NAME

     editline - command-line editing library with history


SYNOPSIS

     char *readline(char *prompt)


DESCRIPTION

     Editline is a library that provides an  line-editing  inter-
     face with text recall.  It is intended to be compatible with
     the readline library provided by the Free  Software  Founda-
     tion,  but  much  smaller.   The  bulk  of  this manual page
     describes the user interface.

     The readline routine returns a line of text with the  trail-
     ing newline removed.  The data is returned in a buffer allo-
     cated with malloc(3), so the space should be  released  with
     free(3)  when  the  calling program is done with it.  Before
     accepting input from  the  user,  the  specified  prompt  is
     displayed on the terminal.

     Each line returned is copied to the internal  history  list,
     unless it happens to be equal to the previous line.

  User Interface
     A program that uses this library provides  a  simple  emacs-
     like  editing  interface to its users.  A line may be edited
     before it is sent to the calling program  by  typing  either
     control  characters  or escape sequences.  A control charac-
     ter, shown as a caret followed by  a  letter,  is  typed  by
     holding  down the ``control'' key while the letter is typed.
     For example, ``^A'' is a control-A.  An escape  sequence  is
     entered by typing the ``escape'' key followed by one or more
     characters.  The escape key is abbreviated as ``ESC.''  Note
     that  unlike control keys, case matters in escape sequences;
     ``ESC F'' is not the same as ``ESC f''.

     An editing command may be typed anywhere on  the  line,  not
     just  at  the  beginning.  In addition, a return may also be
     typed anywhere on the line, not just at the end.

     Most editing commands may be given a repeat count, n,  where
     n  is  a  number.   To enter a repeat count, type the escape
     key, the number, and then the command to execute.  For exam-
     ple,  ``ESC 4 ^f'' moves forward four characters.  If a com-
     mand may be given a repeat count then the  text  ``[n]''  is
     given at the end of its description.

     The following control characters are accepted:
          ^A       Move to the beginning of the line
          ^B       Move left (backwards) [n]
          ^D       Delete character [n]
          ^E       Move to end of line
          ^F       Move right (forwards) [n]
          ^G       Ring the bell
          ^H       Delete character before cursor (backspace key) [n]
          ^I       Complete filename (tab key); see below
          ^J       Done with line (return key)
          ^K       Kill to end of line (or column [n])
          ^L       Redisplay line
          ^M       Done with line (alternate return key)
          ^N       Get next line from history [n]
          ^P       Get previous line from history [n]
          ^R       Search backward (forward if [n]) through history for text;
                   must start line if text begins with an uparrow
          ^T       Transpose characters
          ^V       Insert next character, even if it is an edit command
          ^W       Wipe to the mark
          ^X^X     Exchange current location and mark
          ^Y       Yank back last killed text
          ^[       Start an escape sequence (escape key)
          ^]c      Move forward to next character ``c''
          ^?       Delete character before cursor (delete key) [n]

     The following escape sequences are provided.
          ESC ^H   Delete previous word (backspace key) [n]
          ESC DEL  Delete previous word (delete key) [n]
          ESC SP   Set the mark (space key); see ^X^X and ^Y above
          ESC .    Get the last (or [n]'th) word from previous line
          ESC ?    Show possible completions; see below
          ESC <    Move to start of history
          ESC >    Move to end of history
          ESC b    Move backward a word [n]
          ESC d    Delete word under cursor [n]
          ESC f    Move forward a word [n]
          ESC l    Make word lowercase [n]
          ESC m    Toggle if 8bit chars display normally or with ``M-'' prefix
          ESC u    Make word uppercase [n]
          ESC y    Yank back last killed text
          ESC v    Show library version
          ESC w    Make area up to mark yankable
          ESC nn   Set repeat count to the number nn
          ESC C    Read from environment variable ``_C_'', where C is
                   an uppercase letter

     The editline library has a small  macro  facility.   If  you
     type the escape key followed by an uppercase letter, C, then
     the contents of the environment variable _C_ are read in  as
     if  you had typed them at the keyboard.  For example, if the
     variable _L_ contains the following:
          ^A^Kecho '^V^[[H^V^[[2J'^M
     Then typing ``ESC L'' will move  to  the  beginning  of  the
     line, kill the entire line, enter the echo command needed to
     clear the terminal (if your terminal is like a VT-100),  and
     send the line back to the shell.
     The editline library also does filename completion.  Suppose
     the root directory has the following files in it:
          bin    vmunix
          core   vmunix.old
     If you type ``rm /v'' and then the tab key.   Editline  will
     then  finish  off  as much of the name as possible by adding
     ``munix''.  Because the name is not  unique,  it  will  then
     beep.   If  you  type the escape key and a question mark, it
     will display the two choices.  If you then type a period and
     a tab, the library will finish off the filename for you:
          rm /v[TAB]munix.TABold
     The tab key is shown by  ``[TAB]''  and  the  automatically-
     entered text is shown in italics.


BUGS AND LIMITATIONS

     Doesn't know how to handle multiple lines.


AUTHORS

     Simmule  R.  Turner  <uunet.uu.net!capitol!sysgo!simmy>  and
     Rich $alz <rsalz@osf.org>.  Original manual page by DaviD W.
     Sanderson <dws@ssec.wisc.edu>.