Provided by: libeditline-dev_1.12-6_amd64 bug

NAME

       editline - command-line editing library with history

SYNOPSIS

       char *
       readline(prompt)
            char *prompt;

       void
       add_history(line)
           char  *line;

DESCRIPTION

       Editline  is  a  library  that provides an line-editing interface with text recall.  It is
       intended to be compatible  with  the  readline  library  provided  by  the  Free  Software
       Foundation, but much smaller.  The bulk of this manual page describes the user interface.

       The  readline  routine returns a line of text with the trailing newline removed.  The data
       is returned in a buffer allocated with malloc(3), so the space  should  be  released  with
       free(3)  when  the calling program is done with it.  Before accepting input from the user,
       the specified prompt is displayed on the terminal.

       The add_history routine makes a copy of the specified line and adds  it  to  the  internal
       history list.

   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''.

       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.

       Most  editing  commands  may  be given a repeat count, n, where 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.

       The following control characters are accepted:
              ^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;
                       prefixing the string with a caret (^) forces it to
                       match only at the beginning of a history line
              ^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]

       The following escape sequences are provided.
              ESC ^H   Delete previous word (backspace key) [n]
              ESC DEL  Delete previous word (delete key) [n]
              ESC ESC  Show possible completions; see below
              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 as themselves or with
                       an ``M-'' prefix
              ESC u    Make word uppercase [n]
              ESC y    Yank back last killed text
              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

       The editline library has a small macro facility.  If you type the escape key  followed  by
       an  uppercase  letter, C, then the contents of the environment variable _C_ are read in as
       if you had typed them at the keyboard.  For example, if  the  variable  _L_  contains  the
       following:
              ^A^Kecho '^V^[[H^V^[[2J'^M
       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.

       The  editline  library  also does filename completion.  Suppose the root directory has the
       following files in it:
              bin    vmunix
              core   vmunix.old
       If you type ``rm /v'' and then the tab key.  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 followed by either a question mark or another escape,  it  will
       display the two choices.  If you then type a period and a tab, the library will finish off
       the filename for you:
              rm /v[TAB]munix.[TAB]old
       The tab key is shown by ``[TAB]'' and the automatically-entered text is shown in italics.

BUGS AND LIMITATIONS

       Cannot handle lines more than 80 columns.

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>.

                                                                                      EDITLINE(3)