less 481 (GNU regular expressions) Copyright (C) 1984-2015 Mark Nudelman less comes with NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. For information about the terms of redistribution, see the file named README in the less distribution. Homepage: http://www.greenwoodsoftware.com/less

SSUUMMMMAARRYY OOFF LLEESSSS CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS Commands marked with * may be preceded by a number, _N. Notes in parentheses indicate the behavior if _N is given. A key preceded by a caret indicates the Ctrl key; thus ^K is ctrl-K. h H Display this help. q :q Q :Q ZZ Exit. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MMOOVVIINNGG e ^E j ^N CR * Forward one line (or _N lines). y ^Y k ^K ^P * Backward one line (or _N lines). f ^F ^V SPACE * Forward one window (or _N lines). b ^B ESC-v * Backward one window (or _N lines). z * Forward one window (and set window to _N). w * Backward one window (and set window to _N). ESC-SPACE * Forward one window, but don't stop at end-of-file. d ^D * Forward one half-window (and set half-window to _N). u ^U * Backward one half-window (and set half-window to _N). ESC-) RightArrow * Left one half screen width (or _N positions). ESC-( LeftArrow * Right one half screen width (or _N positions). F Forward forever; like "tail -f". ESC-F Like F but stop when search pattern is found. r ^R ^L Repaint screen. R Repaint screen, discarding buffered input. --------------------------------------------------- Default "window" is the screen height. Default "half-window" is half of the screen height. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SSEEAARRCCHHIINNGG /_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * Search forward for (_N-th) matching line. ?_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * Search backward for (_N-th) matching line. n * Repeat previous search (for _N-th occurrence). N * Repeat previous search in reverse direction. ESC-n * Repeat previous search, spanning files. ESC-N * Repeat previous search, reverse dir. & spanning files. ESC-u Undo (toggle) search highlighting. &_p_a_t_t_e_r_n * Display only matching lines --------------------------------------------------- A search pattern may be preceded by one or more of: ^N or ! Search for NON-matching lines. ^E or * Search multiple files (pass thru END OF FILE). ^F or @ Start search at FIRST file (for /) or last file (for ?). ^K Highlight matches, but don't move (KEEP position). ^R Don't use REGULAR EXPRESSIONS. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- JJUUMMPPIINNGG g < ESC-< * Go to first line in file (or line _N). G > ESC-> * Go to last line in file (or line _N). p % * Go to beginning of file (or _N percent into file). t * Go to the (_N-th) next tag. T * Go to the (_N-th) previous tag. { ( [ * Find close bracket } ) ]. } ) ] * Find open bracket { ( [. ESC-^F _<_c_1_> _<_c_2_> * Find close bracket _<_c_2_>. ESC-^B _<_c_1_> _<_c_2_> * Find open bracket _<_c_1_> --------------------------------------------------- Each "find close bracket" command goes forward to the close bracket matching the (_N-th) open bracket in the top line. Each "find open bracket" command goes backward to the open bracket matching the (_N-th) close bracket in the bottom line. m_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Mark the current position with <letter>. '_<_l_e_t_t_e_r_> Go to a previously marked position. '' Go to the previous position. ^X^X Same as '. --------------------------------------------------- A mark is any upper-case or lower-case letter. Certain marks are predefined: ^ means beginning of the file $ means end of the file --------------------------------------------------------------------------- CCHHAANNGGIINNGG FFIILLEESS :e [_f_i_l_e] Examine a new file. ^X^V Same as :e. :n * Examine the (_N-th) next file from the command line. :p * Examine the (_N-th) previous file from the command line. :x * Examine the first (or _N-th) file from the command line. :d Delete the current file from the command line list. = ^G :f Print current file name. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MMIISSCCEELLLLAANNEEOOUUSS CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS -_<_f_l_a_g_> Toggle a command line option [see OPTIONS below]. --_<_n_a_m_e_> Toggle a command line option, by name. __<_f_l_a_g_> Display the setting of a command line option. ___<_n_a_m_e_> Display the setting of an option, by name. +_c_m_d Execute the less cmd each time a new file is examined. !_c_o_m_m_a_n_d Execute the shell command with $SHELL. |XX_c_o_m_m_a_n_d Pipe file between current pos & mark XX to shell command. v Edit the current file with $VISUAL or $EDITOR. V Print version number of "less". --------------------------------------------------------------------------- OOPPTTIIOONNSS Most options may be changed either on the command line, or from within less by using the - or -- command. Options may be given in one of two forms: either a single character preceded by a -, or a name preceded by --. -? ........ --help Display help (from command line). -a ........ --search-skip-screen Search skips current screen. -A ........ --SEARCH-SKIP-SCREEN Search starts just after target line. -b [_N] .... --buffers=[_N] Number of buffers. -B ........ --auto-buffers Don't automatically allocate buffers for pipes. -c ........ --clear-screen Repaint by clearing rather than scrolling. -d ........ --dumb Dumb terminal. -D [_x_n_._n] . --color=_x_n_._n Set screen colors. (MS-DOS only) -e -E .... --quit-at-eof --QUIT-AT-EOF Quit at end of file. -f ........ --force Force open non-regular files. -F ........ --quit-if-one-screen Quit if entire file fits on first screen. -g ........ --hilite-search Highlight only last match for searches. -G ........ --HILITE-SEARCH Don't highlight any matches for searches. -h [_N] .... --max-back-scroll=[_N] Backward scroll limit. -i ........ --ignore-case Ignore case in searches that do not contain uppercase. -I ........ --IGNORE-CASE Ignore case in all searches. -j [_N] .... --jump-target=[_N] Screen position of target lines. -J ........ --status-column Display a status column at left edge of screen. -k [_f_i_l_e] . --lesskey-file=[_f_i_l_e] Use a lesskey file. -K --quit-on-intr Exit less in response to ctrl-C. -L ........ --no-lessopen Ignore the LESSOPEN environment variable. -m -M .... --long-prompt --LONG-PROMPT Set prompt style. -n -N .... --line-numbers --LINE-NUMBERS Don't use line numbers. -o [_f_i_l_e] . --log-file=[_f_i_l_e] Copy to log file (standard input only). -O [_f_i_l_e] . --LOG-FILE=[_f_i_l_e] Copy to log file (unconditionally overwrite). -p [_p_a_t_t_e_r_n] --pattern=[_p_a_t_t_e_r_n] Start at pattern (from command line). -P [_p_r_o_m_p_t] --prompt=[_p_r_o_m_p_t] Define new prompt. -q -Q .... --quiet --QUIET --silent --SILENT Quiet the terminal bell. -r -R .... --raw-control-chars --RAW-CONTROL-CHARS Output "raw" control characters. -s ........ --squeeze-blank-lines Squeeze multiple blank lines. -S ........ --chop-long-lines Chop (truncate) long lines rather than wrapping. -t [_t_a_g] .. --tag=[_t_a_g] Find a tag. -T [_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] --tag-file=[_t_a_g_s_f_i_l_e] Use an alternate tags file. -u -U .... --underline-special --UNDERLINE-SPECIAL Change handling of backspaces. -V ........ --version Display the version number of "less". -w ........ --hilite-unread Highlight first new line after forward-screen. -W ........ --HILITE-UNREAD Highlight first new line after any forward movement. -x [_N[,...]] --tabs=[_N[,...]] Set tab stops. -X ........ --no-init Don't use termcap init/deinit strings. -y [_N] .... --max-forw-scroll=[_N] Forward scroll limit. -z [_N] .... --window=[_N] Set size of window. -" [_c[_c]] . --quotes=[_c[_c]] Set shell quote characters. -~ ........ --tilde Don't display tildes after end of file. -# [_N] .... --shift=[_N] Horizontal scroll amount (0 = one half screen width) ........ --no-keypad Don't send termcap keypad init/deinit strings. ........ --follow-name The F command changes files if the input file is renamed. ........ --use-backslash Subsequent options use backslash as escape char. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LLIINNEE EEDDIITTIINNGG These keys can be used to edit text being entered on the "command line" at the bottom of the screen. RightArrow ..................... ESC-l ... Move cursor right one character. LeftArrow ...................... ESC-h ... Move cursor left one character. ctrl-RightArrow ESC-RightArrow ESC-w ... Move cursor right one word. ctrl-LeftArrow ESC-LeftArrow ESC-b ... Move cursor left one word. HOME ........................... ESC-0 ... Move cursor to start of line. END ............................ ESC-$ ... Move cursor to end of line. BACKSPACE ................................ Delete char to left of cursor. DELETE ......................... ESC-x ... Delete char under cursor. ctrl-BACKSPACE ESC-BACKSPACE ........... Delete word to left of cursor. ctrl-DELETE .... ESC-DELETE .... ESC-X ... Delete word under cursor. ctrl-U ......... ESC (MS-DOS only) ....... Delete entire line. UpArrow ........................ ESC-k ... Retrieve previous command line. DownArrow ...................... ESC-j ... Retrieve next command line. TAB ...................................... Complete filename & cycle. SHIFT-TAB ...................... ESC-TAB Complete filename & reverse cycle. ctrl-L ................................... Complete filename, list all.