1 2 SSUUMMMMAARRYY OOFF LLEESSSS CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS 3 4 Commands marked with * may be preceded by a number, _N. 5 Notes in parentheses indicate the behavior if _N is given. 6 7 h H Display this help. 8 q :q Q :Q ZZ Exit. 9 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 11 MMOOVVIINNGG 12 13 e ^E j ^N CR * Forward one line (or _N lines). 14 y ^Y k ^K ^P * Backward one line (or _N lines). 15 f ^F ^V SPACE * Forward one window (or _N lines). 16 b ^B ESC-v * Backward one window (or _N lines). 17 z * Forward one window (and set window to _N). 18 w * Backward one window (and set window to _N). 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 _N). 21 u ^U * Backward one half-window (and set half-window to _N). 22 ESC-) RightArrow * Left one half screen width (or _N positions). 23 ESC-( LeftArrow * Right one half screen width (or _N 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31 32 SSEEAARRCCHHIINNGG 33 34 /_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * Search forward for (_N-th) matching line. 35 ?_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * Search backward for (_N-th) matching line. 36 n * Repeat previous search (for _N-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 &_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 50 51 JJUUMMPPIINNGG 52 53 g < ESC-< * Go to first line in file (or line _N). 54 G > ESC-> * Go to last line in file (or line _N). 55 p % * Go to beginning of file (or _N percent into file). 56 t * Go to the (_N-th) next tag. 57 T * Go to the (_N-th) previous tag. 58 { ( [ * Find close bracket } ) ]. 59 } ) ] * Find open bracket { ( [. 60 ESC-^F _<_c_1_> _<_c_2_> * Find close bracket _<_c_2_>. 61 ESC-^B _<_c_1_> _<_c_2_> * Find open bracket _<_c_1_> 62 --------------------------------------------------- 63 Each "find close bracket" command goes forward to the close bracket 64 matching the (_N-th) open bracket in the top line. 65 Each "find open bracket" command goes backward to the open bracket 66 matching the (_N-th) close bracket in the bottom line. 67 68 m_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Mark the current position with <letter>. 69 '_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Go to a previously marked position. 70 '' Go to the previous position. 71 ^X^X Same as '. 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 78 79 CCHHAANNGGIINNGG FFIILLEESS 80 81 :e [_f_i_l_e] Examine a new file. 82 ^X^V Same as :e. 83 :n * Examine the (_N-th) next file from the command line. 84 :p * Examine the (_N-th) previous file from the command line. 85 :x * Examine the first (or _N-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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 89 90 MMIISSCCEELLLLAANNEEOOUUSS CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS 91 92 -_<_f_l_a_g_> Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below]. 93 --_<_n_a_m_e_> Toggle a command line option, by name. 94 __<_f_l_a_g_> Display the setting of a command line option. 95 ___<_n_a_m_e_> Display the setting of an option, by name. 96 +_c_m_d Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined. 97 98 !_c_o_m_m_a_n_d Execute the shell command with $SHELL. 99 |XX_c_o_m_m_a_n_d Pipe file between current pos & mark XX to shell command. 100 v Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR. 101 V Print version number of "less". 102 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 103 104 OOPPTTIIOONNSS 105 106 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 --. 110 111 -? ........ --help 112 Display help (from command line). 113 -a ........ --search-skip-screen 114 Forward search skips current screen. 115 -A ........ --SEARCH-SKIP-SCREEN 116 Forward search always skips target line. 117 -b [_N] .... --buffers=[_N] 118 Number of buffers. 119 -B ........ --auto-buffers 120 Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes. 121 -c ........ --clear-screen 122 Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling. 123 -d ........ --dumb 124 Dumb terminal. 125 -D [_x_n_._n] . --color=_x_n_._n 126 Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only) 127 -e -E .... --quit-at-eof --QUIT-AT-EOF 128 Quit at end of file. 129 -f ........ --force 130 Force open non-regular files. 131 -F ........ --quit-if-one-screen 132 Quit if entire file fits on first screen. 133 -g ........ --hilite-search 134 Highlight only last match for searches. 135 -G ........ --HILITE-SEARCH 136 Don't highlight any matches for searches. 137 -h [_N] .... --max-back-scroll=[_N] 138 Backward scroll limit. 139 -i ........ --ignore-case 140 Ignore case in searches that do not contain uppercase. 141 -I ........ --IGNORE-CASE 142 Ignore case in all searches. 143 -j [_N] .... --jump-target=[_N] 144 Screen position of target lines. 145 -J ........ --status-column 146 Display a status column at left edge of screen. 147 -k [_f_i_l_e] . --lesskey-file=[_f_i_l_e] 148 Use a lesskey file. 149 -K --quit-on-intr 150 Exit less in response to ctrl-C. 151 -L ........ --no-lessopen 152 Ignore the LESSOPEN environment variable. 153 -m -M .... --long-prompt --LONG-PROMPT 154 Set prompt style. 155 -n -N .... --line-numbers --LINE-NUMBERS 156 Don't use line numbers. 157 -o [_f_i_l_e] . --log-file=[_f_i_l_e] 158 Copy to log file (standard input only). 159 -O [_f_i_l_e] . --LOG-FILE=[_f_i_l_e] 160 Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite). 161 -p [_p_a_t_t_e_r_n] --pattern=[_p_a_t_t_e_r_n] 162 Start at pattern (from command line). 163 -P [_p_r_o_m_p_t] --prompt=[_p_r_o_m_p_t] 164 Define new prompt. 165 -q -Q .... --quiet --QUIET --silent --SILENT 166 Quiet the terminal bell. 167 -r -R .... --raw-control-chars --RAW-CONTROL-CHARS 168 Output "raw" control characters. 169 -s ........ --squeeze-blank-lines 170 Squeeze multiple blank lines. 171 -S ........ --chop-long-lines 172 Chop long lines. 173 -t [_t_a_g] .. --tag=[_t_a_g] 174 Find a tag. 175 -T [_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] --tag-file=[_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] 176 Use an alternate tags file. 177 -u -U .... --underline-special --UNDERLINE-SPECIAL 178 Change handling of backspaces. 179 -V ........ --version 180 Display the version number of "less". 181 -w ........ --hilite-unread 182 Highlight first new line after forward-screen. 183 -W ........ --HILITE-UNREAD 184 Highlight first new line after any forward movement. 185 -x [_N[,...]] --tabs=[_N[,...]] 186 Set tab stops. 187 -X ........ --no-init 188 Don't use termcap init/deinit strings. 189 --no-keypad 190 Don't use termcap keypad init/deinit strings. 191 -y [_N] .... --max-forw-scroll=[_N] 192 Forward scroll limit. 193 -z [_N] .... --window=[_N] 194 Set size of window. 195 -" [_c[_c]] . --quotes=[_c[_c]] 196 Set shell quote characters. 197 -~ ........ --tilde 198 Don't display tildes after end of file. 199 -# [_N] .... --shift=[_N] 200 Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width) 201 ........ --no-keypad 202 Don't send keypad init/deinit sequence. 203 ........ --follow-name 204 The F command changes files if the input file is renamed. 205 206 207 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 208 209 LLIINNEE EEDDIITTIINNGG 210 211 These keys can be used to edit text being entered 212 on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen. 213 214 RightArrow ESC-l Move cursor right one character. 215 LeftArrow ESC-h Move cursor left one character. 216 CNTL-RightArrow ESC-RightArrow ESC-w Move cursor right one word. 217 CNTL-LeftArrow ESC-LeftArrow ESC-b Move cursor left one word. 218 HOME ESC-0 Move cursor to start of line. 219 END ESC-$ Move cursor to end of line. 220 BACKSPACE Delete char to left of cursor. 221 DELETE ESC-x Delete char under cursor. 222 CNTL-BACKSPACE ESC-BACKSPACE Delete word to left of cursor. 223 CNTL-DELETE ESC-DELETE ESC-X Delete word under cursor. 224 CNTL-U ESC (MS-DOS only) Delete entire line. 225 UpArrow ESC-k Retrieve previous command line. 226 DownArrow ESC-j Retrieve next command line. 227 TAB Complete filename & cycle. 228 SHIFT-TAB ESC-TAB Complete filename & reverse cycle. 229 CNTL-L Complete filename, list all. 230 231 232