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 position with <letter>. 73 '_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Go to a previously marked position. 74 '' Go to the previous position. 75 ^X^X Same as '. 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 82 83 CCHHAANNGGIINNGG FFIILLEESS 84 85 :e [_f_i_l_e] Examine a new file. 86 ^X^V Same as :e. 87 :n * Examine the (_N-th) next file from the command line. 88 :p * Examine the (_N-th) previous file from the command line. 89 :x * Examine the first (or _N-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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 93 94 MMIISSCCEELLLLAANNEEOOUUSS CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS 95 96 -_<_f_l_a_g_> Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below]. 97 --_<_n_a_m_e_> Toggle a command line option, by name. 98 __<_f_l_a_g_> Display the setting of a command line option. 99 ___<_n_a_m_e_> Display the setting of an option, by name. 100 +_c_m_d Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined. 101 102 !_c_o_m_m_a_n_d Execute the shell command with $SHELL. 103 |XX_c_o_m_m_a_n_d Pipe file between current pos & mark XX to shell command. 104 s _f_i_l_e Save input to a file. 105 v Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR. 106 V Print version number of "less". 107 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 108 109 OOPPTTIIOONNSS 110 111 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 --. 115 116 -? ........ --help 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 [_N] .... --buffers=[_N] 123 Number of buffers. 124 -B ........ --auto-buffers 125 Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes. 126 -c ........ --clear-screen 127 Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling. 128 -d ........ --dumb 129 Dumb terminal. 130 -D [_x_n_._n] . --color=_x_n_._n 131 Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only) 132 -e -E .... --quit-at-eof --QUIT-AT-EOF 133 Quit at end of file. 134 -f ........ --force 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 [_N] .... --max-back-scroll=[_N] 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 [_N] .... --jump-target=[_N] 149 Screen position of target lines. 150 -J ........ --status-column 151 Display a status column at left edge of screen. 152 -k [_f_i_l_e] . --lesskey-file=[_f_i_l_e] 153 Use a lesskey file. 154 -K --quit-on-intr 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 159 Set prompt style. 160 -n -N .... --line-numbers --LINE-NUMBERS 161 Don't use line numbers. 162 -o [_f_i_l_e] . --log-file=[_f_i_l_e] 163 Copy to log file (standard input only). 164 -O [_f_i_l_e] . --LOG-FILE=[_f_i_l_e] 165 Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite). 166 -p [_p_a_t_t_e_r_n] --pattern=[_p_a_t_t_e_r_n] 167 Start at pattern (from command line). 168 -P [_p_r_o_m_p_t] --prompt=[_p_r_o_m_p_t] 169 Define new prompt. 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 [_t_a_g] .. --tag=[_t_a_g] 179 Find a tag. 180 -T [_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] --tag-file=[_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] 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 [_N[,...]] --tabs=[_N[,...]] 191 Set tab stops. 192 -X ........ --no-init 193 Don't use termcap init/deinit strings. 194 -y [_N] .... --max-forw-scroll=[_N] 195 Forward scroll limit. 196 -z [_N] .... --window=[_N] 197 Set size of window. 198 -" [_c[_c]] . --quotes=[_c[_c]] 199 Set shell quote characters. 200 -~ ........ --tilde 201 Don't display tildes after end of file. 202 -# [_N] .... --shift=[_N] 203 Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width) 204 ........ --no-keypad 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. 210 211 212 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 213 214 LLIINNEE EEDDIITTIINNGG 215 216 These keys can be used to edit text being entered 217 on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen. 218 219 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. 235 236 237