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 A key preceded by a caret indicates the Ctrl key; thus ^K is ctrl-K. 7 8 h H Display this help. 9 q :q Q :Q ZZ Exit. 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 12 MMOOVVIINNGG 13 14 e ^E j ^N CR * Forward one line (or _N lines). 15 y ^Y k ^K ^P * Backward one line (or _N lines). 16 f ^F ^V SPACE * Forward one window (or _N lines). 17 b ^B ESC-v * Backward one window (or _N lines). 18 z * Forward one window (and set window to _N). 19 w * Backward one window (and set window to _N). 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 _N). 22 u ^U * Backward one half-window (and set half-window to _N). 23 ESC-) RightArrow * Right one half screen width (or _N positions). 24 ESC-( LeftArrow * Left one half screen width (or _N 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35 36 SSEEAARRCCHHIINNGG 37 38 /_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * Search forward for (_N-th) matching line. 39 ?_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * Search backward for (_N-th) matching line. 40 n * Repeat previous search (for _N-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 &_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 54 55 JJUUMMPPIINNGG 56 57 g < ESC-< * Go to first line in file (or line _N). 58 G > ESC-> * Go to last line in file (or line _N). 59 p % * Go to beginning of file (or _N percent into file). 60 t * Go to the (_N-th) next tag. 61 T * Go to the (_N-th) previous tag. 62 { ( [ * Find close bracket } ) ]. 63 } ) ] * Find open bracket { ( [. 64 ESC-^F _<_c_1_> _<_c_2_> * Find close bracket _<_c_2_>. 65 ESC-^B _<_c_1_> _<_c_2_> * Find open bracket _<_c_1_> 66 --------------------------------------------------- 67 Each "find close bracket" command goes forward to the close bracket 68 matching the (_N-th) open bracket in the top line. 69 Each "find open bracket" command goes backward to the open bracket 70 matching the (_N-th) close bracket in the bottom line. 71 72 m_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Mark the current top line with <letter>. 73 M_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Mark the current bottom line with <letter>. 74 '_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Go to a previously marked position. 75 '' Go to the previous position. 76 ^X^X Same as '. 77 ESC-M_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Clear a mark. 78 --------------------------------------------------- 79 A mark is any upper-case or lower-case letter. 80 Certain marks are predefined: 81 ^ means beginning of the file 82 $ means end of the file 83 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 84 85 CCHHAANNGGIINNGG FFIILLEESS 86 87 :e [_f_i_l_e] Examine a new file. 88 ^X^V Same as :e. 89 :n * Examine the (_N-th) next file from the command line. 90 :p * Examine the (_N-th) previous file from the command line. 91 :x * Examine the first (or _N-th) file from the command line. 92 :d Delete the current file from the command line list. 93 = ^G :f Print current file name. 94 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 95 96 MMIISSCCEELLLLAANNEEOOUUSS CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS 97 98 -_<_f_l_a_g_> Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below]. 99 --_<_n_a_m_e_> Toggle a command line option, by name. 100 __<_f_l_a_g_> Display the setting of a command line option. 101 ___<_n_a_m_e_> Display the setting of an option, by name. 102 +_c_m_d Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined. 103 104 !_c_o_m_m_a_n_d Execute the shell command with $SHELL. 105 |XX_c_o_m_m_a_n_d Pipe file between current pos & mark XX to shell command. 106 s _f_i_l_e Save input to a file. 107 v Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR. 108 V Print version number of "less". 109 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 110 111 OOPPTTIIOONNSS 112 113 Most options may be changed either on the command line, 114 or from within less by using the - or -- command. 115 Options may be given in one of two forms: either a single 116 character preceded by a -, or a name preceded by --. 117 118 -? ........ --help 119 Display help (from command line). 120 -a ........ --search-skip-screen 121 Search skips current screen. 122 -A ........ --SEARCH-SKIP-SCREEN 123 Search starts just after target line. 124 -b [_N] .... --buffers=[_N] 125 Number of buffers. 126 -B ........ --auto-buffers 127 Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes. 128 -c ........ --clear-screen 129 Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling. 130 -d ........ --dumb 131 Dumb terminal. 132 -D [_x_n_._n] . --color=_x_n_._n 133 Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only) 134 -e -E .... --quit-at-eof --QUIT-AT-EOF 135 Quit at end of file. 136 -f ........ --force 137 Force open non-regular files. 138 -F ........ --quit-if-one-screen 139 Quit if entire file fits on first screen. 140 -g ........ --hilite-search 141 Highlight only last match for searches. 142 -G ........ --HILITE-SEARCH 143 Don't highlight any matches for searches. 144 -h [_N] .... --max-back-scroll=[_N] 145 Backward scroll limit. 146 -i ........ --ignore-case 147 Ignore case in searches that do not contain uppercase. 148 -I ........ --IGNORE-CASE 149 Ignore case in all searches. 150 -j [_N] .... --jump-target=[_N] 151 Screen position of target lines. 152 -J ........ --status-column 153 Display a status column at left edge of screen. 154 -k [_f_i_l_e] . --lesskey-file=[_f_i_l_e] 155 Use a lesskey file. 156 -K --quit-on-intr 157 Exit less in response to ctrl-C. 158 -L ........ --no-lessopen 159 Ignore the LESSOPEN environment variable. 160 -m -M .... --long-prompt --LONG-PROMPT 161 Set prompt style. 162 -n -N .... --line-numbers --LINE-NUMBERS 163 Don't use line numbers. 164 -o [_f_i_l_e] . --log-file=[_f_i_l_e] 165 Copy to log file (standard input only). 166 -O [_f_i_l_e] . --LOG-FILE=[_f_i_l_e] 167 Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite). 168 -p [_p_a_t_t_e_r_n] --pattern=[_p_a_t_t_e_r_n] 169 Start at pattern (from command line). 170 -P [_p_r_o_m_p_t] --prompt=[_p_r_o_m_p_t] 171 Define new prompt. 172 -q -Q .... --quiet --QUIET --silent --SILENT 173 Quiet the terminal bell. 174 -r -R .... --raw-control-chars --RAW-CONTROL-CHARS 175 Output "raw" control characters. 176 -s ........ --squeeze-blank-lines 177 Squeeze multiple blank lines. 178 -S ........ --chop-long-lines 179 Chop (truncate) long lines rather than wrapping. 180 -t [_t_a_g] .. --tag=[_t_a_g] 181 Find a tag. 182 -T [_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] --tag-file=[_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] 183 Use an alternate tags file. 184 -u -U .... --underline-special --UNDERLINE-SPECIAL 185 Change handling of backspaces. 186 -V ........ --version 187 Display the version number of "less". 188 -w ........ --hilite-unread 189 Highlight first new line after forward-screen. 190 -W ........ --HILITE-UNREAD 191 Highlight first new line after any forward movement. 192 -x [_N[,...]] --tabs=[_N[,...]] 193 Set tab stops. 194 -X ........ --no-init 195 Don't use termcap init/deinit strings. 196 -y [_N] .... --max-forw-scroll=[_N] 197 Forward scroll limit. 198 -z [_N] .... --window=[_N] 199 Set size of window. 200 -" [_c[_c]] . --quotes=[_c[_c]] 201 Set shell quote characters. 202 -~ ........ --tilde 203 Don't display tildes after end of file. 204 -# [_N] .... --shift=[_N] 205 Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width) 206 ........ --no-keypad 207 Don't send termcap keypad init/deinit strings. 208 ........ --follow-name 209 The F command changes files if the input file is renamed. 210 ........ --use-backslash 211 Subsequent options use backslash as escape char. 212 213 214 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 215 216 LLIINNEE EEDDIITTIINNGG 217 218 These keys can be used to edit text being entered 219 on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen. 220 221 RightArrow ..................... ESC-l ... Move cursor right one character. 222 LeftArrow ...................... ESC-h ... Move cursor left one character. 223 ctrl-RightArrow ESC-RightArrow ESC-w ... Move cursor right one word. 224 ctrl-LeftArrow ESC-LeftArrow ESC-b ... Move cursor left one word. 225 HOME ........................... ESC-0 ... Move cursor to start of line. 226 END ............................ ESC-$ ... Move cursor to end of line. 227 BACKSPACE ................................ Delete char to left of cursor. 228 DELETE ......................... ESC-x ... Delete char under cursor. 229 ctrl-BACKSPACE ESC-BACKSPACE ........... Delete word to left of cursor. 230 ctrl-DELETE .... ESC-DELETE .... ESC-X ... Delete word under cursor. 231 ctrl-U ......... ESC (MS-DOS only) ....... Delete entire line. 232 UpArrow ........................ ESC-k ... Retrieve previous command line. 233 DownArrow ...................... ESC-j ... Retrieve next command line. 234 TAB ...................................... Complete filename & cycle. 235 SHIFT-TAB ...................... ESC-TAB Complete filename & reverse cycle. 236 ctrl-L ................................... Complete filename, list all. 237 238 239