Command completion

Command completion
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Topics

Usage

Command completion lets you type just part of a previous command and have the shell fill in the rest. As with filename completion, if no match is found, color highlighting as defined by the MATCHFAIL variable (default is bright red) will be used. Consecutive depressions cause the search to continue on back through the history list.

Ctrl-Enter

Find the previous command that started with the characters of the preceding word.

Ctrl-Shift-Enter

Find the previous command that contained the characters of the preceding word anywhere on the line.

Repeatedly pressing these keys cycles up through all the matching commands you’ve previously typed. Command completion uses the history mechanism to recall commands you’ve previously typed.