170 lines
5.2 KiB
Groff
170 lines
5.2 KiB
Groff
.\" $Revision$
|
|
.TH EDITLINE 3
|
|
.SH NAME
|
|
editline \- command-line editing library with history
|
|
.SH SYNOPSIS
|
|
.ft B
|
|
char *readline(char *\fIprompt\fP)
|
|
.ft P
|
|
.SH DESCRIPTION
|
|
.I Editline
|
|
is a library that provides an line-editing interface with text recall.
|
|
It is intended to be compatible with the
|
|
.I readline
|
|
library provided by the Free Software Foundation, but much smaller.
|
|
The bulk of this manual page describes the user interface.
|
|
.PP
|
|
The
|
|
.I readline
|
|
routine returns a line of text with the trailing newline removed.
|
|
The data is returned in a buffer allocated with
|
|
.IR malloc (3),
|
|
so the space should be released with
|
|
.IR free (3)
|
|
when the calling program is done with it.
|
|
Before accepting input from the user, the specified
|
|
.I prompt
|
|
is displayed on the terminal.
|
|
.PP
|
|
Each line returned is copied to the internal history list, unless it happens
|
|
to be equal to the previous line.
|
|
.SS "User Interface"
|
|
A program that uses this library provides a simple emacs-like editing
|
|
interface to its users.
|
|
A line may be edited before it is sent to the calling program by typing either
|
|
control characters or escape sequences.
|
|
A control character, shown as a caret followed by a letter, is typed by
|
|
holding down the ``control'' key while the letter is typed.
|
|
For example, ``^A'' is a control-A.
|
|
An escape sequence is entered by typing the ``escape'' key followed by one or
|
|
more characters.
|
|
The escape key is abbreviated as ``ESC.''
|
|
Note that unlike control keys, case matters in escape sequences; ``ESC\ F''
|
|
is not the same as ``ESC\ f''.
|
|
.PP
|
|
An editing command may be typed anywhere on the line, not just at the
|
|
beginning.
|
|
In addition, a return may also be typed anywhere on the line, not just at
|
|
the end.
|
|
.PP
|
|
Most editing commands may be given a repeat count,
|
|
.IR n ,
|
|
where
|
|
.I n
|
|
is a number.
|
|
To enter a repeat count, type the escape key, the number, and then
|
|
the command to execute.
|
|
For example, ``ESC\ 4\ ^f'' moves forward four characters.
|
|
If a command may be given a repeat count then the text ``[n]'' is given at the
|
|
end of its description.
|
|
.PP
|
|
The following control characters are accepted:
|
|
.RS
|
|
.nf
|
|
.ta \w'ESC DEL 'u
|
|
^A Move to the beginning of the line
|
|
^B Move left (backwards) [n]
|
|
^D Delete character [n]
|
|
^E Move to end of line
|
|
^F Move right (forwards) [n]
|
|
^G Ring the bell
|
|
^H Delete character before cursor (backspace key) [n]
|
|
^I Complete filename (tab key); see below
|
|
^J Done with line (return key)
|
|
^K Kill to end of line (or column [n])
|
|
^L Redisplay line
|
|
^M Done with line (alternate return key)
|
|
^N Get next line from history [n]
|
|
^P Get previous line from history [n]
|
|
^R Search backward (forward if [n]) through history for text;
|
|
\& must start line if text begins with an uparrow
|
|
^T Transpose characters
|
|
^V Insert next character, even if it is an edit command
|
|
^W Wipe to the mark
|
|
^X^X Exchange current location and mark
|
|
^Y Yank back last killed text
|
|
^[ Start an escape sequence (escape key)
|
|
^]c Move forward to next character ``c''
|
|
^? Delete character before cursor (delete key) [n]
|
|
.fi
|
|
.RE
|
|
.PP
|
|
The following escape sequences are provided.
|
|
.RS
|
|
.nf
|
|
.ta \w'ESC DEL 'u
|
|
ESC\ ^H Delete previous word (backspace key) [n]
|
|
ESC\ DEL Delete previous word (delete key) [n]
|
|
ESC\ SP Set the mark (space key); see ^X^X and ^Y above
|
|
ESC\ \. Get the last (or [n]'th) word from previous line
|
|
ESC\ \? Show possible completions; see below
|
|
ESC\ < Move to start of history
|
|
ESC\ > Move to end of history
|
|
ESC\ b Move backward a word [n]
|
|
ESC\ d Delete word under cursor [n]
|
|
ESC\ f Move forward a word [n]
|
|
ESC\ l Make word lowercase [n]
|
|
ESC\ m Toggle if 8bit chars display normally or with ``M\-'' prefix
|
|
ESC\ u Make word uppercase [n]
|
|
ESC\ y Yank back last killed text
|
|
ESC\ v Show library version
|
|
ESC\ w Make area up to mark yankable
|
|
ESC\ nn Set repeat count to the number nn
|
|
ESC\ C Read from environment variable ``_C_'', where C is
|
|
\& an uppercase letter
|
|
.fi
|
|
.RE
|
|
.PP
|
|
The
|
|
.I editline
|
|
library has a small macro facility.
|
|
If you type the escape key followed by an uppercase letter,
|
|
.IR C ,
|
|
then the contents of the environment variable
|
|
.I _C_
|
|
are read in as if you had typed them at the keyboard.
|
|
For example, if the variable
|
|
.I _L_
|
|
contains the following:
|
|
.RS
|
|
^A^Kecho '^V^[[H^V^[[2J'^M
|
|
.RE
|
|
Then typing ``ESC L'' will move to the beginning of the line, kill the
|
|
entire line, enter the echo command needed to clear the terminal (if your
|
|
terminal is like a VT-100), and send the line back to the shell.
|
|
.PP
|
|
The
|
|
.I editline
|
|
library also does filename completion.
|
|
Suppose the root directory has the following files in it:
|
|
.RS
|
|
.nf
|
|
.ta \w'core 'u
|
|
bin vmunix
|
|
core vmunix.old
|
|
.fi
|
|
.RE
|
|
If you type ``rm\ /v'' and then the tab key.
|
|
.I Editline
|
|
will then finish off as much of the name as possible by adding ``munix''.
|
|
Because the name is not unique, it will then beep.
|
|
If you type the escape key and a question mark, it will display the
|
|
two choices.
|
|
If you then type a period and a tab, the library will finish off the filename
|
|
for you:
|
|
.RS
|
|
.nf
|
|
.RI "rm /v[TAB]" munix .TAB old
|
|
.fi
|
|
.RE
|
|
The tab key is shown by ``[TAB]'' and the automatically-entered text
|
|
is shown in italics.
|
|
.SH "BUGS AND LIMITATIONS"
|
|
Doesn't know how to handle multiple lines.
|
|
.SH AUTHORS
|
|
Simmule R. Turner <uunet.uu.net!capitol!sysgo!simmy>
|
|
and Rich $alz <rsalz@osf.org>.
|
|
Original manual page by DaviD W. Sanderson <dws@ssec.wisc.edu>.
|
|
|
|
.\" $PchId: editline.3,v 1.3 1996/02/22 21:18:51 philip Exp $
|