Filename Completion and History

[Suren Selva_1]

Hello,

I am using RedHat Enterprise Linux Version 2.1. Can someone answer the following questions?
1. Which shell is recommended for Sys Admin tasks? What is the Posix or Korn shell equivalents in Linux?
2. In the recommended shell, how can I setup filename completion and command line editing?

Thanks to all replies,
S. Selva

[Paul Cross_1]

I think the overwhelming answer to this is: (drum roll please)...
bash.
/bin/bash (usually) is a bourne shell replacement with many many added features like filename completion (this is the default).
bash supports vi-style editing ala ksh as well (bash -o vi)

[Stuart Browne]

It depends on what you're used to, and what you'd like to be able to do.

I'd agree with Paul though, as 'bash' (the standard on most (if not all) Linux systems) is probably your best bet.

It comes started with file completion, and also a command history (usually stored in ~/.bash_history ($HISTFILE)) of configurable length ($HISTFILESIZE and $HISTSIZE).

The history navigation and inline editing are variable, and can be changed to use your favourite editor styled commands (set -o vi, set -o emacs), with or without arrow-key support.

As for ksh equivlants, you've got 'pdksh', as well as the standard posix 'ksh' source available to download and compile. Most linux distributions have a 'pdksh' package available, but due to the licencing, you'll need to get the posix ksh source yourslef.

[Suren Selva_1]

With 'set -o vi' I was able to do command line history editing.

However I am still unable to do filename completion by hitting the ESC key twice.

How can I get that done?

-Suren

[Paul Cross_1]

Use the tab key ala tcsh...
or esc-k, esc-m, as in vi.

[Suren Selva_1]

This is for moving up and down the command line is it not? Moving up and down works for me with set -o vi.

How can filename completion be done?

-Suren

[Jared Middleton]

I used to use ksh and SAM on our old HP-UX servers, but since we switched over to RH Linux, I found bash to be my new favorite shell. And even better than SAM, I love power, simplicity and ability to delegate specific functions using the web-based admin tool Webmin (www.webmin.com)

As Paul indicated, under bash, just enter the leading part of a file name path and hit the TAB key... just as you would do under ksh with the ESC key.

-Jared

[Mark Grant · Accepted solution]

Suren, you need to press TAB twice if there is more than one file that could satisfy the completion.

For example, type "whic" and then the TAB key. It will immediately be completed to "which". However, if you type "wh" you have to press the TAB key twice to get a full list of all the files that could match.

[Suren Selva_1]

Thanks to you all. I got it.

-Suren

[Steven E. Protter]

I also noticed recently that Red Hat Enterprise Server AS 3.0 Release 1 does take the HP-UX escape escape filename completion.

SEP

[Tony Contratto]

Another option...

If you want completion by pressing escape twice, you can install pdksh. Then use "set -o vi" to enable vi like command line editing and "set -o vi-esccomplete" to enable the double escape completion.

--
Tony

[Stuart Browne]

usually ESC+ESC is the equivalent to TAB in a bash shell.

To do partial-name-listings however, it seems you have to press escape 5 times instead of four.. but that's in 'set -o emacs'.

As you're in 'set -o vi', you should be using the ksh/vi key equivalents, ESC+\ (for completion) and ESC+* (for all matches).