LEDIT

ledit − line editor, version 1.16

ledit [-h file] [-x] [-l length] [-a | -u] [command options]

The command ledit allows to edit lines one by one when running an interactive command. When typing a line, some keys with control or meta are interpreted: it is possible to insert characters in the middle of the line, go to the beginning or the end of the line, get a previous line, search for a line with a pattern, etc.

The options are:

-h file

Save the lines typed (history) in file. The default is to have them only in memory (so, they are lost at the end of the program).

-x

Extend the history file (given in option "-h") if it already exists. The default is to truncate the history file.

-v

Print ledit version and exit.

-l length

Tells that length is the maximum line length displayed. If the line edited is longer than this length, the line scrolls horizontally, while editing. The default value is 70.

-a

Ascii encoding: characters whose code is greater than 128 are displayed with a backslash followed by their code.

-u

Unicode encoding: the terminal must have been set in unicode mode. See commands unicode_start and unicode_stop.

command options

Runs the command command and its possible options. This must be the last option of ledit. The default value is "cat".

In the following lines, the caret sign "^" means "control" and the sequence "M-" means "meta" (either with the "meta" prefix, or by pressing the "escape" key before). Examples:

^a

press the "control" key, then press "a", then release "a", then release "control".

M-a

press the "meta" key, then press "a", then release "a", then release "meta", or: press and release the "escape" key, then press and release "a" (the manipulation with "meta" may not work in some systems: in this case, use the manipulation with "escape").

The editing commands are:

      ^a   : beginning of line
      ^e   : end of line
      ^f   : forward char
      ^b   : backward char
      M-f  : forward word
      M-b  : backard word
      ^p   : previous line in history
      ^n   : next line in history
      M-<  : first line in history
      M->  : last line in history
      ^r   : reverse search in history (see below)
      ^d   : delete char (or EOF if the line is empty)
      ^h   : (or del or backspace) backward delete char
      ^t   : transpose chars
      M-c  : capitalize word
      M-u  : upcase word
      M-l  : downcase word
      M-d  : kill word
      M-^h : (or M-del or M-backspace) backward kill word
      ^q   : insert next char
      M-/  : expand abbreviation
      ^k   : cut until end of line
      ^y   : paste
      ^u   : line discard
      ^l   : refresh line
      ^g   : abort prefix
      ^c   : interrupt
      ^z   : suspend
      ^\   : quit
      return : send line
      ^x     : send line and show next history line
      other  : insert char

The arrow keys can be used, providing your keyword returns standard key sequences:

      up arrow    : previous line in history
      down arrow  : next line in history
      right arrow : forward char
      left arrow  : backward char

The reverse search in incremental, i.e. ledit backward searchs in the history a line holding the characters typed. If you type "a", its search the first line before the current line holding an "a" and displays it. If you then type a "b", its search a line holding "ab", and so on. If you type ^h (or backspace), it returns to the previous line found. To cancel the search, type ^g. To find another line before holding the same string, type ^r. To stop the editing and display the current line found, type "escape" (other commands of the normal editing, different from ^h, ^g, and ^r stop the editing too).

Summary of reverse search commands:

      ^g  : abort search
      ^r  : search previous same pattern
      ^h  : (or backspace) search without the last char
      del : search without the last char
      any other command : stop search and show the line found

If ledit has been launched in a shell script, the suspend command kills it and its command... Use "exec ledit comm" instead of "ledit comm".
The suspend command stops ledit but not the called program. Do not do this if the called program is not waiting on standard input.
In some systems (e.g. alpha), pasting two many characters works bad and may block the terminal. Probably a kernel problem. No solution.

unicode_start(1), unicode_stop(1).

Daniel de Rauglaudre, at INRIA, france.
daniel.de_rauglaudre@inria.fr