Completing Command Entry without Typing

UNIX for Beginners Q & A UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers
1

Hi,

In my UNIX (KSH) sytem, in order to Complete Command Entry without Typing the whole path or name, I have to use ESC+\ where as I am used to press TAB key to do the same. Can anyone tell me where we need to change the settings of the keyboard combination so that when I press TAB key the file name is displayed??

Example as how it works now:
>ls
>file.txt apple.txt
>view app[ESC pressed then "\" pressed]
>> view apple.txt

Example as how i need it to work
>ls
>file.txt apple.txt
>view app[TAB key pressed]
>> view apple.txt

Regards
JS

2

Hi,

After some research i have found that in KSH autocomplete is by pressing ESC and then "\". Is there any option that without changing the shell ( as i read some where that we can change KSH to BASH for TAB key to autocomplete) we can change this key settings?
Will "bind" command help us in this ?? ( I tried with bind but unsussessful)

Also, up arrow keys ( to display the previous typed commands ) are also not working. I need to press "ESC" and then "k". Can we never change this ???
Its pretty difficult since am used to arrow keys and tab key.

Could some one populate me with some more information on this.
Thanks in advance.
JS

3

Finally i have found something that works better. set -o emacs will help to press ESC twice so that auto competes. easier to use that esc-\.
But is there any other impacts of setting "emacs" on any other features ?

4

ksh has 2 input modes: vi or Emacs. In vi mode you've got 2 "submodes": input and command (just like vi). In command mode you can move around the lines and within lines using hjkl. Autocomplete in ksh should work with <ESC><ESC> (tap ESC twice).
To change to Emacs mode, enter

$ set +o vi
$ set +o viraw
$ set -o emacs

For more details check the ksh man page.

5

Thanks A lot pludi.
I have some questions.
Will this settings effect in any other way because i have seen in the .profile file ""set -o vi".

Also, u have mentioned 3 lines of code. could you please briefly explain these code.

Thanks in advance
Jisha

6 
$ set +o vi # Unset vi mode
$ set +o viraw # Unset options passing raw character codes in vi mode
$ set -o emacs # Set emacs mode

And with set -o you enable something, use set +o to disable.

7

Thank you so much ... that was very helpful.
JS