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 * Left one half screen width (or _
\bN positions).
24 ESC-( LeftArrow * Right one half screen width (or _
\bN positions).
25 F Forward forever; like "tail -f".
26 r ^R ^L Repaint screen.
27 R Repaint screen, discarding buffered input.
28 ---------------------------------------------------
29 Default "window" is the screen height.
30 Default "half-window" is half of the screen height.
31 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
33 S
\bSE
\bEA
\bAR
\bRC
\bCH
\bHI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
35 /_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Search forward for (_
\bN-th) matching line.
36 ?_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Search backward for (_
\bN-th) matching line.
37 n * Repeat previous search (for _
\bN-th occurrence).
38 N * Repeat previous search in reverse direction.
39 ESC-n * Repeat previous search, spanning files.
40 ESC-N * Repeat previous search, reverse dir. & spanning files.
41 ESC-u Undo (toggle) search highlighting.
42 &_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn * Display only matching lines
43 ---------------------------------------------------
44 A search pattern may be preceded by one or more of:
45 ^N or ! Search for NON-matching lines.
46 ^E or * Search multiple files (pass thru END OF FILE).
47 ^F or @ Start search at FIRST file (for /) or last file (for ?).
48 ^K Highlight matches, but don't move (KEEP position).
49 ^R Don't use REGULAR EXPRESSIONS.
50 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
52 J
\bJU
\bUM
\bMP
\bPI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
54 g < ESC-< * Go to first line in file (or line _
\bN).
55 G > ESC-> * Go to last line in file (or line _
\bN).
56 p % * Go to beginning of file (or _
\bN percent into file).
57 t * Go to the (_
\bN-th) next tag.
58 T * Go to the (_
\bN-th) previous tag.
59 { ( [ * Find close bracket } ) ].
60 } ) ] * Find open bracket { ( [.
61 ESC-^F _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b> _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b> * Find close bracket _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b>.
62 ESC-^B _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b> _
\b<_
\bc_
\b2_
\b> * Find open bracket _
\b<_
\bc_
\b1_
\b>
63 ---------------------------------------------------
64 Each "find close bracket" command goes forward to the close bracket
65 matching the (_
\bN-th) open bracket in the top line.
66 Each "find open bracket" command goes backward to the open bracket
67 matching the (_
\bN-th) close bracket in the bottom line.
69 m_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Mark the current position with <letter>.
70 '_
\b<_
\bl_
\be_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\b> Go to a previously marked position.
71 '' Go to the previous position.
73 ---------------------------------------------------
74 A mark is any upper-case or lower-case letter.
75 Certain marks are predefined:
76 ^ means beginning of the file
77 $ means end of the file
78 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
80 C
\bCH
\bHA
\bAN
\bNG
\bGI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG F
\bFI
\bIL
\bLE
\bES
\bS
82 :e [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] Examine a new file.
84 :n * Examine the (_
\bN-th) next file from the command line.
85 :p * Examine the (_
\bN-th) previous file from the command line.
86 :x * Examine the first (or _
\bN-th) file from the command line.
87 :d Delete the current file from the command line list.
88 = ^G :f Print current file name.
89 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
91 M
\bMI
\bIS
\bSC
\bCE
\bEL
\bLL
\bLA
\bAN
\bNE
\bEO
\bOU
\bUS
\bS C
\bCO
\bOM
\bMM
\bMA
\bAN
\bND
\bDS
\bS
93 -_
\b<_
\bf_
\bl_
\ba_
\bg_
\b> Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below].
94 --_
\b<_
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be_
\b> Toggle a command line option, by name.
95 __
\b<_
\bf_
\bl_
\ba_
\bg_
\b> Display the setting of a command line option.
96 ___
\b<_
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be_
\b> Display the setting of an option, by name.
97 +_
\bc_
\bm_
\bd Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined.
99 !_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd Execute the shell command with $SHELL.
100 |X
\bX_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd Pipe file between current pos & mark X
\bX to shell command.
101 v Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR.
102 V Print version number of "less".
103 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
105 O
\bOP
\bPT
\bTI
\bIO
\bON
\bNS
\bS
107 Most options may be changed either on the command line,
108 or from within less by using the - or -- command.
109 Options may be given in one of two forms: either a single
110 character preceded by a -, or a name preceeded by --.
113 Display help (from command line).
114 -a ........ --search-skip-screen
115 Search skips current screen.
116 -A ........ --SEARCH-SKIP-SCREEN
117 Search starts just after target line.
118 -b [_
\bN] .... --buffers=[_
\bN]
120 -B ........ --auto-buffers
121 Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes.
122 -c ........ --clear-screen
123 Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling.
126 -D [_
\bx_
\bn_
\b._
\bn] . --color=_
\bx_
\bn_
\b._
\bn
127 Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only)
128 -e -E .... --quit-at-eof --QUIT-AT-EOF
131 Force open non-regular files.
132 -F ........ --quit-if-one-screen
133 Quit if entire file fits on first screen.
134 -g ........ --hilite-search
135 Highlight only last match for searches.
136 -G ........ --HILITE-SEARCH
137 Don't highlight any matches for searches.
138 -h [_
\bN] .... --max-back-scroll=[_
\bN]
139 Backward scroll limit.
140 -i ........ --ignore-case
141 Ignore case in searches that do not contain uppercase.
142 -I ........ --IGNORE-CASE
143 Ignore case in all searches.
144 -j [_
\bN] .... --jump-target=[_
\bN]
145 Screen position of target lines.
146 -J ........ --status-column
147 Display a status column at left edge of screen.
148 -k [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --lesskey-file=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
151 Exit less in response to ctrl-C.
152 -L ........ --no-lessopen
153 Ignore the LESSOPEN environment variable.
154 -m -M .... --long-prompt --LONG-PROMPT
156 -n -N .... --line-numbers --LINE-NUMBERS
157 Don't use line numbers.
158 -o [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --log-file=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
159 Copy to log file (standard input only).
160 -O [_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] . --LOG-FILE=[_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
161 Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite).
162 -p [_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn] --pattern=[_
\bp_
\ba_
\bt_
\bt_
\be_
\br_
\bn]
163 Start at pattern (from command line).
164 -P [_
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bm_
\bp_
\bt] --prompt=[_
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bm_
\bp_
\bt]
166 -q -Q .... --quiet --QUIET --silent --SILENT
167 Quiet the terminal bell.
168 -r -R .... --raw-control-chars --RAW-CONTROL-CHARS
169 Output "raw" control characters.
170 -s ........ --squeeze-blank-lines
171 Squeeze multiple blank lines.
172 -S ........ --chop-long-lines
173 Chop (truncate) long lines rather than wrapping.
174 -t [_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg] .. --tag=[_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg]
176 -T [_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg_
\bs_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be] --tag-file=[_
\bt_
\ba_
\bg_
\bs_
\bf_
\bi_
\bl_
\be]
177 Use an alternate tags file.
178 -u -U .... --underline-special --UNDERLINE-SPECIAL
179 Change handling of backspaces.
180 -V ........ --version
181 Display the version number of "less".
182 -w ........ --hilite-unread
183 Highlight first new line after forward-screen.
184 -W ........ --HILITE-UNREAD
185 Highlight first new line after any forward movement.
186 -x [_
\bN[,...]] --tabs=[_
\bN[,...]]
188 -X ........ --no-init
189 Don't use termcap init/deinit strings.
190 -y [_
\bN] .... --max-forw-scroll=[_
\bN]
191 Forward scroll limit.
192 -z [_
\bN] .... --window=[_
\bN]
194 -" [_
\bc[_
\bc]] . --quotes=[_
\bc[_
\bc]]
195 Set shell quote characters.
197 Don't display tildes after end of file.
198 -# [_
\bN] .... --shift=[_
\bN]
199 Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width)
201 Don't send termcap keypad init/deinit strings.
202 ........ --follow-name
203 The F command changes files if the input file is renamed.
206 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
208 L
\bLI
\bIN
\bNE
\bE E
\bED
\bDI
\bIT
\bTI
\bIN
\bNG
\bG
210 These keys can be used to edit text being entered
211 on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen.
213 RightArrow ESC-l Move cursor right one character.
214 LeftArrow ESC-h Move cursor left one character.
215 ctrl-RightArrow ESC-RightArrow ESC-w Move cursor right one word.
216 ctrl-LeftArrow ESC-LeftArrow ESC-b Move cursor left one word.
217 HOME ESC-0 Move cursor to start of line.
218 END ESC-$ Move cursor to end of line.
219 BACKSPACE Delete char to left of cursor.
220 DELETE ESC-x Delete char under cursor.
221 ctrl-BACKSPACE ESC-BACKSPACE Delete word to left of cursor.
222 ctrl-DELETE ESC-DELETE ESC-X Delete word under cursor.
223 ctrl-U ESC (MS-DOS only) Delete entire line.
224 UpArrow ESC-k Retrieve previous command line.
225 DownArrow ESC-j Retrieve next command line.
226 TAB Complete filename & cycle.
227 SHIFT-TAB ESC-TAB Complete filename & reverse cycle.
228 ctrl-L Complete filename, list all.