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