r\fP as appropriate.
579 This will search backward or forward in the history for the next
580 line matching the search string typed so far.
581 Any other key sequence bound to a readline command will terminate
582 the search and execute that command.
583 For instance, a newline will terminate the search and accept
584 the line, thereby executing the command from the history list.
585 A movement command will terminate the search, make the last line found
586 the current line, and begin editing.
588 Non-incremental searches read the entire search string before starting
589 to search for matching history lines. The search string may be
590 typed by the user or be part of the contents of the current line.
593 The following is a list of the names of the commands and the default
594 key sequences to which they are bound.
595 Command names without an accompanying key sequence are unbound by default.
597 In the following descriptions, \fIpoint\fP refers to the current cursor
598 position, and \fImark\fP refers to a cursor position saved by the
599 \fBset\-mark\fP command.
600 The text between the point and mark is referred to as the \fIregion\fP.
601 .SS Commands for Moving
605 .B beginning\-of\-line (C\-a)
606 Move to the start of the current line.
608 .B end\-of\-line (C\-e)
609 Move to the end of the line.
611 .B forward\-char (C\-f)
612 Move forward a character.
614 .B backward\-char (C\-b)
615 Move back a character.
617 .B forward\-word (M\-f)
618 Move forward to the end of the next word. Words are composed of
619 alphanumeric characters (letters and digits).
621 .B backward\-word (M\-b)
622 Move back to the start of the current or previous word. Words are
623 composed of alphanumeric characters (letters and digits).
625 .B clear\-screen (C\-l)
626 Clear the screen leaving the current line at the top of the screen.
627 With an argument, refresh the current line without clearing the
630 .B redraw\-current\-line
631 Refresh the current line.
633 .SS Commands for Manipulating the History
637 .B accept\-line (Newline, Return)
638 Accept the line regardless of where the cursor is.
640 non-empty, it may be added to the history list for future recall with
642 If the line is a modified history line, the history line is restored to its original state.
644 .B previous\-history (C\-p)
645 Fetch the previous command from the history list, moving back in
648 .B next\-history (C\-n)
649 Fetch the next command from the history list, moving forward in the
652 .B beginning\-of\-history (M\-<)
653 Move to the first line in the history.
655 .B end\-of\-history (M\->)
656 Move to the end of the input history, i.e., the line currently being
659 .B reverse\-search\-history (C\-r)
660 Search backward starting at the current line and moving `up' through
661 the history as necessary. This is an incremental search.
663 .B forward\-search\-history (C\-s)
664 Search forward starting at the current line and moving `down' through
665 the history as necessary. This is an incremental search.
667 .B non\-incremental\-reverse\-search\-history (M\-p)
668 Search backward through the history starting at the current line
669 using a non-incremental search for a string supplied by the user.
671 .B non\-incremental\-forward\-search\-history (M\-n)
672 Search forward through the history using a non-incremental search
673 for a string supplied by the user.
675 .B history\-search\-forward
676 Search forward through the history for the string of characters
677 between the start of the current line and the current cursor
678 position (the \fIpoint\fP).
679 This is a non-incremental search.
681 .B history\-search\-backward
682 Search backward through the history for the string of characters
683 between the start of the current line and the point.
684 This is a non-incremental search.
686 .B yank\-nth\-arg (M\-C\-y)
687 Insert the first argument to the previous command (usually
688 the second word on the previous line) at point.
691 insert the \fIn\fPth word from the previous command (the words
692 in the previous command begin with word 0). A negative argument
693 inserts the \fIn\fPth word from the end of the previous command.
696 yank\-last\-arg (M\-.\^, M\-_\^)
697 Insert the last argument to the previous command (the last word of
698 the previous history entry). With an argument,
699 behave exactly like \fByank\-nth\-arg\fP.
700 Successive calls to \fByank\-last\-arg\fP move back through the history
701 list, inserting the last argument of each line in turn.
703 .SS Commands for Changing Text
707 .B delete\-char (C\-d)
708 Delete the character at point. If point is at the
709 beginning of the line, there are no characters in the line, and
710 the last character typed was not bound to \fBdelete\-char\fP, then return
714 .B backward\-delete\-char (Rubout)
715 Delete the character behind the cursor. When given a numeric argument,
716 save the deleted text on the kill ring.
718 .B forward\-backward\-delete\-char
719 Delete the character under the cursor, unless the cursor is at the
720 end of the line, in which case the character behind the cursor is
723 .B quoted\-insert (C\-q, C\-v)
724 Add the next character that you type to the line verbatim. This is
725 how to insert characters like \fBC\-q\fP, for example.
727 .B tab\-insert (M-TAB)
728 Insert a tab character.
730 .B self\-insert (a,\ b,\ A,\ 1,\ !,\ ...)
731 Insert the character typed.
733 .B transpose\-chars (C\-t)
734 Drag the character before point forward over the character at point,
735 moving point forward as well.
736 If point is at the end of the line, then this transposes
737 the two characters before point.
738 Negative arguments have no effect.
740 .B transpose\-words (M\-t)
741 Drag the word before point past the word after point,
742 moving point over that word as well.
743 If point is at the end of the line, this transposes
744 the last two words on the line.
746 .B upcase\-word (M\-u)
747 Uppercase the current (or following) word. With a negative argument,
748 uppercase the previous word, but do not move point.
750 .B downcase\-word (M\-l)
751 Lowercase the current (or following) word. With a negative argument,
752 lowercase the previous word, but do not move point.
754 .B capitalize\-word (M\-c)
755 Capitalize the current (or following) word. With a negative argument,
756 capitalize the previous word, but do not move point.
759 Toggle overwrite mode. With an explicit positive numeric argument,
760 switches to overwrite mode. With an explicit non-positive numeric
761 argument, switches to insert mode. This command affects only
762 \fBemacs\fP mode; \fBvi\fP mode does overwrite differently.
763 Each call to \fIreadline()\fP starts in insert mode.
764 In overwrite mode, characters bound to \fBself\-insert\fP replace
765 the text at point rather than pushing the text to the right.
766 Characters bound to \fBbackward\-delete\-char\fP replace the character
767 before point with a space. By default, this command is unbound.
769 .SS Killing and Yanking
774 Kill the text from point to the end of the line.
776 .B backward\-kill\-line (C\-x Rubout)
777 Kill backward to the beginning of the line.
779 .B unix\-line\-discard (C\-u)
780 Kill backward from point to the beginning of the line.
781 The killed text is saved on the kill-ring.
782 .\" There is no real difference between this and backward-kill-line
785 Kill all characters on the current line, no matter where point is.
788 Kill from point the end of the current word, or if between
789 words, to the end of the next word. Word boundaries are the same as
790 those used by \fBforward\-word\fP.
792 .B backward\-kill\-word (M\-Rubout)
793 Kill the word behind point.
794 Word boundaries are the same as those used by \fBbackward\-word\fP.
796 .B unix\-word\-rubout (C\-w)
797 Kill the word behind point, using white space as a word boundary.
798 The killed text is saved on the kill-ring.
800 .B unix\-filename\-rubout
801 Kill the word behind point, using white space and the slash character
802 as the word boundaries.
803 The killed text is saved on the kill-ring.
805 .B delete\-horizontal\-space (M\-\e)
806 Delete all spaces and tabs around point.
809 Kill the text between the point and \fImark\fP (saved cursor position).
810 This text is referred to as the \fIregion\fP.
812 .B copy\-region\-as\-kill
813 Copy the text in the region to the kill buffer.
815 .B copy\-backward\-word
816 Copy the word before point to the kill buffer.
817 The word boundaries are the same as \fBbackward\-word\fP.
819 .B copy\-forward\-word
820 Copy the word following point to the kill buffer.
821 The word boundaries are the same as \fBforward\-word\fP.
824 Yank the top of the kill ring into the buffer at point.
827 Rotate the kill ring, and yank the new top. Only works following
832 .SS Numeric Arguments
836 .B digit\-argument (M\-0, M\-1, ..., M\-\-)
837 Add this digit to the argument already accumulating, or start a new
838 argument. M\-\- starts a negative argument.
840 .B universal\-argument
841 This is another way to specify an argument.
842 If this command is followed by one or more digits, optionally with a
843 leading minus sign, those digits define the argument.
844 If the command is followed by digits, executing
845 .B universal\-argument
846 again ends the numeric argument, but is otherwise ignored.
847 As a special case, if this command is immediately followed by a
848 character that is neither a digit or minus sign, the argument count
849 for the next command is multiplied by four.
850 The argument count is initially one, so executing this function the
851 first time makes the argument count four, a second time makes the
852 argument count sixteen, and so on.
859 Attempt to perform completion on the text before point.
860 The actual completion performed is application-specific.
862 for instance, attempts completion treating the text as a variable
863 (if the text begins with \fB$\fP), username (if the text begins with
864 \fB~\fP), hostname (if the text begins with \fB@\fP), or
865 command (including aliases and functions) in turn. If none
866 of these produces a match, filename completion is attempted.
869 allows completion of program functions and variables, and
870 only attempts filename completion under certain circumstances.
872 .B possible\-completions (M\-?)
873 List the possible completions of the text before point.
875 .B insert\-completions (M\-*)
876 Insert all completions of the text before point
877 that would have been generated by
878 \fBpossible\-completions\fP.
881 Similar to \fBcomplete\fP, but replaces the word to be completed
882 with a single match from the list of possible completions.
883 Repeated execution of \fBmenu\-complete\fP steps through the list
884 of possible completions, inserting each match in turn.
885 At the end of the list of completions, the bell is rung
886 (subject to the setting of \fBbell\-style\fP)
887 and the original text is restored.
888 An argument of \fIn\fP moves \fIn\fP positions forward in the list
889 of matches; a negative argument may be used to move backward
891 This command is intended to be bound to \fBTAB\fP, but is unbound
894 .B delete\-char\-or\-list
895 Deletes the character under the cursor if not at the beginning or
896 end of the line (like \fBdelete-char\fP).
897 If at the end of the line, behaves identically to
898 \fBpossible-completions\fP.
904 .B start\-kbd\-macro (C\-x (\^)
905 Begin saving the characters typed into the current keyboard macro.
907 .B end\-kbd\-macro (C\-x )\^)
908 Stop saving the characters typed into the current keyboard macro
909 and store the definition.
911 .B call\-last\-kbd\-macro (C\-x e)
912 Re-execute the last keyboard macro defined, by making the characters
913 in the macro appear as if typed at the keyboard.
919 .B re\-read\-init\-file (C\-x C\-r)
920 Read in the contents of the \fIinputrc\fP file, and incorporate
921 any bindings or variable assignments found there.
924 Abort the current editing command and
925 ring the terminal's bell (subject to the setting of
928 .B do\-uppercase\-version (M\-a, M\-b, M\-\fIx\fP, ...)
929 If the metafied character \fIx\fP is lowercase, run the command
930 that is bound to the corresponding uppercase character.
932 .B prefix\-meta (ESC)
933 Metafy the next character typed.
940 .B undo (C\-_, C\-x C\-u)
941 Incremental undo, separately remembered for each line.
943 .B revert\-line (M\-r)
944 Undo all changes made to this line. This is like executing the
946 command enough times to return the line to its initial state.
948 .B tilde\-expand (M\-&)
949 Perform tilde expansion on the current word.
951 .B set\-mark (C\-@, M\-<space>)
952 Set the mark to the point. If a
953 numeric argument is supplied, the mark is set to that position.
955 .B exchange\-point\-and\-mark (C\-x C\-x)
956 Swap the point with the mark. The current cursor position is set to
957 the saved position, and the old cursor position is saved as the mark.
959 .B character\-search (C\-])
960 A character is read and point is moved to the next occurrence of that
961 character. A negative count searches for previous occurrences.
963 .B character\-search\-backward (M\-C\-])
964 A character is read and point is moved to the previous occurrence of that
965 character. A negative count searches for subsequent occurrences.
967 .B insert\-comment (M\-#)
968 Without a numeric argument, the value of the readline
970 variable is inserted at the beginning of the current line.
971 If a numeric argument is supplied, this command acts as a toggle: if
972 the characters at the beginning of the line do not match the value
973 of \fBcomment\-begin\fP, the value is inserted, otherwise
974 the characters in \fBcomment-begin\fP are deleted from the beginning of
976 In either case, the line is accepted as if a newline had been typed.
979 makes the current line a shell comment.
980 If a numeric argument causes the comment character to be removed, the line
981 will be executed by the shell.
984 Print all of the functions and their key bindings to the
985 readline output stream. If a numeric argument is supplied,
986 the output is formatted in such a way that it can be made part
987 of an \fIinputrc\fP file.
990 Print all of the settable variables and their values to the
991 readline output stream. If a numeric argument is supplied,
992 the output is formatted in such a way that it can be made part
993 of an \fIinputrc\fP file.
996 Print all of the readline key sequences bound to macros and the
997 strings they output. If a numeric argument is supplied,
998 the output is formatted in such a way that it can be made part
999 of an \fIinputrc\fP file.
1001 .B emacs\-editing\-mode (C\-e)
1004 command mode, this causes a switch to
1008 .B vi\-editing\-mode (M\-C\-j)
1011 editing mode, this causes a switch to
1015 .SH DEFAULT KEY BINDINGS
1017 The following is a list of the default emacs and vi bindings.
1018 Characters with the eighth bit set are written as M\-<character>, and
1022 The printable ASCII characters not mentioned in the list of emacs
1023 standard bindings are bound to the
1025 function, which just inserts the given character into the input line.
1026 In vi insertion mode, all characters not specifically mentioned are
1029 Characters assigned to signal generation by
1031 or the terminal driver, such as C-Z or C-C,
1032 retain that function.
1033 Upper and lower case metafied characters are bound to the same function in
1034 the emacs mode meta keymap.
1035 The remaining characters are unbound, which causes readline
1036 to ring the bell (subject to the setting of the
1044 Emacs Standard bindings
1047 "C-A" beginning-of-line
1053 "C-H" backward-delete-char
1060 "C-P" previous-history
1062 "C-R" reverse-search-history
1063 "C-S" forward-search-history
1064 "C-T" transpose-chars
1065 "C-U" unix-line-discard
1067 "C-W" unix-word-rubout
1069 "C-]" character-search
1071 "\^ " to "/" self-insert
1072 "0" to "9" self-insert
1073 ":" to "~" self-insert
1074 "C-?" backward-delete-char
1079 "M-C-H" backward-kill-word
1081 "M-C-J" vi-editing-mode
1082 "M-C-M" vi-editing-mode
1084 "M-C-Y" yank-nth-arg
1086 "M-C-]" character-search-backward
1088 "M-#" insert-comment
1090 "M-*" insert-completions
1091 "M--" digit-argument
1093 "M-0" digit-argument
1094 "M-1" digit-argument
1095 "M-2" digit-argument
1096 "M-3" digit-argument
1097 "M-4" digit-argument
1098 "M-5" digit-argument
1099 "M-6" digit-argument
1100 "M-7" digit-argument
1101 "M-8" digit-argument
1102 "M-9" digit-argument
1103 "M-<" beginning-of-history
1104 "M-=" possible-completions
1105 "M->" end-of-history
1106 "M-?" possible-completions
1108 "M-C" capitalize-word
1112 "M-N" non-incremental-forward-search-history
1113 "M-P" non-incremental-reverse-search-history
1115 "M-T" transpose-words
1118 "M-\e" delete-horizontal-space
1120 "M-C-?" backward-kill-word
1123 Emacs Control-X bindings
1126 "C-XC-R" re-read-init-file
1128 "C-XC-X" exchange-point-and-mark
1129 "C-X(" start-kbd-macro
1130 "C-X)" end-kbd-macro
1131 "C-XE" call-last-kbd-macro
1132 "C-XC-?" backward-kill-line
1135 .SS VI Mode bindings
1141 VI Insert Mode functions
1144 "C-H" backward-delete-char
1148 "C-R" reverse-search-history
1149 "C-S" forward-search-history
1150 "C-T" transpose-chars
1151 "C-U" unix-line-discard
1153 "C-W" unix-word-rubout
1155 "C-[" vi-movement-mode
1157 "\^ " to "~" self-insert
1158 "C-?" backward-delete-char
1160 VI Command Mode functions
1163 "C-E" emacs-editing-mode
1171 "C-P" previous-history
1173 "C-R" reverse-search-history
1174 "C-S" forward-search-history
1175 "C-T" transpose-chars
1176 "C-U" unix-line-discard
1178 "C-W" unix-word-rubout
1189 "-" previous-history
1192 "0" beginning-of-line
1193 "1" to "9" vi-arg-digit
1203 "G" vi-fetch-history
1212 "X" backward-delete-char
1225 "i" vi-insertion-mode
1245 \fIThe Gnu Readline Library\fP, Brian Fox and Chet Ramey
1247 \fIThe Gnu History Library\fP, Brian Fox and Chet Ramey
1255 Individual \fBreadline\fP initialization file
1258 Brian Fox, Free Software Foundation
1262 Chet Ramey, Case Western Reserve University
1266 If you find a bug in
1268 you should report it. But first, you should
1269 make sure that it really is a bug, and that it appears in the latest
1272 library that you have.
1274 Once you have determined that a bug actually exists, mail a
1275 bug report to \fIbug\-readline\fP@\fIgnu.org\fP.
1276 If you have a fix, you are welcome to mail that
1277 as well! Suggestions and `philosophical' bug reports may be mailed
1278 to \fPbug-readline\fP@\fIgnu.org\fP or posted to the Usenet
1282 Comments and bug reports concerning
1283 this manual page should be directed to
1284 .IR chet@ins.CWRU.Edu .
1287 It's too big and too slow.