mirror of
https://github.com/troglobit/editline.git
synced 2025-05-05 20:11:12 +08:00
Major update of man page, exand on APIs and history of library
- Convert from obtruse troff syntax to simpler mdoc format - Add history APIs, most relevant extra APIs available - Expand on the history of the library - Rewrite some sections for accessiblilty Signed-off-by: Joachim Nilsson <troglobit@gmail.com>
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man/editline.3
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man/editline.3
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.TH EDITLINE 3
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.SH NAME
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editline \- command-line editing library with history
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.SH SYNOPSIS
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.nf
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.B "char *readline(char *prompt);"
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.fi
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.SH DESCRIPTION
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.I Editline
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is a library that provides an line-editing interface with history.
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It is intended to be functionally equivalent with the
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.I readline
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library provided by the Free Software Foundation, but much smaller.
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The bulk of this manual page describes the user interface.
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.PP
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.Dd April 27, 2019
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.Dt EDITLINE 3
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.Os
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.Sh NAME
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.Nm editline
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.Nd command-line editing library with history
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.Sh LIBRARY
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.Lb libeditline
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.Sh SYNOPSIS
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.In editline.h
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.Fn "char *readline" "const char *prompt"
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.Fn "void add_history" "const char *line"
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.Fn "int read_history" "const char *filename"
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.Fn "int write_history" "const char *filename"
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.Sh DESCRIPTION
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.Nm
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is a library that provides n line-editing interface with history. It
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is intended to be functionally equivalent with the
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.Nm readline
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library provided by the Free Software Foundation, but much smaller. The
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bulk of this manual page describes the basic user interface. More APIs,
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both native and for
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.Nm readline
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compatibility ,
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are also available. See the
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.Cm editline.h
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header file for details.
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.Pp
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The
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.I readline()
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.Fn readline
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function displays the given
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.I prompt
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on stdout, waits for user input on stdin and then
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returns a line of text with the trailing newline removed. The data is returned in a
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buffer allocated with
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.IR malloc (3),
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.Fa prompt
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on stdout, waits for user input on stdin and then returns a line of text
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with the trailing newline removed. The data is returned in a buffer
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allocated with
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.Xr malloc 3 ,
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so the space should be released with
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.IR free (3)
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.Xr free 3
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when the calling program is done with it.
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.PP
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Each line returned is copied to the internal history list, unless it happens
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to be equal to the previous line. This is configurable if you are building editline
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from source.
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.SS User Interface
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A program that uses this library provides a simple emacs-like editing interface to
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its users. A line may be edited before it is sent to the calling program by typing
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either control characters or escape sequences. A control character, shown as a caret
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followed by a letter, is typed by holding down the ``control'' key while the letter
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is typed. For example, ``^A'' is a control-A. An escape sequence is entered by
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typing the ``escape'' key followed by one or more characters. The escape key is
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abbreviated as ``ESC''. Note that unlike control keys, case matters in escape
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sequences; ``ESC\ F'' is not the same as ``ESC\ f''.
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.PP
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An editing command may be typed anywhere on the line, not just at the beginning. In
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addition, a return may also be typed anywhere on the line, not just at the end.
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.PP
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.Pp
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Each line returned is automatically saved in the internal history list,
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unless it happens to be equal to the previous line. This is
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configurable if you are building editline from source, i.e. if you would
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rather like to call
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.Fn add_history
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manually.
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.Pp
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The
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.Fn read_history
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and
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.Fn write_history
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functions can be used to load and store the history of your application.
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.Em Note:
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these APIs do not do any tilde or environment variable expansion of the
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given filename.
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.Ss User Interface
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A program that uses this library provides a simple emacs-like editing
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interface to its users. A line may be edited before it is sent to the
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calling program by typing either control characters or escape sequences.
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A control character, shown as a caret followed by a letter, is typed by
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holding down the control key while the letter is typed. For example,
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.Cm ^A
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is a control-A. An escape sequence is entered by typing the escape key
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followed by one or more characters. The escape key is abbreviated as
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.Cm ESC .
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Note that unlike control keys, case matters in escape sequences;
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.Cm ESC F
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is not the same as
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.Cm ESC f .
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.Pp
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An editing command may be typed anywhere on the line, not just at the
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beginning. In addition, a return may also be typed anywhere on the
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line, not just at the end.
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.Pp
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Most editing commands may be given a repeat count,
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.IR n ,
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.Ar n ,
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where
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.I n
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is a number.
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To enter a repeat count, type the escape key, the number, and then
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the command to execute.
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For example, ``ESC\ 4\ ^f'' moves forward four characters.
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If a command may be given a repeat count then the text ``[n]'' is given at the
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end of its description.
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.PP
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.Ar n
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is a number. To enter a repeat count, type the escape key, the number,
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and then the command to execute. For example,
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.Cm ESC 4 ^f
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moves forward four characters. If a command may be given a repeat count
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then the text
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.Cm [n]
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is given at the end of its description.
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.Pp
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The following control characters are accepted:
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.RS
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.nf
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.ta \w'ESC DEL 'u
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^A Move to the beginning of the line
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^B Move left (backwards) [n]
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^D Delete character [n]
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^E Move to end of line
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^F Move right (forwards) [n]
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^G Ring the bell
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^H Delete character before cursor (backspace key) [n]
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^I Complete filename (tab key); see below
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^J Done with line (return key)
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^K Kill to end of line (or column [n])
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^L Redisplay line
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^M Done with line (alternate return key)
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^N Get next line from history [n]
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^P Get previous line from history [n]
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^R Search backward (forward if [n]) through history for
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\& text; must start line if text begins with an uparrow
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^T Transpose characters
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^V Insert next character, even if it is an edit command
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^W Wipe to the mark
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^X^X Exchange current location and mark
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^Y Yank back last killed text
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^[ Start an escape sequence (escape key)
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^]c Move forward to next character ``c''
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^? Delete character before cursor (delete key) [n]
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.fi
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.RE
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.PP
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The following escape sequences are provided.
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.RS
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.nf
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.ta \w'ESC DEL 'u
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ESC\ ^H Delete previous word (backspace key) [n]
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ESC\ DEL Delete previous word (delete key) [n]
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ESC\ SP Set the mark (space key); see ^X^X and ^Y above
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ESC\ \. Get the last (or [n]'th) word from previous line
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ESC\ ? Show possible completions; see below
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ESC\ < Move to start of history
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ESC\ > Move to end of history
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ESC\ b Move backward a word [n]
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ESC\ d Delete word under cursor [n]
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ESC\ f Move forward a word [n]
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ESC\ l Make word lowercase [n]
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ESC\ m Toggle if 8bit chars display normally or with an
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\& ``M\-'' prefix
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ESC\ u Make word uppercase [n]
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ESC\ y Yank back last killed text
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ESC\ v Show library version
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ESC\ w Make area up to mark yankable
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ESC\ nn Set repeat count to the number nn
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ESC\ C Read from environment variable ``_C_'', where C is
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\& an uppercase letter
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.fi
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.RE
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.PP
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.Pp
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.Bl -tag -width "ESC DEL " -compact
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.It ^A
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Move to the beginning of the line
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.It ^B
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Move left (backwards) [n]
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.It ^D
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Delete character [n]
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.It ^E
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Move to end of line
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.It ^F
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Move right (forwards) [n]
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.It ^G
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Ring the bell
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.It ^H
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Delete character before cursor (backspace key) [n]
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.It ^I
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Complete filename (tab key); see below
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.It ^J
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Done with line (return key)
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.It ^K
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Kill to end of line (or column [n])
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.It ^L
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Redisplay line
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.It ^M
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Done with line (alternate return key)
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.It ^N
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Get next line from history [n]
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.It ^P
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Get previous line from history [n]
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.It ^R
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Search backward (forward if [n]) through history for text; prefixing the
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string with a caret (^) forces it to match only at the beginning of a
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history line
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.It ^T
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Transpose characters
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.It ^V
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Insert next character, even if it is an edit command
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.It ^W
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Wipe to the mark
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.It ^X^X
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Exchange current location and mark
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.It ^Y
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Yank back last killed text
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.It ^[
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Start an escape sequence (escape key)
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.It ^]c
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Move forward to next character
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.Cm c
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.It ^?
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Delete character before cursor (delete key) [n]
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.El
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.Pp
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The following escape sequences are provided:
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.Pp
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.Bl -tag -width "ESC DEL " -compact
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.It ESC ^H
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Delete previous word (backspace key) [n]
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.It ESC DEL
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Delete previous word (delete key) [n]
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.It ESC SP
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Set the mark (space key); see ^X^X and ^Y above
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.It ESC\ .
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Get the last (or [n]'th) word from previous line
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.It ESC\ ?
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Show possible completions; see below
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.It ESC <
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Move to start of history
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.It ESC >
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Move to end of history
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.It ESC b
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Move backward a word [n]
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.It ESC d
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Delete word under cursor [n]
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.It ESC f
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Move forward a word [n]
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.It ESC l
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Make word lowercase [n]
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.It ESC m
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Toggle if 8bit chars display normally or with an
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.Ar M-
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prefix
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.It ESC u
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Make word uppercase [n]
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.It ESC y
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Yank back last killed text
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.It ESC v
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Show library version
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.It ESC w
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Make area up to mark yankable
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.It ESC nn
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Set repeat count to the number nn
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.It ESC C
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Read from environment variable
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.Ar $C ,
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where
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.Ar C
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is an uppercase letter
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.El
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.Pp
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The
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.I editline
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library has a small macro facility.
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If you type the escape key followed by an uppercase letter,
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.IR C ,
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.Nm
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library has a small macro facility. If you type the escape key followed
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by an uppercase letter,
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.Ar C ,
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then the contents of the environment variable
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.I _C_
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are read in as if you had typed them at the keyboard.
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For example, if the variable
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.I _L_
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.Ar $C
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are read in as if you had typed them at the keyboard. For example, if
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the variable
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.Ar $L
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contains the following:
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.PP
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.RS
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^A^Kecho '^V^[[H^V^[[2J'^M
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.RE
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.PP
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Then typing ``ESC L'' will move to the beginning of the line, kill the
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entire line, enter the echo command needed to clear the terminal (if your
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terminal is like a VT-100), and send the line back to the shell.
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.PP
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.Pp
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.Dl ^A^Kecho '^V^[[H^V^[[2J'^M
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.Pp
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Then typing
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.Cm ESC L
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will move to the beginning of the line, kill the entire line, enter the
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echo command needed to clear the terminal (if your terminal is like a
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VT-100), and send the line back to the shell.
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.Pp
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The
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.I editline
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library also does filename completion.
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Suppose the root directory has the following files in it:
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.PP
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.RS
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.nf
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.ta \w'core 'u
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bin vmunix
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core vmunix.old
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.fi
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.RE
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.PP
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If you type ``rm\ /v'' and then the tab key.
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.I Editline
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will then finish off as much of the name as possible by adding ``munix''.
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Because the name is not unique, it will then beep.
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If you type the escape key and a question mark, it will display the
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two choices.
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If you then type a period and a tab, the library will finish off the filename
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.Nm
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library also does filename completion. Suppose the root directory has
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the following files in it:
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.Pp
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.Dl bin vmunix
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.Dl core vmunix.old
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.Pp
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If you type
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.Cm rm /v
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and then the tab key,
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.Nm
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will then finish off as much of the name as possible by adding
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.Ar munix .
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Because the name is not unique, it will then beep. If you type the
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escape key and a question mark, it will display the two choices. If you
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then type a period and a tab, the library will finish off the filename
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for you:
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.PP
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.RS
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.nf
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.RI "rm /v[TAB]" munix ".[TAB]" old
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.fi
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.RE
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.PP
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The tab key is shown by ``[TAB]'' and the automatically-entered text
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is shown in italics.
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.SH USAGE
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.Pp
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.Bd -ragged -offset indent
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rm /v[TAB]
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.Em munix
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\&.[TAB]
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.Em old
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.Ed
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.Pp
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The tab key is shown by [TAB] and the automatically-entered text
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is shown in italics, or underline.
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.Sh USAGE
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To include
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.I readline()
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in your program, simply call it as you do any other function. Just make sure to link
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your program with libeditline.
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.SS Example
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.Nm
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in your program, call it as you do any other function and link your
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program with
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.Ar -leditline .
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.Ss Example
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The following brief example lets you enter a line and edit it, then displays it.
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.nf
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.B ""
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.B #include <stdlib.h>
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.B ""
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.B extern char *readline(char *prompt);
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.B ""
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.B int main(void)
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.B {
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.RS
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.B char *p;
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.B ""
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.B while ((p = readline("CLI>"))) {
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.RS
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.B puts(p);
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.B free(p);
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.RE
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.B }
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.B ""
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.B return 0;
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.RE
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.B }
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.fi
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.SH AUTHORS
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The original editline library was created by Simmule R. Turner and Rich
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Salz. It now exists in several forks: Heimdal, Festival speech tools,
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Mozilla, Google Gadgets for Linux, and many other places. The original
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manual page was made by David W. Sanderson. This version is maintained
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by Joachim Nilsson at GitHub,
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.Pp
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.Bd -literal -offset indent
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#include <stdio.h>
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#include <stdlib.h>
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#include <editline.h>
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int main(void)
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{
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char *p;
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while ((p = readline("CLI> "))) {
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puts(p);
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free(p);
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}
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return 0;
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}
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.El
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.Sh AUTHORS
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The original editline library was posted to comp.sources.unix newsgroup
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by created by Simmule R. Turner and Rich Salz in 1992. It now exists in
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several forks: Debian, Minix, Heimdal, Festival speech tools, Mozilla,
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Google Gadgets for Linux, and many other places. The original manual
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page was made by David W. Sanderson.
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.Pp
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This version was originally based on the Minix 2 sources, but has since
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evolved to include patches from all relevant forks. It is currently
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maintained by Joachim Nilsson at GitHub,
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.Aq http://github.com/troglobit/editline
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.SH BUGS
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.Sh BUGS
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Does not handle multiple lines or unicode characters well.
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|
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Block a user