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editline(7)          BSD Miscellaneous Information Manual          editline(7)


NAME

     editline -- line editing user interface


DESCRIPTION

     When a program using the editline(7) library prompts for an input string
     using the function el_wgets(3), it reads characters from the terminal.
     Invalid input bytes that do not form characters are silently discarded.
     For each character read, one editor command is executed.  The mapping of
     input characters to editor commands depends on the editing mode.  There
     are three editing modes: vi insert mode, vi command mode, and emacs mode.
     The default is vi insert mode.  The program can switch the default to
     emacs mode by using the el_set(3) or el_parse(3) functions, and the user
     can switch to emacs mode either in the editrc(5) configuration file or
     interactively with the ed-command editor command, in all three cases exe-
     cuting the bind -e builtin command.

     If trying to read from the terminal results in end of file or an error,
     the library signals end of file to the program and does not return a
     string.

   Input character bindings
     All default bindings described below can be overridden by individual pro-
     grams and can be changed with the editrc(5) bind builtin command.

     In the following tables, `Ctrl-' indicates a character with the bit 0x40
     flipped, and `Meta-' indicates a character with the bit 0x80 set.  In vi
     insert mode and in emacs mode, all Meta-characters considered printable
     by the current locale(1) are bound to ed-insert instead of to the editor
     command listed below.  Consequently, in UTF-8 mode, most of the Meta-
     characters are not directly accessible because their code points are
     occupied by printable Unicode characters, and Meta-characters are usually
     input using the em-meta-next editor command.  For example, to enter
     `Meta-B' in order to call the ed-prev-word editor command in emacs mode,
     call em-meta-next by pressing and releasing the escape key (or equiva-
     lently, Ctrl-[), then press and release the `B' key.  If you have config-
     ured a Meta-key on your keyboard, for example with `setxkbmap -option
     altwin:left_meta_win', the Ctrl-Meta-characters are directly accessible.
     For example, to enter `Ctrl-Meta-H' in order to call the
     ed-delete-prev-word editor command in emacs mode, hold down the keys
     `Ctrl', `Meta', and `H' at the same time.  Alternatively, press and
     release the escape key, then press and release `Ctrl-H'.

     In vi input mode, input characters are bound to the following editor com-
     mands by default:

           Ctrl-D, EOF     vi-list-or-eof
           Ctrl-H, BS      vi-delete-prev-char
           Ctrl-J, LF      ed-newline
           Ctrl-M, CR      ed-newline
           Ctrl-Q          ed-tty-start-output
           Ctrl-S          ed-tty-stop-output
           Ctrl-U          vi-kill-line-prev
           Ctrl-V          ed-quoted-insert
           Ctrl-W          ed-delete-prev-word
           Ctrl-[, ESC     vi-command-mode
           Ctrl-\, QUIT    ed-tty-sigquit
           Ctrl-?, DEL     vi-delete-prev-char

     All other input characters except the NUL character (Ctrl-@) are bound to
     ed-insert.

     In vi command mode, input characters are bound to the following editor
     commands by default:

           Ctrl-A          ed-move-to-beg
           Ctrl-C, INT     ed-tty-sigint
           Ctrl-E          ed-move-to-end
           Ctrl-H, BS      ed-delete-prev-char
           Ctrl-J, LF      ed-newline
           Ctrl-K          ed-kill-line
           Ctrl-L, FF      ed-clear-screen
           Ctrl-M, CR      ed-newline
           Ctrl-N          ed-next-history
           Ctrl-O          ed-tty-flush-output
           Ctrl-P          ed-prev-history
           Ctrl-Q          ed-tty-start-output
           Ctrl-R          ed-redisplay
           Ctrl-S          ed-tty-stop-output
           Ctrl-U          vi-kill-line-prev
           Ctrl-W          ed-delete-prev-word
           Ctrl-[, ESC     em-meta-next
           Ctrl-\, QUIT    ed-tty-sigquit
           Space           ed-next-char
           #               vi-comment-out
           $               ed-move-to-end
           %               vi-match
           +               ed-next-history
           ,               vi-repeat-prev-char
           -               ed-prev-history
           .               vi-redo
           /               vi-search-prev
           0               vi-zero
           1 to 9          ed-argument-digit
           :               ed-command
           ;               vi-repeat-next-char
           ?               vi-search-next
           @               vi-alias
           A               vi-add-at-eol
           B               vi-prev-big-word
           C               vi-change-to-eol
           D               ed-kill-line
           E               vi-end-big-word
           F               vi-prev-char
           G               vi-to-history-line
           I               vi-insert-at-bol
           J               ed-search-next-history
           K               ed-search-prev-history
           N               vi-repeat-search-prev
           O               ed-sequence-lead-in
           P               vi-paste-prev
           R               vi-replace-mode
           S               vi-substitute-line
           T               vi-to-prev-char
           U               vi-undo-line
           W               vi-next-big-word
           X               ed-delete-prev-char
           Y               vi-yank-end
           [               ed-sequence-lead-in
           ^               ed-move-to-beg
           _               vi-history-word
           a               vi-add
           b               vi-prev-word
           c               vi-change-meta
           d               vi-delete-meta
           e               vi-end-word
           f               vi-next-char
           h               ed-prev-char
           i               vi-insert
           j               ed-next-history
           k               ed-prev-history
           l               ed-next-char
           n               vi-repeat-search-next
           p               vi-paste-next
           r               vi-replace-char
           s               vi-substitute-char
           t               vi-to-next-char
           u               vi-undo
           v               vi-histedit
           w               vi-next-word
           x               ed-delete-next-char
           y               vi-yank
           |               vi-to-column
           ~               vi-change-case
           Ctrl-?, DEL     ed-delete-prev-char
           Meta-O          ed-sequence-lead-in
           Meta-[          ed-sequence-lead-in

     In emacs mode, input characters are bound to the following editor com-
     mands by default:

           0 to 9          ed-digit
           Ctrl-@, NUL     em-set-mark
           Ctrl-A          ed-move-to-beg
           Ctrl-B          ed-prev-char
           Ctrl-C, INT     ed-tty-sigint
           Ctrl-D, EOF     em-delete-or-list
           Ctrl-E          ed-move-to-end
           Ctrl-F          ed-next-char
           Ctrl-H, BS      em-delete-prev-char
           Ctrl-J, LF      ed-newline
           Ctrl-K          ed-kill-line
           Ctrl-L, FF      ed-clear-screen
           Ctrl-M, CR      ed-newline
           Ctrl-N          ed-next-history
           Ctrl-O          ed-tty-flush-output
           Ctrl-P          ed-prev-history
           Ctrl-Q          ed-tty-start-output
           Ctrl-R          ed-redisplay
           Ctrl-S          ed-tty-stop-output
           Ctrl-T          ed-transpose-chars
           Ctrl-U          ed-kill-line
           Ctrl-V          ed-quoted-insert
           Ctrl-W          em-kill-region
           Ctrl-X          ed-sequence-lead-in
           Ctrl-Y          em-yank
           Ctrl-Z, TSTP    ed-tty-sigtstp
           Ctrl-[, ESC     em-meta-next
           Ctrl-\, QUIT    ed-tty-sigquit
           Ctrl-]          ed-tty-dsusp
           Ctrl-?, DEL     em-delete-prev-char
           Ctrl-Meta-H     ed-delete-prev-word
           Ctrl-Meta-L     ed-clear-screen
           Ctrl-Meta-_     em-copy-prev-word
           Meta-0 to 9     ed-argument-digit
           Meta-B          ed-prev-word
           Meta-C          em-capitol-case
           Meta-D          em-delete-next-word
           Meta-F          em-next-word
           Meta-L          em-lower-case
           Meta-N          ed-search-next-history
           Meta-O          ed-sequence-lead-in
           Meta-P          ed-search-prev-history
           Meta-U          em-upper-case
           Meta-W          em-copy-region
           Meta-X          ed-command
           Meta-[          ed-sequence-lead-in
           Meta-b          ed-prev-word
           Meta-c          em-capitol-case
           Meta-d          em-delete-next-word
           Meta-f          em-next-word
           Meta-l          em-lower-case
           Meta-n          ed-search-next-history
           Meta-p          ed-search-prev-history
           Meta-u          em-upper-case
           Meta-w          em-copy-region
           Meta-x          ed-command
           Ctrl-Meta-?     ed-delete-prev-word

     The remaining ascii(7) characters in the range 0x20 to 0x7e are bound to
     ed-insert.

     If standard output is not connected to a terminal device or el_set(3) was
     used to set EL_EDITMODE to 0, all input character bindings are disabled
     and all characters typed are appended to the edit buffer.  In that case,
     the edit buffer is returned to the program after a newline or carriage
     return character is typed, or after the first character typed if
     el_set(3) was used to set EL_UNBUFFERED to non-zero.

   Editor commands
     Most editor commands accept an optional argument.  The argument is
     entered by prefixing the editor command with one or more of the editor
     commands ed-argument-digit, ed-digit, em-universal-argument, or vi-zero.
     When an argument is not provided, it defaults to 1.  For most editor com-
     mands, the effect of an argument is to repeatedly execute the command
     that number of times.

     When talking about a character string from a left character to a right
     character, the left character is included in the string, while the right
     character is not included.

     If an editor command causes an error, the input character is discarded,
     no action occurs, and the terminal bell is rung.  In case of a non-fatal
     error, the terminal bell is also rung, but the editor command takes
     effect anyway.

     In the following list, the default key bindings are listed after each
     editor command.

     ed-argument-digit (vi command: 1 to 9; emacs: Meta-0 to Meta-9)
           If in argument input mode, append the input digit to the argument
           being read.  Otherwise, switch to argument input mode and use the
           input digit as the most significant digit of the argument.  It is
           an error if the input character is not a digit or if the existing
           argument is already greater than a million.

     ed-clear-screen (vi command: Ctrl-L; emacs: Ctrl-L, Ctrl-Meta-L)
           Clear the screen and display the edit buffer at the top.  Ignore
           any argument.

     ed-command (vi command: `:'; emacs: Meta-X, Meta-x)
           Read a line from the terminal bypassing the normal line editing
           functionality and execute that line as an editrc(5) builtin com-
           mand.  If in vi command mode, also switch back to vi insert mode.
           Ignore any argument.

     ed-delete-next-char (vi command: x)
           Delete the character at the cursor position.  With an argument,
           delete that number of characters.  In emacs mode, it is an error if
           the cursor is at the end of the edit buffer.  In vi mode, the last
           character in the edit buffer is deleted in that case, and it is an
           error if the buffer is empty.

     ed-delete-prev-char (vi command: X, Ctrl-H, BS, Ctrl-?, DEL)
           Delete the character to the left of the cursor position.  With an
           argument, delete that number of characters.  It is an error if the
           cursor is at the beginning of the edit buffer.

     ed-delete-prev-word (vi: Ctrl-W; emacs: Ctrl-Meta-H, Ctrl-Meta-?)
           Move to the left to the closest beginning of a word, delete the
           string from that position to the cursor, and save it to the cut
           buffer.  With an argument, delete that number of words.  It is an
           error if the cursor is at the beginning of the edit buffer.

     ed-digit (emacs: 0 to 9)
           If in argument input mode, append the input digit to the argument
           being read.  Otherwise, call ed-insert.  It is an error if the
           input character is not a digit or if the existing argument is
           already greater than a million.

     ed-end-of-file (not bound by default)
           Discard the edit buffer and indicate end of file to the program.
           Ignore any argument.

     ed-ignore (various)
           Discard the input character and do nothing.

     ed-insert (vi input: almost all; emacs: printable characters)
           In insert mode, insert the input character left of the cursor posi-
           tion.  In replace mode, overwrite the character at the cursor and
           move the cursor to the right by one character position.  Accept an
           argument to do this repeatedly.  It is an error if the input char-
           acter is the NUL character (Ctrl-@).  Failure to enlarge the edit
           buffer also results in an error.

     ed-kill-line (vi command: D, Ctrl-K; emacs: Ctrl-K, Ctrl-U)
           Delete the string from the cursor position to the end of the line
           and save it to the cut buffer.  Ignore any argument.

     ed-move-to-beg (vi command: ^, Ctrl-A; emacs: Ctrl-A)
           In vi mode, move the cursor to the first non-space character in the
           edit buffer.  In emacs mode, move the cursor to the beginning of
           the edit buffer.  Ignore any argument.  Can be used as a movement
           command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.

     ed-move-to-end (vi command: $, Ctrl-E; emacs: Ctrl-E)
           Move the cursor to the end of the edit buffer.  Ignore any argu-
           ment.  Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.

     ed-newline (all modes: Ctrl-J, LF, Ctrl-M, CR)
           Append a newline character to the edit buffer and return the edit
           buffer to the program.  Ignore any argument.

     ed-next-char (vi command: Space, l; emacs: Ctrl-F)
           Move the cursor one character position to the right.  With an argu-
           ment, move by that number of characters.  Can be used as a movement
           command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  It is an
           error if the cursor is already at the end of the edit buffer.

     ed-next-history (vi command: j, +, Ctrl-N; emacs: Ctrl-N)
           Replace the edit buffer with the next history line.  That line is
           older than the current line.  With an argument, go forward by that
           number of history lines.  It is a non-fatal error to advance by
           more lines than are available.

     ed-next-line (not bound by default)
           Move the cursor down one line.  With an argument, move down by that
           number of lines.  It is an error if the edit buffer does not con-
           tain enough newline characters to the right of the cursor position.

     ed-prev-char (vi command: h; emacs: Ctrl-B)
           Move the cursor one character position to the left.  With an argu-
           ment, move by that number of characters.  Can be used as a movement
           command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  It is an
           error if the cursor is already at the beginning of the edit buffer.

     ed-prev-history (vi command: k, -, Ctrl-P; emacs: Ctrl-P)
           Replace the edit buffer with the previous history line.  That line
           is newer than the current line.  With an argument, go back by that
           number of lines.  It is a non-fatal error to back up by more lines
           than are available.

     ed-prev-line (not bound by default)
           Move the cursor up one line.  With an argument, move up by that
           number of lines.  It is an error if the edit buffer does not con-
           tain enough newline characters to the left of the cursor position.

     ed-prev-word (emacs: Meta-B, Meta-b)
           Move the cursor to the left to the closest beginning of a word.
           With an argument, repeat that number of times.  Can be used as a
           movement command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.
           It is an error if the cursor is already at the beginning of the
           edit buffer.

     ed-quoted-insert (vi insert, emacs: Ctrl-V)
           Read one character from the terminal bypassing the normal line
           editing functionality and call ed-insert on it.  If trying to read
           the character returns end of file or an error, call ed-end-of-file
           instead.

     ed-redisplay (vi command, emacs: Ctrl-R)
           Redisplay everything.  Ignore any argument.

     ed-search-next-history (vi command: J; emacs: Meta-N, Meta-n)
           Replace the edit buffer with the next matching history entry.

     ed-search-prev-history (vi command: K; emacs: Meta-P, Meta-p)
           Replace the edit buffer with the previous matching history entry.

     ed-sequence-lead-in (vi cmd: O, [; emacs: Ctrl-X; both: Meta-O, Meta-[)
           Call a macro.  See the section about Macros below for details.

     ed-start-over (not bound by default)
           Discard the contents of the edit buffer and start from scratch.
           Ignore any argument.

     ed-transpose-chars (emacs: Ctrl-T)
           Exchange the character at the cursor position with the one to the
           left of it and move the cursor to the character to the right of the
           two exchanged characters.  Ignore any argument.  It is an error if
           the cursor is at the beginning of the edit buffer or if the edit
           buffer contains less than two characters.

     ed-unassigned (all characters not listed)
           This editor command always results in an error.

     em-capitol-case (emacs: Meta-C, Meta-c)
           Capitalize the string from the cursor to the end of the current
           word.  That is, if it contains at least one alphabetic character,
           convert the first alphabetic character to upper case, and convert
           all characters to the right of it to lower case.  In any case, move
           the cursor to the next character after the end of the current word.

     em-copy-prev-word (emacs: Ctrl-Meta-_)
           Copy the string from the beginning of the current word to the cur-
           sor and insert it to the left of the cursor.  Move the cursor to
           the character after the inserted string.  It is an error if the
           cursor is at the beginning of the edit buffer.

     em-copy-region (emacs: Meta-W, Meta-w)
           Copy the string from the cursor to the mark to the cut buffer.  It
           is an error if the mark is not set.

     em-delete-next-word (emacs: Meta-D, Meta-d)
           Delete the string from the cursor to the end of the current word
           and save it to the cut buffer.  It is an error if the cursor is at
           the end of the edit buffer.

     em-delete-or-list (emacs: Ctrl-D, EOF)
           If the cursor is not at the end of the line, delete the character
           at the cursor.  If the edit buffer is empty, indicate end of file
           to the program.  It is an error if the cursor is at the end of the
           edit buffer and the edit buffer is not empty.

     em-delete-prev-char (emacs: Ctrl-H, BS, Ctrl-?, DEL)
           Delete the character to the left of the cursor.  It is an error if
           the cursor is at the beginning of the edit buffer.

     em-exchange-mark (not bound by default)
           Exchange the cursor and the mark.

     em-gosmacs-transpose (not bound by default)
           Exchange the two characters to the left of the cursor.  It is an
           error if the cursor is on the first or second character of the edit
           buffer.

     em-inc-search-next (not bound by default)
           Emacs incremental next search.

     em-inc-search-prev (not bound by default)
           Emacs incremental reverse search.

     em-kill-line (not bound by default)
           Delete the entire contents of the edit buffer and save it to the
           cut buffer.

     em-kill-region (emacs: Ctrl-W)
           Delete the string from the cursor to the mark and save it to the
           cut buffer.  It is an error if the mark is not set.

     em-lower-case (emacs: Meta-L, Meta-l)
           Convert the characters from the cursor to the end of the current
           word to lower case.

     em-meta-next (vi command, emacs: Ctrl-[, ESC)
           Set the bit 0x80 on the next character typed.  Unless the resulting
           code point is printable, holding down the `Meta-' key while typing
           that character is a simpler way to achieve the same effect.

     em-next-word (Meta-F, Meta-f)
           Move the cursor to the end of the current word.  Can be used as a
           movement command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.
           It is an error if the cursor is already at the end of the edit
           buffer.

     em-set-mark (emacs: Ctrl-Q, NUL)
           Set the mark at the current cursor position.

     em-toggle-overwrite (not bound by default)
           Switch from insert to overwrite mode or vice versa.

     em-universal-argument (not bound by default)
           If in argument input mode, multiply the argument by 4.  Otherwise,
           switch to argument input mode and set the argument to 4.  It is an
           error if the existing argument is already greater than a million.

     em-upper-case (emacs: Meta-U, Meta-u)
           Convert the characters from the cursor to the end of the current
           word to upper case.

     em-yank (emacs: Ctrl-Y)
           Paste the cut buffer to the left of the cursor.

     vi-add (vi command: a)
           Switch to vi insert mode.  Unless the cursor is already at the end
           of the edit buffer, move it one character position to the right.

     vi-add-at-eol (vi command: A)
           Switch to vi insert mode and move the cursor to the end of the edit
           buffer.

     vi-alias (vi command: @)
           If an alias function was defined by calling the el_set(3) or
           el_wset(3) function with the argument EL_ALIAS_TEXT, read one char-
           acter from the terminal bypassing the normal line editing function-
           ality, call the alias function passing the argument that was speci-
           fied with EL_ALIAS_TEXT as the first argument and the character
           read, with an underscore prepended, as the second argument, and
           pass the string returned from the alias function to el_wpush(3).
           It is an error if no alias function is defined or if trying to read
           the character results in end of file or an error.

     vi-change-case (vi command: ~)
           Change the case of the character at the cursor and move the cursor
           one character position to the right.  It is an error if the cursor
           is already at the end of the edit buffer.

     vi-change-meta (vi command: c)
           Delete the string from the cursor to the position specified by the
           following movement command and save a copy of it to the cut buffer.
           When given twice in a row, instead delete the whole contents of the
           edit buffer and save a copy of it to the cut buffer.  In either
           case, switch to vi insert mode after that.

     vi-change-to-eol (vi command: C)
           Delete the string from the cursor position to the end of the line
           and save it to the cut buffer, then switch to vi insert mode.

     vi-command-mode (vi insert: Ctrl-[, ESC)
           Discard pending actions and arguments and switch to vi command
           mode.  Unless the cursor is already at the beginning of the edit
           buffer, move it to the left by one character position.

     vi-comment-out (vi command: #)
           Insert a `#' character at the beginning of the edit buffer and
           return the edit buffer to the program.

     vi-delete-meta (vi command: d)
           Delete the string from the cursor to the position specified by the
           following movement command and save a copy of it to the cut buffer.
           When given twice in a row, instead delete the whole contents of the
           edit buffer and save a copy of it to the cut buffer.

     vi-delete-prev-char (vi insert: Ctrl-H, BS, Ctrl-?, DEL)
           Delete the character to the left of the cursor.  It is an error if
           the cursor is already at the beginning of the edit buffer.

     vi-end-big-word (vi command: E)
           Move the cursor to the end of the current space delimited word.
           Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  It is an error if the cursor is
           already at the end of the edit buffer.

     vi-end-word (vi command: e)
           Move the cursor to the end of the current word.  Can be used as a
           movement command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.
           It is an error if the cursor is already at the end of the edit
           buffer.

     vi-history-word (vi command: _)
           Insert the first word from the most recent history entry after the
           cursor, move the cursor after to the character after the inserted
           word, and switch to vi insert mode.  It is an error if there is no
           history entry or the most recent history entry is empty.

     vi-insert (vi command: i)
           Enter insert mode.

     vi-insert-at-bol (vi command: I)
           Move the cursor to the beginning of the edit buffer and switch to
           vi insert mode.

     vi-kill-line-prev (vi: Ctrl-U)
           Delete the string from the beginning of the edit buffer to the cur-
           sor and save it to the cut buffer.

     vi-list-or-eof (vi insert: Ctrl-D, EOF)
           If the edit buffer is empty, indicate end of file to the program.
           It is an error if the edit buffer is not empty.

     vi-match (vi command: %)
           Consider opening and closing parentheses, braces, and brackets as
           delimiters.  If the cursor is not at a delimiter, move it to the
           right until it gets to one, then move it to the matching delimiter.
           Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  It is an error if there is no delim-
           iter at the cursor or in the string to the right of the cursor, or
           if the first such delimiter has no matching delimiter.

     vi-next-big-word (vi command: W)
           Move the cursor to the right to the beginning of the next space
           delimited word.  Can be used as a movement command after
           vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  It is an error if the
           cursor is already at the end of the edit buffer or on its last
           character.

     vi-next-char (vi command: f)
           Read one character from the terminal bypassing the normal line
           editing functionality and move the cursor to the right to the next
           instance of that character in the edit buffer.  Can be used as a
           movement command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.
           If trying to read the character results in end of file or an error,
           call ed-end-of-file instead.  It is an error if the character is
           not found searching to the right in the edit buffer.

     vi-next-word (vi command: w)
           Move the cursor to the right to the beginning of the next word.
           Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  It is an error if the cursor is
           already at the end of the edit buffer or on its last character.

     vi-paste-next (vi command: p)
           Insert a copy of the cut buffer to the right of the cursor.  It is
           an error if the cut buffer is empty.

     vi-paste-prev (vi command: P)
           Insert a copy of the cut buffer to the left of the cursor.  It is
           an error if the cut buffer is empty.

     vi-prev-big-word (vi command: B)
           Move the cursor to the left to the next beginning of a space delim-
           ited word.  Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  It is an error if the cursor is
           already at the beginning of the edit buffer.

     vi-prev-char (vi command: F)
           Read one character from the terminal bypassing the normal line
           editing functionality and move the cursor to the left to the next
           instance of that character in the edit buffer.  Can be used as a
           movement command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.
           If trying to read the character results in end of file or an error,
           call ed-end-of-file instead.  It is an error if the character is
           not found searching to the left in the edit buffer.

     vi-prev-word (vi command: b)
           Move the cursor to the left to the next beginning of a word.  Can
           be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta,
           or vi_yank.  It is an error if the cursor is already at the begin-
           ning of the edit buffer.

     vi-redo (vi command: `.')
           Redo the last non-motion command.

     vi-repeat-next-char (vi command: `;')
           Repeat the most recent character search in the same search direc-
           tion.  Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.

     vi-repeat-prev-char (vi command: `,')
           Repeat the most recent character search in the opposite search
           direction.  Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.

     vi-repeat-search-next (vi command: n)
           Repeat the most recent history search in the same search direction.

     vi-repeat-search-prev (vi command: N)
           Repeat the most recent history search in the opposite search direc-
           tion.

     vi-replace-char (vi command: r)
           Switch to vi replace mode, and automatically switch back to vi com-
           mand mode after the next character typed.  See ed-insert for a
           description of replace mode.  It is an error if the cursor is at
           the end of the edit buffer.

     vi-replace-mode (vi command: R)
           Switch to vi replace mode.  This is a variant of vi insert mode;
           see ed-insert for the difference.

     vi-search-next (vi command: ?)
           Replace the edit buffer with the next matching history entry.

     vi-search-prev (vi command: /)
           Replace the edit buffer with the previous matching history entry.

     vi-substitute-char (vi command: s)
           Delete the character at the cursor and switch to vi insert mode.

     vi-substitute-line (vi command: S)
           Delete the entire contents of the edit buffer, save a copy of it in
           the cut buffer, and enter vi insert mode.

     vi-to-column (vi command: |)
           Move the cursor to the column specified as the argument.  Can be
           used as a movement command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or
           vi_yank.

     vi-to-history-line (vi command: G)
           Replace the edit buffer with the specified history entry.

     vi-to-next-char (vi command: t)
           Read one character from the terminal bypassing the normal line
           editing functionality and move the cursor to the right to the char-
           acter before the next instance of that character in the edit
           buffer.  Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  If trying to read the character
           results in end of file or an error, call ed-end-of-file instead.
           It is an error if the character is not found searching to the right
           in the edit buffer.

     vi-to-prev-char (vi command: T)
           Read one character from the terminal bypassing the normal line
           editing functionality and move the cursor to the left to the char-
           acter after the next instance of that character in the edit buffer.
           Can be used as a movement command after vi_change_meta,
           vi_delete_meta, or vi_yank.  If trying to read the character
           results in end of file or an error, call ed-end-of-file instead.
           It is an error if the character is not found searching to the left
           in the edit buffer.

     vi-undo (vi command: u)
           Undo the last change.

     vi-undo-line (vi command: U)
           Undo all changes to the edit buffer.

     vi-yank (vi command: y)
           Copy the string from the cursor to the position specified by the
           following movement command to the cut buffer.  When given twice in
           a row, instead copy the whole contents of the edit buffer to the
           cut buffer.

     vi-yank-end (vi command: Y)
           Copy the string from the cursor to the end of the edit buffer to
           the cut buffer.

     vi-zero (vi command: 0)
           If in argument input mode, multiply the argument by ten.  Other-
           wise, move the cursor to the beginning of the edit buffer.  Can be
           used as a movement command after vi_change_meta, vi_delete_meta, or
           vi_yank.

   Macros
     If an input character is bound to the editor command ed-sequence-lead-in,
     editline attempts to call a macro.  If the input character by itself
     forms the name of a macro, that macro is executed.  Otherwise, additional
     input characters are read until the string read forms the name of a
     macro, in which case that macro is executed, or until the string read
     matches the beginning of none of the existing macro names, in which case
     the string including the final, mismatching character is discarded and
     the terminal bell is rung.

     There are two kinds of macros.  Command macros execute a single editor
     command.  Keyboard macros return a string of characters that is appended
     as a new line to the Input Queue.

     The following command macros are defined by default in vi command mode
     and in emacs mode:

           Esc [ A, Esc O A    ed-prev-history
           Esc [ B, Esc O B    ed-next-history
           Esc [ C, Esc O C    ed-next-char
           Esc [ D, Esc O D    ed-prev-char
           Esc [ F, Esc O F    ed-move-to-end
           Esc [ H, Esc O H    ed-move-to-beg

     In vi command mode, they are also defined by default without the initial
     escape character.

     In addition, the editline library tries to bind the strings generated by
     the arrow keys as reported by the terminfo(5) database to these editor
     commands, unless that would clobber user settings.

     In emacs mode, the two-character string ``Ctrl-X Ctrl-X'' is bound to the
     em-exchange-mark editor command.

   Input Queue
     The editline library maintains an input queue operated in FIFO mode.
     Whenever it needs an input character, it takes the first character from
     the first line of the input queue.  When the queue is empty, it reads
     from the terminal.

     A line can be appended to the end of the input queue in several ways:

           -   By calling one of the keyboard Macros.

           -   By calling the editor command vi-redo.

           -   By calling the editor command vi-alias.

           -   By pressing a key in emacs incremental search mode that doesn't
               have a special meaning in that mode but returns to normal emacs
               mode.

           -   If an application program directly calls the functions
               el_push(3) or el_wpush(3), it can provide additional, program-
               specific ways of appending to the input queue.


SEE ALSO

     editline(7), el_wgets(3), el_wpush(3), el_wset(3),
     editrc(5)


HISTORY

     This manual page first appeared in OpenBSD 6.0 and NetBSD 8.


AUTHORS

     This manual page was written by Ingo Schwarze <schwarze@openbsd.org>.

BSD                               May 7, 2016                              BSD

libedit 20160618-3.1 - Generated Thu Jun 30 18:10:18 CDT 2016
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