Up Next Previous

Readline Key Bindings

The syntax for controlling key bindings in the inputrc file is simple. All that is required is the name of the command or the text of a macro and a key sequence to which it should be bound. The name may be specified in one of two ways: as a symbolic key name, possibly with Meta-\fP or Control-\fP prefixes, or as a key sequence. When using the form keyname\fP:\^function-name\fP or macro\fP, keyname is the name of a key spelled out in English. For example: .sp Control-u: universal-argument
Meta-Rubout: backward-kill-word
Control-o: "> output" .LP In the above example, C-u is bound to the function .BR universal-argument , M-DEL is bound to the function .BR backward-kill-word , and C-o is bound to run the macro expressed on the right hand side (that is, to insert the text "> output" into the line).

In the second form, "keyseq"\fP:\^function-name\fP or macro\fP, keyseq differs from keyname above in that strings denoting an entire key sequence may be specified by placing the sequence within double quotes. Some GNU Emacs style key escapes can be used, as in the following example. .sp "\C-u": universal-argument
"\C-x\C-r": re-read-init-file
"\e[11~": "Function Key 1"

In this example, C-u is again bound to the function .BR universal-argument . "C-x C-r" is bound to the function .BR re-read-init-file , and "ESC [ 1 1 ~" is bound to insert the text .BR "Function Key 1" . The full set of GNU Emacs style escape sequences is

\C-

control prefix

\M-

meta prefix

\e

an escape character

\\

backslash

\"

literal "

\'

literal '

In addition to the GNU Emacs style escape sequences, a second set of backslash escapes is available:

\a

alert (bell)

\b

backspace

\d

delete

\f

form feed

\n

newline

\r

carriage return

\t

horizontal tab

\v

vertical tab

\nnn\fP

the character whose ASCII code is the octal value nnn\fP (one to three digits)

\xnnn\fP

the character whose ASCII code is the hexadecimal value nnn\fP (one to three digits)

When entering the text of a macro, single or double quotes must be used to indicate a macro definition. Unquoted text is assumed to be a function name. In the macro body, the backslash escapes described above are expanded. Backslash will quote any other character in the macro text, including " and '.

Bash allows the current readline key bindings to be displayed or modified with the bind builtin command. The editing mode may be switched during interactive use by using the -o option to the set builtin command (see .SM SHELL BUILTIN COMMANDS below).

Up Next Previous

Web:  http://shell.tjgy.com
Email:support@tjgy.com