zshcompctl
(1)
Name
zshcompctl - zsh programmable completion
Synopsis
Please see following description for synopsis
Description
User Commands ZSHCOMPCTL(1)
NAME
zshcompctl - zsh programmable completion
DESCRIPTION
This version of zsh has two ways of performing completion of
words on the command line. New users of the shell may pre-
fer to use the newer and more powerful system based on shell
functions; this is described in zshcompsys(1), and the basic
shell mechanisms which support it are described in zshcomp-
wid(1). This manual entry describes the older compctl com-
mand.
compctl [ -CDT ] options [ command ... ]
options [ -x ... -- ] ... [+] ] [ command ... ]
compctl [ -CDT ] options [ -x pattern options - ... --
] [ +
compctl -M match-specs ...
compctl -L [ -CDTM ] [ command ... ]
compctl + command ...
Control the editor's completion behavior according to the
supplied set of options. Various editing commands, notably
expand-or-complete-word, usually bound to tab, will attempt
to complete a word typed by the user, while others, notably
delete-char-or-list, usually bound to ^D in EMACS editing
mode, list the possibilities; compctl controls what those
possibilities are. They may for example be filenames (the
most common case, and hence the default), shell variables,
or words from a user-specified list.
COMMAND FLAGS
Completion of the arguments of a command may be different
for each command or may use the default. The behavior when
completing the command word itself may also be separately
specified. These correspond to the following flags and
arguments, all of which (except for -L) may be combined with
any combination of the options described subsequently in the
section `Option Flags':
command ...
controls completion for the named commands, which must
be listed last on the command line. If completion is
attempted for a command with a pathname containing
slashes and no completion definition is found, the
search is retried with the last pathname component. If
the command starts with a =, completion is tried with
the pathname of the command.
Any of the command strings may be patterns of the form
normally used for filename generation. These should be
quoted to protect them from immediate expansion; for
example the command string 'foo*' arranges for comple-
tion of the words of any command beginning with foo.
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When completion is attempted, all pattern completions
are tried in the reverse order of their definition
until one matches. By default, completion then pro-
ceeds as normal, i.e. the shell will try to generate
more matches for the specific command on the command
line; this can be overridden by including -tn in the
flags for the pattern completion.
Note that aliases are expanded before the command name
is determined unless the COMPLETE_ALIASES option is
set. Commands may not be combined with the -C, -D or
-T flags.
-C controls completion when the command word itself is
being completed. If no compctl -C command has been
issued, the names of any executable command (whether
in the path or specific to the shell, such as aliases
or functions) are completed.
-D controls default completion behavior for the arguments
of commands not assigned any special behavior. If no
compctl -D command has been issued, filenames are com-
pleted.
-T supplies completion flags to be used before any other
processing is done, even before processing for compctls
defined for specific commands. This is especially use-
ful when combined with extended completion (the -x
flag, see the section `Extended Completion' below).
Using this flag you can define default behavior which
will apply to all commands without exception, or you
can alter the standard behavior for all commands. For
example, if your access to the user database is too
slow and/or it contains too many users (so that comple-
tion after `~' is too slow to be usable), you can use
compctl -T -x 's[~] C[0,[^/]#]' -k friends -S/ -tn
to complete the strings in the array friends after a
`~'. The C[...] argument is necessary so that this
form of ~-completion is not tried after the directory
name is finished.
-L lists the existing completion behavior in a manner
suitable for putting into a start-up script; the exist-
ing behavior is not changed. Any combination of the
above forms, or the -M flag (which must follow the -L
flag), may be specified, otherwise all defined comple-
tions are listed. Any other flags supplied are
ignored.
no argument
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User Commands ZSHCOMPCTL(1)
If no argument is given, compctl lists all defined com-
pletions in an abbreviated form; with a list of
options, all completions with those flags set (not
counting extended completion) are listed.
If the + flag is alone and followed immediately by the com-
mand list, the completion behavior for all the commands in
the list is reset to the default. In other words, comple-
tion will subsequently use the options specified by the -D
flag.
The form with -M as the first and only option defines global
matching specifications (see zshcompwid). The match specifi-
cations given will be used for every completion attempt
(only when using compctl, not with the new completion sys-
tem) and are tried in the order in which they are defined
until one generates at least one match. E.g.:
compctl -M '' 'm:{a-zA-Z}={A-Za-z}'
This will first try completion without any global match
specifications (the empty string) and, if that generates no
matches, will try case insensitive completion.
OPTION FLAGS
[ -fcFBdeaRGovNAIOPZEnbjrzu/12 ]
[ -k array ] [ -g globstring ] [ -s subststring ]
[ -K function ]
[ -Q ] [ -P prefix ] [ -S suffix ]
[ -W file-prefix ] [ -H num pattern ]
[ -q ] [ -X explanation ] [ -Y explanation ]
[ -y func-or-var ] [ -l cmd ] [ -h cmd ] [ -U ]
[ -t continue ] [ -J name ] [ -V name ]
[ -M match-spec ]
The remaining options specify the type of command arguments
to look for during completion. Any combination of these
flags may be specified; the result is a sorted list of all
the possibilities. The options are as follows.
Simple Flags
These produce completion lists made up by the shell itself:
-f Filenames and file system paths.
-/ Just file system paths.
-c Command names, including aliases, shell functions,
builtins and reserved words.
-F Function names.
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-B Names of builtin commands.
-m Names of external commands.
-w Reserved words.
-a Alias names.
-R Names of regular (non-global) aliases.
-G Names of global aliases.
-d This can be combined with -F, -B, -w, -a, -R and -G to
get names of disabled functions, builtins, reserved
words or aliases.
-e This option (to show enabled commands) is in effect by
default, but may be combined with -d; -de in combina-
tion with -F, -B, -w, -a, -R and -G will complete names
of functions, builtins, reserved words or aliases
whether or not they are disabled.
-o Names of shell options (see zshoptions(1)).
-v Names of any variable defined in the shell.
-N Names of scalar (non-array) parameters.
-A Array names.
-I Names of integer variables.
-O Names of read-only variables.
-p Names of parameters used by the shell (including spe-
cial parameters).
-Z Names of shell special parameters.
-E Names of environment variables.
-n Named directories.
-b Key binding names.
-j Job names: the first word of the job leader's command
line. This is useful with the kill builtin.
-r Names of running jobs.
-z Names of suspended jobs.
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-u User names.
Flags with Arguments
These have user supplied arguments to determine how the list
of completions is to be made up:
-k array
Names taken from the elements of $array (note that the
`$' does not appear on the command line). Alterna-
tively, the argument array itself may be a set of
space- or comma-separated values in parentheses, in
which any delimiter may be escaped with a backslash; in
this case the argument should be quoted. For example,
compctl -k "(cputime filesize datasize stacksize
coredumpsize resident descriptors)" limit
-g globstring
The globstring is expanded using filename globbing; it
should be quoted to protect it from immediate expan-
sion. The resulting filenames are taken as the possible
completions. Use `*(/)' instead of `*/' for directo-
ries. The fignore special parameter is not applied to
the resulting files. More than one pattern may be
given separated by blanks. (Note that brace expansion
is not part of globbing. Use the syntax `(either|or)'
to match alternatives.)
-s subststring
The subststring is split into words and these words are
than expanded using all shell expansion mechanisms (see
zshexpn(1)). The resulting words are taken as possible
completions. The fignore special parameter is not
applied to the resulting files. Note that -g is faster
for filenames.
-K function
Call the given function to get the completions. Unless
the name starts with an underscore, the function is
passed two arguments: the prefix and the suffix of the
word on which completion is to be attempted, in other
words those characters before the cursor position, and
those from the cursor position onwards. The whole com-
mand line can be accessed with the -c and -l flags of
the read builtin. The function should set the variable
reply to an array containing the completions (one com-
pletion per element); note that reply should not be
made local to the function. From such a function the
command line can be accessed with the -c and -l flags
to the read builtin. For example,
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User Commands ZSHCOMPCTL(1)
function whoson { reply=(`users`); }
compctl -K whoson talk
completes only logged-on users after `talk'. Note that
`whoson' must return an array, so `reply=`users`' would
be incorrect.
-H num pattern
The possible completions are taken from the last num
history lines. Only words matching pattern are taken.
If num is zero or negative the whole history is
searched and if pattern is the empty string all words
are taken (as with `*'). A typical use is
compctl -D -f + -H 0 ''
which forces completion to look back in the history
list for a word if no filename matches.
Control Flags
These do not directly specify types of name to be completed,
but manipulate the options that do:
-Q This instructs the shell not to quote any metacharac-
ters in the possible completions. Normally the results
of a completion are inserted into the command line with
any metacharacters quoted so that they are interpreted
as normal characters. This is appropriate for file-
names and ordinary strings. However, for special
effects, such as inserting a backquoted expression from
a completion array (-k) so that the expression will not
be evaluated until the complete line is executed, this
option must be used.
-P prefix
The prefix is inserted just before the completed
string; any initial part already typed will be com-
pleted and the whole prefix ignored for completion pur-
poses. For example,
compctl -j -P "%" kill
inserts a `%' after the kill command and then completes
job names.
-S suffix
When a completion is found the suffix is inserted after
the completed string. In the case of menu completion
the suffix is inserted immediately, but it is still
possible to cycle through the list of completions by
repeatedly hitting the same key.
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-W file-prefix
With directory file-prefix: for command, file, direc-
tory and globbing completion (options -c, -f, -/, -g),
the file prefix is implicitly added in front of the
completion. For example,
compctl -/ -W ~/Mail maildirs
completes any subdirectories to any depth beneath the
directory ~/Mail, although that prefix does not appear
on the command line. The file-prefix may also be of
the form accepted by the -k flag, i.e. the name of an
array or a literal list in parenthesis. In this case
all the directories in the list will be searched for
possible completions.
-q If used with a suffix as specified by the -S option,
this causes the suffix to be removed if the next char-
acter 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; this the
same rule used for the AUTO_REMOVE_SLASH option. The
option is most useful for list separators (comma,
colon, etc.).
-l cmd
This option restricts the range of command line words
that are considered to be arguments. If combined with
one of the extended completion patterns `p[...]',
`r[...]', or `R[...]' (see the section `Extended Com-
pletion' below) the range is restricted to the range of
arguments specified in the brackets. Completion is
then performed as if these had been given as arguments
to the cmd supplied with the option. If the cmd string
is empty the first word in the range is instead taken
as the command name, and command name completion per-
formed on the first word in the range. For example,
compctl -x 'r[-exec,;]' -l '' -- find
completes arguments between `-exec' and the following
`;' (or the end of the command line if there is no such
string) as if they were a separate command line.
-h cmd
Normally zsh completes quoted strings as a whole. With
this option, completion can be done separately on dif-
ferent parts of such strings. It works like the -l
option but makes the completion code work on the parts
of the current word that are separated by spaces. These
parts are completed as if they were arguments to the
given cmd. If cmd is the empty string, the first part
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is completed as a command name, as with -l.
-U Use the whole list of possible completions, whether or
not they actually match the word on the command line.
The word typed so far will be deleted. This is most
useful with a function (given by the -K option) which
can examine the word components passed to it (or via
the read builtin's -c and -l flags) and use its own
criteria to decide what matches. If there is no com-
pletion, the original word is retained. Since the pro-
duced possible completions seldom have interesting com-
mon prefixes and suffixes, menu completion is started
immediately if AUTO_MENU is set and this flag is used.
-y func-or-var
The list provided by func-or-var is displayed instead
of the list of completions whenever a listing is
required; the actual completions to be inserted are not
affected. It can be provided in two ways. Firstly, if
func-or-var begins with a $ it defines a variable, or
if it begins with a left parenthesis a literal array,
which contains the list. A variable may have been set
by a call to a function using the -K option. Otherwise
it contains the name of a function which will be exe-
cuted to create the list. The function will be passed
as an argument list all matching completions, including
prefixes and suffixes expanded in full, and should set
the array reply to the result. In both cases, the dis-
play list will only be retrieved after a complete list
of matches has been created.
Note that the returned list does not have to corre-
spond, even in length, to the original set of matches,
and may be passed as a scalar instead of an array. No
special formatting of characters is performed on the
output in this case; in particular, newlines are
printed literally and if they appear output in columns
is suppressed.
-X explanation
Print explanation when trying completion on the current
set of options. A `%n' in this string is replaced by
the number of matches that were added for this explana-
tion string. The explanation only appears if comple-
tion was tried and there was no unique match, or when
listing completions. Explanation strings will be listed
together with the matches of the group specified
together with the -X option (using the -J or -V
option). If the same explanation string is given to
multiple -X options, the string appears only once (for
each group) and the number of matches shown for the
`%n' is the total number of all matches for each of
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these uses. In any case, the explanation string will
only be shown if there was at least one match added for
the explanation string.
The sequences %B, %b, %S, %s, %U, and %u specify output
attributes (bold, standout, and underline), %F, %f, %K,
%k specify foreground and background colours, and
%{...%} can be used to include literal escape sequences
as in prompts.
-Y explanation
Identical to -X, except that the explanation first
undergoes expansion following the usual rules for
strings in double quotes. The expansion will be car-
ried out after any functions are called for the -K or
-y options, allowing them to set variables.
-t continue
The continue-string contains a character that specifies
which set of completion flags should be used next. It
is useful:
(i) With -T, or when trying a list of pattern comple-
tions, when compctl would usually continue with ordi-
nary processing after finding matches; this can be sup-
pressed with `-tn'.
(ii) With a list of alternatives separated by +, when
compctl would normally stop when one of the alterna-
tives generates matches. It can be forced to consider
the next set of completions by adding `-t+' to the
flags of the alternative before the `+'.
(iii) In an extended completion list (see below), when
compctl would normally continue until a set of condi-
tions succeeded, then use only the immediately follow-
ing flags. With `-t-', compctl will continue trying
extended completions after the next `-'; with `-tx' it
will attempt completion with the default flags, in
other words those before the `-x'.
-J name
This gives the name of the group the matches should be
placed in. Groups are listed and sorted separately;
likewise, menu completion will offer the matches in the
groups in the order in which the groups were defined.
If no group name is explicitly given, the matches are
stored in a group named default. The first time a group
name is encountered, a group with that name is created.
After that all matches with the same group name are
stored in that group.
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This can be useful with non-exclusive alternative com-
pletions. For example, in
compctl -f -J files -t+ + -v -J variables foo
both files and variables are possible completions, as
the -t+ forces both sets of alternatives before and
after the + to be considered at once. Because of the
-J options, however, all files are listed before all
variables.
-V name
Like -J, but matches within the group will not be
sorted in listings nor in menu completion. These
unsorted groups are in a different name space from the
sorted ones, so groups defined as -J files and -V files
are distinct.
-1 If given together with the -V option, makes only con-
secutive duplicates in the group be removed. Note that
groups with and without this flag are in different name
spaces.
-2 If given together with the -J or -V option, makes all
duplicates be kept. Again, groups with and without this
flag are in different name spaces.
-M match-spec
This defines additional matching control specifications
that should be used only when testing words for the
list of flags this flag appears in. The format of the
match-spec string is described in zshcompwid.
ALTERNATIVE COMPLETION
compctl [ -CDT ] options + options [ + ... ] [ + ] command
...
The form with `+' specifies alternative options. Completion
is tried with the options before the first `+'. If this pro-
duces no matches completion is tried with the flags after
the `+' and so on. If there are no flags after the last `+'
and a match has not been found up to that point, default
completion is tried. If the list of flags contains a -t
with a + character, the next list of flags is used even if
the current list produced matches.
Additional options are available that restrict completion to
some part of the command line; this is referred to as
`extended completion'.
EXTENDED COMPLETION
compctl [ -CDT ] options -x pattern options - ... --
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[ command ... ]
compctl [ -CDT ] options [ -x pattern options - ... -- ]
[ + options [ -x ... -- ] ... [+] ] [ command ... ]
The form with `-x' specifies extended completion for the
commands given; as shown, it may be combined with alterna-
tive completion using `+'. Each pattern is examined in
turn; when a match is found, the corresponding options, as
described in the section `Option Flags' above, are used to
generate possible completions. If no pattern matches, the
options given before the -x are used.
Note that each pattern should be supplied as a single argu-
ment and should be quoted to prevent expansion of metachar-
acters by the shell.
A pattern is built of sub-patterns separated by commas; it
matches if at least one of these sub-patterns matches (they
are `or'ed). These sub-patterns are in turn composed of
other sub-patterns separated by white spaces which match if
all of the sub-patterns match (they are `and'ed). An ele-
ment of the sub-patterns is of the form `c[...][...]', where
the pairs of brackets may be repeated as often as necessary,
and matches if any of the sets of brackets match (an `or').
The example below makes this clearer.
The elements may be any of the following:
s[string]...
Matches if the current word on the command line starts
with one of the strings given in brackets. The string
is not removed and is not part of the completion.
S[string]...
Like s[string] except that the string is part of the
completion.
p[from,to]...
Matches if the number of the current word is between
one of the from and to pairs inclusive. The comma and
to are optional; to defaults to the same value as from.
The numbers may be negative: -n refers to the n'th last
word on the line.
c[offset,string]...
Matches if the string matches the word offset by offset
from the current word position. Usually offset will be
negative.
C[offset,pattern]...
Like c but using pattern matching instead.
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w[index,string]...
Matches if the word in position index is equal to the
corresponding string. Note that the word count is made
after any alias expansion.
W[index,pattern]...
Like w but using pattern matching instead.
n[index,string]...
Matches if the current word contains string. Anything
up to and including the indexth occurrence of this
string will not be considered part of the completion,
but the rest will. index may be negative to count from
the end: in most cases, index will be 1 or -1. For
example,
compctl -s '`users`' -x 'n[1,@]' -k hosts -- talk
will usually complete usernames, but if you insert an @
after the name, names from the array hosts (assumed to
contain hostnames, though you must make the array your-
self) will be completed. Other commands such as rcp
can be handled similarly.
N[index,string]...
Like n except that the string will be taken as a char-
acter class. Anything up to and including the indexth
occurrence of any of the characters in string will not
be considered part of the completion.
m[min,max]...
Matches if the total number of words lies between min
and max inclusive.
r[str1,str2]...
Matches if the cursor is after a word with prefix str1.
If there is also a word with prefix str2 on the command
line after the one matched by str1 it matches only if
the cursor is before this word. If the comma and str2
are omitted, it matches if the cursor is after a word
with prefix str1.
R[str1,str2]...
Like r but using pattern matching instead.
q[str]...
Matches the word currently being completed is in single
quotes and the str begins with the letter `s', or if
completion is done in double quotes and str starts with
the letter `d', or if completion is done in backticks
and str starts with a `b'.
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EXAMPLE
compctl -u -x 's[+] c[-1,-f],s[-f+]' \
-g '~/Mail/*(:t)' - 's[-f],c[-1,-f]' -f -- mail
This is to be interpreted as follows:
If the current command is mail, then
if ((the current word begins with + and the previous word is -f)
or (the current word begins with -f+)), then complete the
non-directory part (the `:t' glob modifier) of files in the directory
~/Mail; else
if the current word begins with -f or the previous word was -f, then
complete any file; else
complete user names.
ATTRIBUTES
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following
attributes:
+---------------+------------------+
|ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
+---------------+------------------+
|Availability | shell/zsh |
+---------------+------------------+
|Stability | Volatile |
+---------------+------------------+
NOTES
This software was built from source available at
https://java.net/projects/solaris-userland. The original
community source was downloaded from http://down-
loads.source-
forge.net/project/zsh/zsh/5.0.5/zsh-5.0.5.tar.bz2
Further information about this software can be found on the
open source community website at http://www.zsh.org/.
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