EDITLINE(3)                                                  Library Functions Manual                                                  EDITLINE(3)

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  dis-
       play 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>.

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