Go to the first, previous, next, last section, table of contents.
Completion widgets are defined by the -C option to the zle
builtin command provided by the zle module (see
section The zle Module). For example,
zle -C complete expand-or-complete completer
defines a widget named complete. When this widget is bound to a key
using the bindkey builtin command defined in the zle module
(see
section Zsh Line Editor), typing that key will call the shell function completer. This
function is responsible for generating the possible matches using the
builtins described below. Once the function returns, the completion code
takes over control again and treats the matches as the builtin widget
expand-or-complete would do. For this second argument, the name of any
of the builtin widgets that handle completions can be given:
complete-word, expand-or-complete,
expand-or-complete-prefix, menu-complete,
menu-expand-or-complete, reverse-menu-complete,
list-choices, or delete-char-or-list. Note that this will still
work even if the widget in question has been rebound.
Inside completion widgets, and any functions called from those, some
parameters have special meaning; outside these function they are not
special to the shell in any way. These parameters are used to pass
information between the completion code and the completion widget. Some of
the builtin commands and the condition codes use or change the current
values of these parameters. Any existing values will be hidden during
execution of completion widgets; except for compstate, the parameters
are reset on each function exit (including nested function calls from
within the completion widget) to the values they had when the function was
entered.
- words
-
This array contains the words present on the command line currently being
edited.
- CURRENT
-
This is the number of the current word, i.e. the word the cursor is
currently on in the words array. Note that this value is only
correct if the ksharrays options is not set.
- PREFIX
-
Initially this will be set to the part of the current word from the
beginning of the word up to the position of the cursor; it may be altered
to give a common prefix for all matches.
- IPREFIX
-
Initially this will be set to the empty string. It functions like
PREFIX, and gives a string which precedes the one in PREFIX and is
not considered part of the list of matches. Typically, a string is
transferred from the beginning of PREFIX to the end of IPREFIX, for
example:
IPREFIX=${PREFIX%%\=*}=
PREFIX=${PREFIX#*=}
causes the part of the prefix up to and including the first equal sign not
to be treated as part of a matched string. This can be done automatically
by the compset builtin, see below.
- QIPREFIX
-
This parameter is read-only and contains the quoted string up to the
word being completed. E.g. when completing `"foo', this parameter
contains the double quote. If the -q option of compset is used
(see below), and the original string was `"foo bar' with the
cursor on the `bar', this parameter contains `"foo '.
- SUFFIX
-
Initially this will be set to the part of the current word from the
cursor position to the end; it may be altered to give a common suffix for
all matches. It is most useful when the option COMPLETE_IN_WORD is
set, as otherwise the whole word on the command line is treated as a
prefix.
- ISUFFIX
-
As IPREFIX, but for a suffix that should not be considered part
of the matches; note that the ISUFFIX string follows the SUFFIX
string.
- QISUFFIX
-
Like QIPREFIX, but containing the suffix.
- compstate
-
This is an associative array with various keys and values that the
completion code uses to exchange information with the completion widget.
The keys are:
- context
-
This will be set by the completion code to the overall context
in which completion is attempted. Possible values are:
- command
-
when completing for a normal command (either in a command position or for
an argument of the command).
- redirect
-
when completing after a redirection operator.
- condition
-
when completing inside a `[[...]]' conditional expression; in
this case the words array contains the words inside the
conditional expression.
- math
-
when completing in a mathematical environment such as a
`((...))' construct.
- value
-
when completing the value of a parameter assignment.
- array_value
-
when completing inside the value of an array parameter assignment; in
this case the words array contains the words inside the parentheses.
- subscript
-
when completing inside a parameter subscript.
- parameter
-
when completing the name of a parameter in a parameter expansion beginning
with $ but not ${.
- brace_parameter
-
when completing the name of a parameter in a parameter expansion beginning
with ${.
- vared
-
If completion is called while editing a line using the vared
builtin, the value of this key is set to the name of the parameter
given as argument to vared. If vared is not currently used,
this key is unset.
- parameter
-
The name of the parameter when completing in a subscript or in the
value of a parameter assignment.
- redirect
-
The redirection operator when completing in a redirection position,
i.e. one of <, >, etc.
- quoting
-
When completing inside single quotes, this is set to the string
single; inside double quotes, the string
double; inside backticks, the string backtick.
Otherwise it is unset.
- quote
-
When completing inside quotes, this contains the quotation character
(i.e. either a single quote, a double quote, or a backtick). Otherwise it
is unset.
- nmatches
-
The number of matches generated and accepted by the completion code so far.
- normal_nmatches
-
Like nmatches, but counts only matches in the normal set. I.e. file
names with one of the suffixes from the fignore array and matches
put into the alternate set using the -a option of the compadd
builtin command (see below) are not counted.
- matcher
-
When completion is performed with a global match specification as defined
by
compctl -M spec1 ... specN ...
this gives the number of the specification string currently in use.
In this case, matching is performed with each specification in turn.
- matcher_string
-
The global match specification string specN currently used.
- total_matchers
-
The total number of global match specifications.
- restore
-
This is set to auto before a function is entered, which forces the
special parameters mentioned above (words, CURRENT, PREFIX,
IPREFIX, SUFFIX, and ISUFFIX) to be restored to their
previous values when the function exits. If a function unsets it or
sets it to any other string, they will not be restored.
- list
-
This controls whether or how the list of matches will be displayed. If it
is unset or empty they will never be listed; if is set to list, they
will always be listed; if autolist or ambiguous, they will be
listed when the AUTO_LIST or LIST_AMBIGUOUS options respectively
would normally cause them to be. It will be set appropriately on entry to
a completion widget and may be changed there.
- force_list
-
If the value for the list key is autolist or ambiguous, the list will
normally be shown only if there are at least two matches in the
list. Setting force_list to an non-empty string forces the list to be
shown even if there is only one match.
- list_max
-
Initially this is set to the value of the LISTMAX parameter.
It may be set to any other numeric value; when the widget exits this value
will be used in the same way as the value of LISTMAX.
- last_prompt
-
If this is set to an non-empty string, the completion code will move
the cursor back to the previous prompt after the list of completions
has been displayed. Initially this is set or unset according to
the ALWAYS_LAST_PROMPT option.
- insert
-
This controls the manner in which a match is inserted into the command
line. On entry to the widget function, if it is unset the command line is
not to be changed; if set to unambiguous, any prefix common to all
matches is to be inserted; if set to menu or automenu the usual
behaviour of the MENU_COMPLETE or AUTO_MENU options, respectively,
is to be used.
On exit it may be set to any of the values above (where setting it to
the empty string is the same as unsetting it), or to a number, in which
case the match whose number is given will be inserted into the command line.
It may also be set to a string of the form `group:match' which
specifies a match from a group of matches to be inserted, counting from 1
upwards (e.g. `2:4' specifies the fourth match of the second group).
Negative numbers count backward from the last match or group (with `-1'
selecting the last match or group) and out-of-range values are wrapped
around, so that a value of zero selects the last match or group and a value
one more than the maximum selects the first. Unless the value of this
key ends in a space, the match is inserted as in a menu-completion,
i.e. without automatically appending a space.
- to_end
-
Specifies the occasions on which the cursor is moved to the end of a string
when a match is inserted. On entry to a widget function, it may be
single if this will happen when a single unambiguous match was inserted
or match if it will happen any time a match is inserted (for example,
by menucompletion; this is likely to be the effect of the ALWAYS_TO_END
option).
On exit, it may be set to single as above. It may also be set to
always, or to the empty string or unset; in those cases the cursor will
be moved to the end of the string always or never respectively. Any
other string is treated as match.
- old_list
-
This is set to yes if there is still a valid list of completions
from a previous completion at the time the widget is invoked. This will
usually be the case if and only if the previous editing operation was a
completion widget or one of the builtin completion functions. If there is a
valid list and it is also currently shown on the screen, the value of this
key is shown.
After the widget has exited the value of this key is only used if it
was set to keep. In this case the completion code will continue
to use this old list. If the widget generated new matches, they will
not be used.
- old_insert
-
On entry to the widget this will be set to the number of the match of
an old list of completions that is currently inserted into the command
line. If no match has been inserted, this is unset.
As with old_list, the value of this key will only be used if it is the
string keep. If it was set to this value by the widget and there was an
old match inserted into the command line, this match will be kept and if
the value of the insert key specifies that another match should be
inserted, this will be inserted after the old one.
- exact
-
Controls the behaviour when the REC_EXACT option is set. It will be
set to accept if an exact match would be accepted, and will be unset
otherwise.
- exact_string
-
The string of an exact match if one was found, otherwise unset.
- pattern_match
-
Locally controls the behaviour given by the GLOB_COMPLETE option.
Initially it is set to `*' if and only if the option is set.
The completion widget may set it to either of these two values, or to any
other non-empty string. If it is non-empty, unquoted metacharacters on the
command line will be treated as patterns; if it is `*', then
additionally a wildcard `*' is assumed at the cursor position; if
it is empty or unset, metacharacters will be treated literally.
- pattern_insert
-
Normally this is set to menu, which specifies that menu-completion will
be used whenever the matches were generated using pattern matching. If it
is set to any other non-empty string by the user and menu-completion is
not selected by other option settings, the code will insert an
unambiguous string for the generated matches as with normal completion.
- unambiguous
-
This key is read-only and will always be set to the unambiguous string
the completion code has generated for all matches added so far.
- unambiguous_cursor
-
This gives the position the cursor would be placed at if the
unambiguous string in the unambiguous key were inserted, relative to
the value of that key. The cursor would be placed before the character
whose index is given by this key.
- compgen flags ...
-
Generate matches according to the given flags. These can be any of
the normal option flags (not those for extended completion) supported by
the compctl builtin command (see
section Programmable Completion Using compctl) except for the -t and -l flags. However, when using the -K
flag, the function given as argument to it cannot access the command
line with the read builtin command.
The matches will be generated in the same way as if the completion code
generated them directly from a compctl-definition with the same
flags. The completion code will consider only those matches as
possible completions that match the prefix and suffix from the special
parameters described above. These strings will be compared with the
generated matches using the normal matching rules and any matching
specifications given with the -M flag to compgen and the
global matching specifications given via the compctl -M spec1 ...
builtin command.
The return value is zero if at least one match was added and non-zero
otherwise.
- compadd [ -qQfnUam ] [ -F array ]
-
- [ -P prefix ] [ -S suffix ]
-
- [ -p hidden-prefix ] [ -s hidden-suffix ]
-
- [ -i ignored-prefix ] [ -I ignored-suffix ]
-
- [ -W file-prefix ] [ -y array ]
-
- [ -J name ] [ -V name ] [ -X explanation ]
-
- [ -r remove-chars ] [ -R remove-func ]
-
- [ -M match-spec ] [ -O array ] [ -A array ]
-
- [ -D array ] [ -- ] [ words ... ]
-
This builtin command can be used to add matches directly and control
all the information the completion code stores with each possible
match. The return value is zero if at least one match was added and
non-zero if no matches were added.
The completion code breaks the string to complete into seven fields in
the order:
<ipre><apre><hpre><word><hsuf><asuf><isuf>
The first field
is an ignored prefix taken from the command line, the contents of the
IPREFIX parameter plus the string given with the -i
option. With the -U option, only the string from the -i
option is used. The field <apre> is an optional prefix string
given with the -P option. The <hpre> field is a string
that is considered part of the match but that should not be shown when
listing completions, given with the -p option; for example,
functions that do filename generation might specify
a common path prefix this way. <word> is the part of the match that
should appear in the list of completions, one of the words given at the
end. The suffixes <hsuf>, <asuf> and <isuf> correspond to
the prefixes <hpre>, <apre> and <ipre> and are given by the
options -s, -S and -I, respectively.
The supported flags are:
- -P prefix
-
As for compctl and compgen, it gives a string to
be inserted before the given words. The
string given is not considered as part of the match.
- -S suffix
-
Like -P but gives a string to be inserted after the match.
- -p hidden-prefix
-
This gives a string that should be inserted into the command line before the
match but that should not appear in the list of matches. Unless the
-U option is given, this string must be matched as part of the string
on the command line.
- -s hidden-suffix
-
Like `-p', but gives a string to insert after the match.
- -i ignored-prefix
-
This gives a string to insert into the command line just before any
string given with the `-P' option. Without `-P' the string is
inserted before the string given with `-p' or directly before the
match.
- -I ignored-suffix
-
Like -i, but gives an ignored suffix.
- -y array
-
This gives a number of strings to display instead of the matches. This
is like the -y option of the compctl builtin command but the
array argument may only be the name of an array parameter or a
literal array in parentheses containing the strings to display.
- -J name
-
As for compctl and compgen, this gives the name of the group
of matches the words should be stored in.
- -V name
-
Like -J but naming a unsorted group.
- -X explanation
-
As for compctl and compgen, the explanation string will be
printed with the list of matches.
- -q
-
As for compctl and compgen,
the suffix given with -S will be automatically removed if
the next character typed is a blank or does not insert anything, or if
the suffix consists of only one character and the next character typed
is the same character.
- -r remove-chars
-
This is a more versatile form of the -q option.
The suffix given with -S or the slash automatically added after
completing directories will be automatically removed if
the next character typed inserts one of the characters given in the
remove-chars. This string is parsed as a characters class and
understands the backslash sequences used by the print command. For
example, `-r "a-z\t"' removes the suffix if the next character typed
inserts a lowercase character or a TAB, and `-r "^0-9"' removes the
suffix if the next character typed inserts anything but a digit. One extra
backslash sequence is understood in this string: `\-' stands for
all characters that insert nothing. Thus `-S "=" -q' is the same
as `-S "=" -r "= \t\n\-"'.
- -R remove-func
-
This is another form of the -r option. When a suffix
has been inserted and the completion accepted, the function
remove-func will be called after the next character typed. It is
passed the length of the suffix as an argument and can use the special
parameters available in ordinary (non-completion) zle widgets (see
section Zsh Line Editor) to analyse and modify the command line.
- -f
-
If this flag is given, all of the matches built from words are
marked as being the names of files. They are not required to be actual
filenames, but if they are, and the option LIST_TYPES is set, the
characters describing the types of the files in the completion lists will
be shown. This also forces a slash to be added when the name of a
directory is completed.
- -W file-prefix
-
This option has the same meaning as for the compctl and
compgen builtin commands. Here, however, only one string may be
given, not an array. This string is a pathname that will be
prepended to each of the matches formed by the given words together
with any prefix specified by the -p option to form a complete filename
for testing. Hence it is only useful if combined with the -f flag, as
the tests will not otherwise be performed.
- -a
-
In the compctl or compgen commands, the completion code normally
builds two sets of matches: the normal one where words with one of the
suffixes in the array parameter fignore are not considered
possible matches, and the alternate set where the words excluded
from the first set are stored. Normally only the matches in the first
set are used, but if this set is empty, the words from the alternate
set are used.
The compadd builtin does not use the fignore parameter and
normally stores all words in the first set. With the -a-flag
given, however, the given words are stored in the alternate set unless
this flag is overridden by the -F option.
- -F array
-
Specifies an array containing suffixes in the same form as the
fignore parameter. Words with one of these suffixes are stored in
the alternate set of matches and words without one of these suffixes
are stored in the normal set.
The array may be the name of an array parameter or a list of
literal suffixes enclosed in parentheses and quoted, as in `-F "(.o
.h)"'. If the name of an array is given, the elements of the array are
taken as the suffixes.
- -Q
-
As for compctl and compgen, this flag instructs the completion
code not to quote any metacharacters in the words when inserting them
into the command line.
- -M match-spec
-
As for compctl and compgen, this gives local match specifications.
Note that they will only be used if the -U option is not given.
- -n
-
Specifies that the words added are to be used as possible
matches, but are not to appear in the completion listing.
- -U
-
If this flag is given, all words given will be accepted and no matching
will be done by the completion code. Normally this is used in
functions that do the matching themselves.
Note that with compadd this option does not automatically turn on
menu completion if AUTO_LIST is set, unlike the corresponding option of
compctl and compgen commands.
- -O array
-
If this option is given, the words are not added to the set of
possible completions. Instead, matching is done as usual and all of the
words given as arguments that match the string on the command line
will be stored in the array parameter whose name is given as array.
- -A array
-
As the -O option, except that instead of those of the words which
match being stored in array, the strings generated internally by the
completion code are stored. For example,
with a matching specification of `-M "L:|no="', the string `nof'
on the command line and the string `foo' as one of the words, this
option stores the string `nofoo' in the array, whereas the -O
option stores the `foo' originally given.
- -D array
-
As with -O, the words are not added to the set of possible
completions. Instead, the completion code tests every word if
it matches what is on the line. If the n'th word does not
match, the n'th element of the array is removed. Elements
for which the corresponding word is matched are retained.
- -, --
-
This flag ends the list of flags and options. All arguments after it
will be taken as the words to use as matches even if they begin with
hyphens.
- compset -p number
-
- compset -P [ number ] pattern
-
- compset -s number
-
- compset -S [ number ] pattern
-
- compset -n begin [ end ]
-
- compset -N beg-pat [ end-pat ]
-
- compset -q
-
This command simplifies modification of the special parameters,
while its return value allows tests on them to be carried out.
The options are:
- -p number
-
If the contents of the PREFIX parameter is longer than number
characters, the first number characters are removed from it and
appended to the contents of the IPREFIX parameter.
- -P [ number ] pattern
-
If the value of the PREFIX parameter begins with anything that
matches the pattern, the matched portion is removed from
PREFIX and appended to IPREFIX.
Without the optional number, the longest match is taken, but
if number is given, anything up to the number'th match is
moved. If the number is negative, the number'th longest
match is moved. For example, if PREFIX contains the string
`a=b=c', then compset -P '*\=' will move the string `a=b='
into the IPREFIX parameter, but compset -P 1 '*\=' will move only
the string `a='.
- -s number
-
As -p, but transfer the last number characters from the
value of SUFFIX to the front of the value of ISUFFIX.
- -S [ number ] pattern
-
As -P, but match the last portion of SUFFIX and transfer the
matched portion to the front of the value of ISUFFIX.
- -n begin [ end ]
-
If the current word position as specified by the parameter CURRENT
is greater than or equal to begin, anything up to the
begin'th word is removed from the words array and the value
of the parameter CURRENT is decremented by begin.
If the optional end is given, the modification is done only if
the current word position is also less than or equal to end. In
this case, the words from position end onwards are also removed from
the words array.
Both begin and end may be negative to count backwards
from the last element of the words array.
- -N beg-pat [ end-pat ]
-
If one of the elements of the words array before the one at the
index given by the value of the parameter CURRENT matches the
pattern beg-pat, all elements up to and including the matching one are
removed from the words array and the value of CURRENT is changed to
point to the same word in the changed array.
If the optional pattern end-pat is also given, and there is an
element in the words array matching this pattern, the parameters
are modified only if the index of this word is higher than the one
given by the CURRENT parameter (so that the matching word has
to be after the cursor). In this case, the words starting with the one
matching end-pat are also removed from the words
array. If words contains no word matching end-pat, the
testing and modification is performed as if it were not given.
- -q
-
The word
currently being completed is split in separate words at the spaces. The
resulting words are stored in the words array, and CURRENT,
PREFIX, SUFFIX, QIPREFIX, and QISUFFIX are modified to
reflect the word part that is completed.
In all the above cases the return value is zero if the test succeeded
and the parameters were modified and non-zero otherwise. This allows
one to use this builtin in tests such as:
if compset -P '*\='; then ...
This forces anything up to and including the last equal sign to be
ignored by the completion code.
- compcall [ -TD ]
-
This allows the use of completions defined with the compctl builtin
from within completion widgets. The list of matches will be generated as
if one of the non-widget completion function (complete-word, etc.)
had been called, except that only compctls given for specific commands
are used. To force the code to try completions defined with the -T
option of compctl and/or the default completion (whether defined by
compctl -D or the builtin default) in the appropriate places, the
-T and/or -D flags can be passed to compcall.
The return value can be used to test if a matching compctl
definition was found. It is non-zero if a compctl was found and
zero otherwise.
The following additional condition codes for use within the [[ ... ]]
construct are available in completion widgets. These work on the special
parameters. All of these tests can also be performed by the compset
builtin, but in the case of the condition codes the contents of the special
parameters are not modified.
- -prefix [ number ] pattern
-
true if the test for the -P option of compset would succeed.
- -suffix [ number ] pattern
-
true if the test for the -S option of compset would succeed.
- -after beg-pat
-
true if the test of the -N option with only the beg-pat given
would succeed.
- -between beg-pat end-pat
-
true if the test for the -N option with both patterns would succeed.
The first step is to define the widget:
zle -C complete complete-word complete-history
Then the widget can be bound to a key using the bindkey builtin
command:
bindkey '^X\t' complete
After that the shell function complete-history will be invoked
after typing control-X and TAB. The function should then generate the
matches, e.g.:
complete-history () { compgen -H 0 '' }
This function will complete words from the history matching the
current word.
For a description of the widget-based completion system provided with the
source code distribution, see
section Completion System.
Go to the first, previous, next, last section, table of contents.