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.
9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 M
\bMO
\bOV
\bVI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
13 e ^E j ^N CR * Forward one line (or _
\bN lines).
14 y ^Y k ^K ^P * Backward one line (or _
\bN lines).
15 f ^F ^V SPACE * Forward one window (or _
\bN lines).
16 b ^B ESC-v * Backward one window (or _
\bN lines).
17 z * Forward one window (and set window to _
\bN).
18 w * Backward one window (and set window to _
\bN).
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 _
\bN).
21 u ^U * Backward one half-window (and set half-window to _
\bN).
22 ESC-) RightArrow * Left one half screen width (or _
\bN positions).
23 ESC-( LeftArrow * Right one half screen width (or _
\bN 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
32 S
\bSE
\bEA
\bAR
\bRC
\bCH
\bHI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
34 /_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Search forward for (_
\bN-th) matching line.
35 ?_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Search backward for (_
\bN-th) matching line.
36 n * Repeat previous search (for _
\bN-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 &_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Display only matching lines
42 ---------------------------------------------------
43 Search patterns may be modified by one or more of:
44 ^N or ! Search for NON-matching lines.
45 ^E or * Search multiple files (pass thru END OF FILE).
46 ^F or @ Start search at FIRST file (for /) or last file (for ?).
47 ^K Highlight matches, but don't move (KEEP position).
48 ^R Don't use REGULAR EXPRESSIONS.
49 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
51 J
\bJU
\bUM
\bMP
\bPI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
53 g < ESC-< * Go to first line in file (or line _
\bN).
54 G > ESC-> * Go to last line in file (or line _
\bN).
55 p % * Go to beginning of file (or _
\bN percent into file).
56 t * Go to the (_
\bN-th) next tag.
57 T * Go to the (_
\bN-th) previous tag.
58 { ( [ * Find close bracket } ) ].
59 } ) ] * Find open bracket { ( [.
60 ESC-^F _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b> _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b> * Find close bracket _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b>.
61 ESC-^B _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b> _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b> * Find open bracket _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b>
62 ---------------------------------------------------
63 Each "find close bracket" command goes forward to the close bracket
64 matching the (_
\bN-th) open bracket in the top line.
65 Each "find open bracket" command goes backward to the open bracket
66 matching the (_
\bN-th) close bracket in the bottom line.
68 m_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Mark the current position with <letter>.
69 '_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Go to a previously marked position.
70 '' Go to the previous position.
72 ---------------------------------------------------
73 A mark is any upper-case or lower-case letter.
74 Certain marks are predefined:
75 ^ means beginning of the file
76 $ means end of the file
77 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
79 C
\bCH
\bHA
\bAN
\bNG
\bGI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG F
\bFI
\bIL
\bLE
\bES
\bS
81 :e [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] Examine a new file.
83 :n * Examine the (_
\bN-th) next file from the command line.
84 :p * Examine the (_
\bN-th) previous file from the command line.
85 :x * Examine the first (or _
\bN-th) file from the command line.
86 :d Delete the current file from the command line list.
87 = ^G :f Print current file name.
88 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
90 M
\bMI
\bIS
\bSC
\bCE
\bEL
\bLL
\bLA
\bAN
\bNE
\bEO
\bOU
\bUS
\bS C
\bCO
\bOM
\bMM
\bMA
\bAN
\bND
\bDS
\bS
92 -_
\b<_
\bf_
\bl_
\ba_
\bg_
\b> Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below].
93 --_
\b<_
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be_
\b> Toggle a command line option, by name.
94 __
\b<_
\bf_
\bl_
\ba_
\bg_
\b> Display the setting of a command line option.
95 ___
\b<_
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be_
\b> Display the setting of an option, by name.
96 +_
\bc_
\bm_
\bd Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined.
98 !_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd Execute the shell command with $SHELL.
99 |X
\bX_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd Pipe file between current pos & mark X
\bX to shell command.
100 v Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR.
101 V Print version number of "less".
102 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
104 O
\bOP
\bPT
\bTI
\bIO
\bON
\bNS
\bS
106 Most options may be changed either on the command line,
107 or from within less by using the - or -- command.
108 Options may be given in one of two forms: either a single
109 character preceded by a -, or a name preceeded by --.
112 Display help (from command line).
113 -a ........ --search-skip-screen
114 Forward search skips current screen.
115 -b [_
\bN] .... --buffers=[_
\bN]
117 -B ........ --auto-buffers
118 Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes.
119 -c ........ --clear-screen
120 Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling.
123 -D [_
\bx_
\bn_
\b._
\bn] . --color=_
\bx_
\bn_
\b._
\bn
124 Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only)
125 -e -E .... --quit-at-eof --QUIT-AT-EOF
128 Force open non-regular files.
129 -F ........ --quit-if-one-screen
130 Quit if entire file fits on first screen.
131 -g ........ --hilite-search
132 Highlight only last match for searches.
133 -G ........ --HILITE-SEARCH
134 Don't highlight any matches for searches.
135 -h [_
\bN] .... --max-back-scroll=[_
\bN]
136 Backward scroll limit.
137 -i ........ --ignore-case
138 Ignore case in searches that do not contain uppercase.
139 -I ........ --IGNORE-CASE
140 Ignore case in all searches.
141 -j [_
\bN] .... --jump-target=[_
\bN]
142 Screen position of target lines.
143 -J ........ --status-column
144 Display a status column at left edge of screen.
145 -k [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --lesskey-file=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
147 -L ........ --no-lessopen
148 Ignore the LESSOPEN environment variable.
149 -m -M .... --long-prompt --LONG-PROMPT
151 -n -N .... --line-numbers --LINE-NUMBERS
152 Don't use line numbers.
153 -o [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --log-file=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
154 Copy to log file (standard input only).
155 -O [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --LOG-FILE=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
156 Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite).
157 -p [_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn] --pattern=[_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn]
158 Start at pattern (from command line).
159 -P [_
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bm_
\bp_
\bt] --prompt=[_
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bm_
\bp_
\bt]
161 -q -Q .... --quiet --QUIET --silent --SILENT
162 Quiet the terminal bell.
163 -r -R .... --raw-control-chars --RAW-CONTROL-CHARS
164 Output "raw" control characters.
165 -s ........ --squeeze-blank-lines
166 Squeeze multiple blank lines.
167 -S ........ --chop-long-lines
169 -t [_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg] .. --tag=[_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg]
171 -T [_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg_
\bs_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] --tag-file=[_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg_
\bs_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
172 Use an alternate tags file.
173 -u -U .... --underline-special --UNDERLINE-SPECIAL
174 Change handling of backspaces.
175 -V ........ --version
176 Display the version number of "less".
177 -w ........ --hilite-unread
178 Highlight first new line after forward-screen.
179 -W ........ --HILITE-UNREAD
180 Highlight first new line after any forward movement.
181 -x [_
\bN[,...]] --tabs=[_
\bN[,...]]
183 -X ........ --no-init
184 Don't use termcap init/deinit strings.
186 Don't use termcap keypad init/deinit strings.
187 -y [_
\bN] .... --max-forw-scroll=[_
\bN]
188 Forward scroll limit.
189 -z [_
\bN] .... --window=[_
\bN]
191 -" [_
\bc[_
\bc]] . --quotes=[_
\bc[_
\bc]]
192 Set shell quote characters.
194 Don't display tildes after end of file.
195 -# [_
\bN] .... --shift=[_
\bN]
196 Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width)
198 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
200 L
\bLI
\bIN
\bNE
\bE E
\bED
\bDI
\bIT
\bTI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
202 These keys can be used to edit text being entered
203 on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen.
205 RightArrow ESC-l Move cursor right one character.
206 LeftArrow ESC-h Move cursor left one character.
207 CNTL-RightArrow ESC-RightArrow ESC-w Move cursor right one word.
208 CNTL-LeftArrow ESC-LeftArrow ESC-b Move cursor left one word.
209 HOME ESC-0 Move cursor to start of line.
210 END ESC-$ Move cursor to end of line.
211 BACKSPACE Delete char to left of cursor.
212 DELETE ESC-x Delete char under cursor.
213 CNTL-BACKSPACE ESC-BACKSPACE Delete word to left of cursor.
214 CNTL-DELETE ESC-DELETE ESC-X Delete word under cursor.
215 CNTL-U ESC (MS-DOS only) Delete entire line.
216 UpArrow ESC-k Retrieve previous command line.
217 DownArrow ESC-j Retrieve next command line.
218 TAB Complete filename & cycle.
219 SHIFT-TAB ESC-TAB Complete filename & reverse cycle.
220 CNTL-L Complete filename, list all.