less.hlp revision 170256
1
2                   SSUUMMMMAARRYY OOFF LLEESSSS CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS
3
4      Commands marked with * may be preceded by a number, _N.
5      Notes in parentheses indicate the behavior if _N is given.
6
7  h  H                 Display this help.
8  q  :q  Q  :Q  ZZ     Exit.
9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
10
11                           MMOOVVIINNGG
12
13  e  ^E  j  ^N  CR  *  Forward  one line   (or _N lines).
14  y  ^Y  k  ^K  ^P  *  Backward one line   (or _N lines).
15  f  ^F  ^V  SPACE  *  Forward  one window (or _N lines).
16  b  ^B  ESC-v      *  Backward one window (or _N lines).
17  z                 *  Forward  one window (and set window to _N).
18  w                 *  Backward one window (and set window to _N).
19  ESC-SPACE         *  Forward  one window, but don't stop at end-of-file.
20  d  ^D             *  Forward  one half-window (and set half-window to _N).
21  u  ^U             *  Backward one half-window (and set half-window to _N).
22  ESC-)  RightArrow *  Left  one half screen width (or _N positions).
23  ESC-(  LeftArrow  *  Right one half screen width (or _N positions).
24  F                    Forward forever; like "tail -f".
25  r  ^R  ^L            Repaint screen.
26  R                    Repaint screen, discarding buffered input.
27        ---------------------------------------------------
28        Default "window" is the screen height.
29        Default "half-window" is half of the screen height.
30 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
31
32                          SSEEAARRCCHHIINNGG
33
34  /_p_a_t_t_e_r_n          *  Search forward for (_N-th) matching line.
35  ?_p_a_t_t_e_r_n          *  Search backward for (_N-th) matching line.
36  n                 *  Repeat previous search (for _N-th occurrence).
37  N                 *  Repeat previous search in reverse direction.
38  ESC-n             *  Repeat previous search, spanning files.
39  ESC-N             *  Repeat previous search, reverse dir. & spanning files.
40  ESC-u                Undo (toggle) search highlighting.
41        ---------------------------------------------------
42        Search patterns may be modified by one or more of:
43        ^N or !  Search for NON-matching lines.
44        ^E or *  Search multiple files (pass thru END OF FILE).
45        ^F or @  Start search at FIRST file (for /) or last file (for ?).
46        ^K       Highlight matches, but don't move (KEEP position).
47        ^R       Don't use REGULAR EXPRESSIONS.
48 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
49
50                           JJUUMMPPIINNGG
51
52  g  <  ESC-<       *  Go to first line in file (or line _N).
53  G  >  ESC->       *  Go to last line in file (or line _N).
54  p  %              *  Go to beginning of file (or _N percent into file).
55  t                 *  Go to the (_N-th) next tag.
56  T                 *  Go to the (_N-th) previous tag.
57  {  (  [           *  Find close bracket } ) ].
58  }  )  ]           *  Find open bracket { ( [.
59  ESC-^F _<_c_1_> _<_c_2_>  *  Find close bracket _<_c_2_>.
60  ESC-^B _<_c_1_> _<_c_2_>  *  Find open bracket _<_c_1_> 
61        ---------------------------------------------------
62        Each "find close bracket" command goes forward to the close bracket 
63          matching the (_N-th) open bracket in the top line.
64        Each "find open bracket" command goes backward to the open bracket 
65          matching the (_N-th) close bracket in the bottom line.
66
67  m_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_>            Mark the current position with <letter>.
68  '_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_>            Go to a previously marked position.
69  ''                   Go to the previous position.
70  ^X^X                 Same as '.
71        ---------------------------------------------------
72        A mark is any upper-case or lower-case letter.
73        Certain marks are predefined:
74             ^  means  beginning of the file
75             $  means  end of the file
76 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
77
78                        CCHHAANNGGIINNGG FFIILLEESS
79
80  :e [_f_i_l_e]            Examine a new file.
81  ^X^V                 Same as :e.
82  :n                *  Examine the (_N-th) next file from the command line.
83  :p                *  Examine the (_N-th) previous file from the command line.
84  :x                *  Examine the first (or _N-th) file from the command line.
85  :d                   Delete the current file from the command line list.
86  =  ^G  :f            Print current file name.
87 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
88
89                    MMIISSCCEELLLLAANNEEOOUUSS CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS
90
91  -_<_f_l_a_g_>              Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below].
92  --_<_n_a_m_e_>             Toggle a command line option, by name.
93  __<_f_l_a_g_>              Display the setting of a command line option.
94  ___<_n_a_m_e_>             Display the setting of an option, by name.
95  +_c_m_d                 Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined.
96
97  !_c_o_m_m_a_n_d             Execute the shell command with $SHELL.
98  |XX_c_o_m_m_a_n_d            Pipe file between current pos & mark XX to shell command.
99  v                    Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR.
100  V                    Print version number of "less".
101 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
102
103                           OOPPTTIIOONNSS
104
105        Most options may be changed either on the command line,
106        or from within less by using the - or -- command.
107        Options may be given in one of two forms: either a single
108        character preceded by a -, or a name preceeded by --.
109
110  -?  ........  --help
111                  Display help (from command line).
112  -a  ........  --search-skip-screen
113                  Forward search skips current screen.
114  -b [_N]  ....  --buffers=[_N]
115                  Number of buffers.
116  -B  ........  --auto-buffers
117                  Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes.
118  -c  ........  --clear-screen
119                  Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling.
120  -d  ........  --dumb
121                  Dumb terminal.
122  -D [_x_n_._n]  .  --color=_x_n_._n
123                  Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only)
124  -e  -E  ....  --quit-at-eof  --QUIT-AT-EOF
125                  Quit at end of file.
126  -f  ........  --force
127                  Force open non-regular files.
128  -F  ........  --quit-if-one-screen
129                  Quit if entire file fits on first screen.
130  -g  ........  --hilite-search
131                  Highlight only last match for searches.
132  -G  ........  --HILITE-SEARCH
133                  Don't highlight any matches for searches.
134  -h [_N]  ....  --max-back-scroll=[_N]
135                  Backward scroll limit.
136  -i  ........  --ignore-case
137                  Ignore case in searches that do not contain uppercase.
138  -I  ........  --IGNORE-CASE
139                  Ignore case in all searches.
140  -j [_N]  ....  --jump-target=[_N]
141                  Screen position of target lines.
142  -J  ........  --status-column
143                  Display a status column at left edge of screen.
144  -k [_f_i_l_e]  .  --lesskey-file=[_f_i_l_e]
145                  Use a lesskey file.
146  -L  ........  --no-lessopen
147                  Ignore the LESSOPEN environment variable.
148  -m  -M  ....  --long-prompt  --LONG-PROMPT
149                  Set prompt style.
150  -n  -N  ....  --line-numbers  --LINE-NUMBERS
151                  Don't use line numbers.
152  -o [_f_i_l_e]  .  --log-file=[_f_i_l_e]
153                  Copy to log file (standard input only).
154  -O [_f_i_l_e]  .  --LOG-FILE=[_f_i_l_e]
155                  Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite).
156  -p [_p_a_t_t_e_r_n]  --pattern=[_p_a_t_t_e_r_n]
157                  Start at pattern (from command line).
158  -P [_p_r_o_m_p_t]   --prompt=[_p_r_o_m_p_t]
159                  Define new prompt.
160  -q  -Q  ....  --quiet  --QUIET  --silent --SILENT
161                  Quiet the terminal bell.
162  -r  -R  ....  --raw-control-chars  --RAW-CONTROL-CHARS
163                  Output "raw" control characters.
164  -s  ........  --squeeze-blank-lines
165                  Squeeze multiple blank lines.
166  -S  ........  --chop-long-lines
167                  Chop long lines.
168  -t [_t_a_g]  ..  --tag=[_t_a_g]
169                  Find a tag.
170  -T [_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] --tag-file=[_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e]
171                  Use an alternate tags file.
172  -u  -U  ....  --underline-special  --UNDERLINE-SPECIAL
173                  Change handling of backspaces.
174  -V  ........  --version
175                  Display the version number of "less".
176  -w  ........  --hilite-unread
177                  Highlight first new line after forward-screen.
178  -W  ........  --HILITE-UNREAD
179                  Highlight first new line after any forward movement.
180  -x [_N[,...]]  --tabs=[_N[,...]]
181                  Set tab stops.
182  -X  ........  --no-init
183                  Don't use termcap init/deinit strings.
184                --no-keypad
185                  Don't use termcap keypad init/deinit strings.
186  -y [_N]  ....  --max-forw-scroll=[_N]
187                  Forward scroll limit.
188  -z [_N]  ....  --window=[_N]
189                  Set size of window.
190  -" [_c[_c]]  .  --quotes=[_c[_c]]
191                  Set shell quote characters.
192  -~  ........  --tilde
193                  Don't display tildes after end of file.
194  -# [_N]  ....  --shift=[_N]
195                  Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width)
196
197 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
198
199                          LLIINNEE EEDDIITTIINNGG
200
201        These keys can be used to edit text being entered 
202        on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen.
203
204 RightArrow                       ESC-l     Move cursor right one character.
205 LeftArrow                        ESC-h     Move cursor left one character.
206 CNTL-RightArrow  ESC-RightArrow  ESC-w     Move cursor right one word.
207 CNTL-LeftArrow   ESC-LeftArrow   ESC-b     Move cursor left one word.
208 HOME                             ESC-0     Move cursor to start of line.
209 END                              ESC-$     Move cursor to end of line.
210 BACKSPACE                                  Delete char to left of cursor.
211 DELETE                           ESC-x     Delete char under cursor.
212 CNTL-BACKSPACE   ESC-BACKSPACE             Delete word to left of cursor.
213 CNTL-DELETE      ESC-DELETE      ESC-X     Delete word under cursor.
214 CNTL-U           ESC (MS-DOS only)         Delete entire line.
215 UpArrow                          ESC-k     Retrieve previous command line.
216 DownArrow                        ESC-j     Retrieve next command line.
217 TAB                                        Complete filename & cycle.
218 SHIFT-TAB                        ESC-TAB   Complete filename & reverse cycle.
219 CNTL-L                                     Complete filename, list all.
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