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 position with <letter>.
73 '_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Go to a previously marked position.
74 '' Go to the previous position.
76 ---------------------------------------------------
77 A mark is any upper-case or lower-case letter.
78 Certain marks are predefined:
79 ^ means beginning of the file
80 $ means end of the file
81 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
83 C
\bCH
\bHA
\bAN
\bNG
\bGI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG F
\bFI
\bIL
\bLE
\bES
\bS
85 :e [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] Examine a new file.
87 :n * Examine the (_
\bN-th) next file from the command line.
88 :p * Examine the (_
\bN-th) previous file from the command line.
89 :x * Examine the first (or _
\bN-th) file from the command line.
90 :d Delete the current file from the command line list.
91 = ^G :f Print current file name.
92 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
94 M
\bMI
\bIS
\bSC
\bCE
\bEL
\bLL
\bLA
\bAN
\bNE
\bEO
\bOU
\bUS
\bS C
\bCO
\bOM
\bMM
\bMA
\bAN
\bND
\bDS
\bS
96 -_
\b<_
\bf_
\bl_
\ba_
\bg_
\b> Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below].
97 --_
\b<_
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be_
\b> Toggle a command line option, by name.
98 __
\b<_
\bf_
\bl_
\ba_
\bg_
\b> Display the setting of a command line option.
99 ___
\b<_
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be_
\b> Display the setting of an option, by name.
100 +_
\bc_
\bm_
\bd Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined.
102 !_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd Execute the shell command with $SHELL.
103 |X
\bX_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd Pipe file between current pos & mark X
\bX to shell command.
104 s _
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be Save input to a file.
105 v Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR.
106 V Print version number of "less".
107 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
109 O
\bOP
\bPT
\bTI
\bIO
\bON
\bNS
\bS
111 Most options may be changed either on the command line,
112 or from within less by using the - or -- command.
113 Options may be given in one of two forms: either a single
114 character preceded by a -, or a name preceded by --.
117 Display help (from command line).
118 -a ........ --search-skip-screen
119 Search skips current screen.
120 -A ........ --SEARCH-SKIP-SCREEN
121 Search starts just after target line.
122 -b [_
\bN] .... --buffers=[_
\bN]
124 -B ........ --auto-buffers
125 Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes.
126 -c ........ --clear-screen
127 Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling.
130 -D [_
\bx_
\bn_
\b._
\bn] . --color=_
\bx_
\bn_
\b._
\bn
131 Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only)
132 -e -E .... --quit-at-eof --QUIT-AT-EOF
135 Force open non-regular files.
136 -F ........ --quit-if-one-screen
137 Quit if entire file fits on first screen.
138 -g ........ --hilite-search
139 Highlight only last match for searches.
140 -G ........ --HILITE-SEARCH
141 Don't highlight any matches for searches.
142 -h [_
\bN] .... --max-back-scroll=[_
\bN]
143 Backward scroll limit.
144 -i ........ --ignore-case
145 Ignore case in searches that do not contain uppercase.
146 -I ........ --IGNORE-CASE
147 Ignore case in all searches.
148 -j [_
\bN] .... --jump-target=[_
\bN]
149 Screen position of target lines.
150 -J ........ --status-column
151 Display a status column at left edge of screen.
152 -k [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --lesskey-file=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
155 Exit less in response to ctrl-C.
156 -L ........ --no-lessopen
157 Ignore the LESSOPEN environment variable.
158 -m -M .... --long-prompt --LONG-PROMPT
160 -n -N .... --line-numbers --LINE-NUMBERS
161 Don't use line numbers.
162 -o [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --log-file=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
163 Copy to log file (standard input only).
164 -O [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --LOG-FILE=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
165 Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite).
166 -p [_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn] --pattern=[_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn]
167 Start at pattern (from command line).
168 -P [_
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bm_
\bp_
\bt] --prompt=[_
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bm_
\bp_
\bt]
170 -q -Q .... --quiet --QUIET --silent --SILENT
171 Quiet the terminal bell.
172 -r -R .... --raw-control-chars --RAW-CONTROL-CHARS
173 Output "raw" control characters.
174 -s ........ --squeeze-blank-lines
175 Squeeze multiple blank lines.
176 -S ........ --chop-long-lines
177 Chop (truncate) long lines rather than wrapping.
178 -t [_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg] .. --tag=[_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg]
180 -T [_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg_
\bs_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] --tag-file=[_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg_
\bs_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
181 Use an alternate tags file.
182 -u -U .... --underline-special --UNDERLINE-SPECIAL
183 Change handling of backspaces.
184 -V ........ --version
185 Display the version number of "less".
186 -w ........ --hilite-unread
187 Highlight first new line after forward-screen.
188 -W ........ --HILITE-UNREAD
189 Highlight first new line after any forward movement.
190 -x [_
\bN[,...]] --tabs=[_
\bN[,...]]
192 -X ........ --no-init
193 Don't use termcap init/deinit strings.
194 -y [_
\bN] .... --max-forw-scroll=[_
\bN]
195 Forward scroll limit.
196 -z [_
\bN] .... --window=[_
\bN]
198 -" [_
\bc[_
\bc]] . --quotes=[_
\bc[_
\bc]]
199 Set shell quote characters.
201 Don't display tildes after end of file.
202 -# [_
\bN] .... --shift=[_
\bN]
203 Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width)
205 Don't send termcap keypad init/deinit strings.
206 ........ --follow-name
207 The F command changes files if the input file is renamed.
208 ........ --use-backslash
209 Subsequent options use backslash as escape char.
212 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
214 L
\bLI
\bIN
\bNE
\bE E
\bED
\bDI
\bIT
\bTI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
216 These keys can be used to edit text being entered
217 on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen.
219 RightArrow ..................... ESC-l ... Move cursor right one character.
220 LeftArrow ...................... ESC-h ... Move cursor left one character.
221 ctrl-RightArrow ESC-RightArrow ESC-w ... Move cursor right one word.
222 ctrl-LeftArrow ESC-LeftArrow ESC-b ... Move cursor left one word.
223 HOME ........................... ESC-0 ... Move cursor to start of line.
224 END ............................ ESC-$ ... Move cursor to end of line.
225 BACKSPACE ................................ Delete char to left of cursor.
226 DELETE ......................... ESC-x ... Delete char under cursor.
227 ctrl-BACKSPACE ESC-BACKSPACE ........... Delete word to left of cursor.
228 ctrl-DELETE .... ESC-DELETE .... ESC-X ... Delete word under cursor.
229 ctrl-U ......... ESC (MS-DOS only) ....... Delete entire line.
230 UpArrow ........................ ESC-k ... Retrieve previous command line.
231 DownArrow ...................... ESC-j ... Retrieve next command line.
232 TAB ...................................... Complete filename & cycle.
233 SHIFT-TAB ...................... ESC-TAB Complete filename & reverse cycle.
234 ctrl-L ................................... Complete filename, list all.