2 S
\bSU
\bUM
\bMM
\bMA
\bAR
\bRY
\bY O
\bOF
\bF L
\bLE
\bES
\bSS
\bS C
\bCO
\bOM
\bMM
\bMA
\bAN
\bND
\bDS
\bS
4 Commands marked with * may be preceded by a number, _
\bN.
5 Notes in parentheses indicate the behavior if _
\bN is given.
6 A key preceded by a caret indicates the Ctrl key; thus ^K is ctrl-K.
10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 M
\bMO
\bOV
\bVI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
14 e ^E j ^N CR * Forward one line (or _
\bN lines).
15 y ^Y k ^K ^P * Backward one line (or _
\bN lines).
16 f ^F ^V SPACE * Forward one window (or _
\bN lines).
17 b ^B ESC-v * Backward one window (or _
\bN lines).
18 z * Forward one window (and set window to _
\bN).
19 w * Backward one window (and set window to _
\bN).
20 ESC-SPACE * Forward one window, but don't stop at end-of-file.
21 d ^D * Forward one half-window (and set half-window to _
\bN).
22 u ^U * Backward one half-window (and set half-window to _
\bN).
23 ESC-) RightArrow * Right one half screen width (or _
\bN positions).
24 ESC-( LeftArrow * Left one half screen width (or _
\bN positions).
25 ESC-} ^RightArrow Right to last column displayed.
26 ESC-{ ^LeftArrow Left to first column.
27 F Forward forever; like "tail -f".
28 ESC-F Like F but stop when search pattern is found.
29 r ^R ^L Repaint screen.
30 R Repaint screen, discarding buffered input.
31 ---------------------------------------------------
32 Default "window" is the screen height.
33 Default "half-window" is half of the screen height.
34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
36 S
\bSE
\bEA
\bAR
\bRC
\bCH
\bHI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
38 /_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Search forward for (_
\bN-th) matching line.
39 ?_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Search backward for (_
\bN-th) matching line.
40 n * Repeat previous search (for _
\bN-th occurrence).
41 N * Repeat previous search in reverse direction.
42 ESC-n * Repeat previous search, spanning files.
43 ESC-N * Repeat previous search, reverse dir. & spanning files.
44 ESC-u Undo (toggle) search highlighting.
45 &_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Display only matching lines
46 ---------------------------------------------------
47 A search pattern may be preceded by one or more of:
48 ^N or ! Search for NON-matching lines.
49 ^E or * Search multiple files (pass thru END OF FILE).
50 ^F or @ Start search at FIRST file (for /) or last file (for ?).
51 ^K Highlight matches, but don't move (KEEP position).
52 ^R Don't use REGULAR EXPRESSIONS.
53 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
55 J
\bJU
\bUM
\bMP
\bPI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
57 g < ESC-< * Go to first line in file (or line _
\bN).
58 G > ESC-> * Go to last line in file (or line _
\bN).
59 p % * Go to beginning of file (or _
\bN percent into file).
60 t * Go to the (_
\bN-th) next tag.
61 T * Go to the (_
\bN-th) previous tag.
62 { ( [ * Find close bracket } ) ].
63 } ) ] * Find open bracket { ( [.
64 ESC-^F _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b> _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b> * Find close bracket _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b>.
65 ESC-^B _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b> _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b> * Find open bracket _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b>
66 ---------------------------------------------------
67 Each "find close bracket" command goes forward to the close bracket
68 matching the (_
\bN-th) open bracket in the top line.
69 Each "find open bracket" command goes backward to the open bracket
70 matching the (_
\bN-th) close bracket in the bottom line.
72 m_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Mark the current top line with <letter>.
73 M_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Mark the current bottom line with <letter>.
74 '_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Go to a previously marked position.
75 '' Go to the previous position.
77 ESC-M_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Clear a mark.
78 ---------------------------------------------------
79 A mark is any upper-case or lower-case letter.
80 Certain marks are predefined:
81 ^ means beginning of the file
82 $ means end of the file
83 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
85 C
\bCH
\bHA
\bAN
\bNG
\bGI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG F
\bFI
\bIL
\bLE
\bES
\bS
87 :e [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] Examine a new file.
89 :n * Examine the (_
\bN-th) next file from the command line.
90 :p * Examine the (_
\bN-th) previous file from the command line.
91 :x * Examine the first (or _
\bN-th) file from the command line.
92 :d Delete the current file from the command line list.
93 = ^G :f Print current file name.
94 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
96 M
\bMI
\bIS
\bSC
\bCE
\bEL
\bLL
\bLA
\bAN
\bNE
\bEO
\bOU
\bUS
\bS C
\bCO
\bOM
\bMM
\bMA
\bAN
\bND
\bDS
\bS
98 -_
\b<_
\bf_
\bl_
\ba_
\bg_
\b> Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below].
99 --_
\b<_
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be_
\b> Toggle a command line option, by name.
100 __
\b<_
\bf_
\bl_
\ba_
\bg_
\b> Display the setting of a command line option.
101 ___
\b<_
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be_
\b> Display the setting of an option, by name.
102 +_
\bc_
\bm_
\bd Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined.
104 !_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd Execute the shell command with $SHELL.
105 |X
\bX_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd Pipe file between current pos & mark X
\bX to shell command.
106 s _
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be Save input to a file.
107 v Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR.
108 V Print version number of "less".
109 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
111 O
\bOP
\bPT
\bTI
\bIO
\bON
\bNS
\bS
113 Most options may be changed either on the command line,
114 or from within less by using the - or -- command.
115 Options may be given in one of two forms: either a single
116 character preceded by a -, or a name preceded by --.
119 Display help (from command line).
120 -a ........ --search-skip-screen
121 Search skips current screen.
122 -A ........ --SEARCH-SKIP-SCREEN
123 Search starts just after target line.
124 -b [_
\bN] .... --buffers=[_
\bN]
126 -B ........ --auto-buffers
127 Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes.
128 -c ........ --clear-screen
129 Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling.
132 -D [_
\bx_
\bn_
\b._
\bn] . --color=_
\bx_
\bn_
\b._
\bn
133 Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only)
134 -e -E .... --quit-at-eof --QUIT-AT-EOF
137 Force open non-regular files.
138 -F ........ --quit-if-one-screen
139 Quit if entire file fits on first screen.
140 -g ........ --hilite-search
141 Highlight only last match for searches.
142 -G ........ --HILITE-SEARCH
143 Don't highlight any matches for searches.
144 -h [_
\bN] .... --max-back-scroll=[_
\bN]
145 Backward scroll limit.
146 -i ........ --ignore-case
147 Ignore case in searches that do not contain uppercase.
148 -I ........ --IGNORE-CASE
149 Ignore case in all searches.
150 -j [_
\bN] .... --jump-target=[_
\bN]
151 Screen position of target lines.
152 -J ........ --status-column
153 Display a status column at left edge of screen.
154 -k [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --lesskey-file=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
157 Exit less in response to ctrl-C.
158 -L ........ --no-lessopen
159 Ignore the LESSOPEN environment variable.
160 -m -M .... --long-prompt --LONG-PROMPT
162 -n -N .... --line-numbers --LINE-NUMBERS
163 Don't use line numbers.
164 -o [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --log-file=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
165 Copy to log file (standard input only).
166 -O [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --LOG-FILE=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
167 Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite).
168 -p [_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn] --pattern=[_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn]
169 Start at pattern (from command line).
170 -P [_
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bm_
\bp_
\bt] --prompt=[_
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bm_
\bp_
\bt]
172 -q -Q .... --quiet --QUIET --silent --SILENT
173 Quiet the terminal bell.
174 -r -R .... --raw-control-chars --RAW-CONTROL-CHARS
175 Output "raw" control characters.
176 -s ........ --squeeze-blank-lines
177 Squeeze multiple blank lines.
178 -S ........ --chop-long-lines
179 Chop (truncate) long lines rather than wrapping.
180 -t [_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg] .. --tag=[_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg]
182 -T [_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg_
\bs_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] --tag-file=[_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg_
\bs_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
183 Use an alternate tags file.
184 -u -U .... --underline-special --UNDERLINE-SPECIAL
185 Change handling of backspaces.
186 -V ........ --version
187 Display the version number of "less".
188 -w ........ --hilite-unread
189 Highlight first new line after forward-screen.
190 -W ........ --HILITE-UNREAD
191 Highlight first new line after any forward movement.
192 -x [_
\bN[,...]] --tabs=[_
\bN[,...]]
194 -X ........ --no-init
195 Don't use termcap init/deinit strings.
196 -y [_
\bN] .... --max-forw-scroll=[_
\bN]
197 Forward scroll limit.
198 -z [_
\bN] .... --window=[_
\bN]
200 -" [_
\bc[_
\bc]] . --quotes=[_
\bc[_
\bc]]
201 Set shell quote characters.
203 Don't display tildes after end of file.
204 -# [_
\bN] .... --shift=[_
\bN]
205 Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width)
207 Don't send termcap keypad init/deinit strings.
208 ........ --follow-name
209 The F command changes files if the input file is renamed.
210 ........ --use-backslash
211 Subsequent options use backslash as escape char.
214 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
216 L
\bLI
\bIN
\bNE
\bE E
\bED
\bDI
\bIT
\bTI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
218 These keys can be used to edit text being entered
219 on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen.
221 RightArrow ..................... ESC-l ... Move cursor right one character.
222 LeftArrow ...................... ESC-h ... Move cursor left one character.
223 ctrl-RightArrow ESC-RightArrow ESC-w ... Move cursor right one word.
224 ctrl-LeftArrow ESC-LeftArrow ESC-b ... Move cursor left one word.
225 HOME ........................... ESC-0 ... Move cursor to start of line.
226 END ............................ ESC-$ ... Move cursor to end of line.
227 BACKSPACE ................................ Delete char to left of cursor.
228 DELETE ......................... ESC-x ... Delete char under cursor.
229 ctrl-BACKSPACE ESC-BACKSPACE ........... Delete word to left of cursor.
230 ctrl-DELETE .... ESC-DELETE .... ESC-X ... Delete word under cursor.
231 ctrl-U ......... ESC (MS-DOS only) ....... Delete entire line.
232 UpArrow ........................ ESC-k ... Retrieve previous command line.
233 DownArrow ...................... ESC-j ... Retrieve next command line.
234 TAB ...................................... Complete filename & cycle.
235 SHIFT-TAB ...................... ESC-TAB Complete filename & reverse cycle.
236 ctrl-L ................................... Complete filename, list all.