GNU Info
(ed.info)Commands
Commands
********
All `ed' commands are single characters, though some require
additonal parameters. If a command's parameters extend over several
lines, then each line except for the last must be terminated with a
backslash (`\').
In general, at most one command is allowed per line. However, most
commands accept a print suffix, which is any of `p' (print), `l'
(list), or `n' (enumerate), to print the last line affected by the
command.
An interrupt (typically ^C) has the effect of aborting the current
command and returning the editor to command mode.
`ed' recognizes the following commands. The commands are shown
together with the default address or address range supplied if none is
specified (in parenthesis).
`(.)a'
Appends text to the buffer after the addressed line, which may be
the address `0' (zero). Text is entered in input mode. The
current address is set to last line entered.
`(.,.)c'
Changes lines in the buffer. The addressed lines are deleted from
the buffer, and text is appended in their place. Text is entered
in input mode. The current address is set to last line entered.
`(.,.)d'
Deletes the addressed lines from the buffer. If there is a line
after the deleted range, then the current address is set to this
line. Otherwise the current address is set to the line before the
deleted range.
`e FILE'
Edits FILE, and sets the default filename. If FILE is not
specified, then the default filename is used. Any lines in the
buffer are deleted before the new file is read. The current
address is set to the last line read.
`e !COMMAND'
Edits the standard output of `!COMMAND', (see the `!' command
below). The default filename is unchanged. Any lines in the
buffer are deleted before the output of COMMAND is read. The
current address is set to the last line read.
`E FILE'
Edits FILE unconditionally. This is similar to the `e' command,
except that unwritten changes are discarded without warning. The
current address is set to the last line read.
`f FILE'
Sets the default filename to FILE. If FILE is not specified, then
the default unescaped filename is printed.
`(1,$)g /RE/COMMAND-LIST'
Applies COMMAND-LIST to each of the addressed lines matching a
regular expression RE. The current address is set to the line
currently matched before COMMAND-LIST is executed. At the end of
the `g' command, the current address is set to the last line
affected by COMMAND-LIST.
Each command in COMMAND-LIST must be on a separate line, and every
line except for the last must be terminated by a backslash (`\').
Any commands are allowed, except for `g', `G', `v', and `V'. By
default, a newline alone in COMMAND-LIST is equivalent to a `p'
command. If `ed' is invoked with the command-line option `-G',
then a newline in COMMAND-LIST is equivalent to a `.+1p' command.
`(1,$)G /RE/'
Interactively edits the addressed lines matching a regular
expression RE. For each matching line, the line is printed, the
current address is set, and the user is prompted to enter a
COMMAND-LIST. At the end of the `G' command, the current address
is set to the last line affected by (the last) COMMAND-LIST.
The format of COMMAND-LIST is the same as that of the `g' command.
A newline alone acts as a null command list. A single `&'
repeats the last non-null command list.
`H'
Toggles the printing of error explanations. By default,
explanations are not printed. It is recommended that ed scripts
begin with this command to aid in debugging.
`h'
Prints an explanation of the last error.
`(.)i'
Inserts text in the buffer before the current line. Text is
entered in input mode. The current address is set to the last
line entered.
`(.,.+1)j'
Joins the addressed lines. The addressed lines are deleted from
the buffer and replaced by a single line containing their joined
text. The current address is set to the resultant line.
`(.)k LC'
Marks a line with a lower case letter LC. The line can then be
addressed as `'LC' (i.e., a single quote followed by LC) in
subsequent commands. The mark is not cleared until the line is
deleted or otherwise modified.
`(.,.)l'
Prints the addressed lines unambiguously. If invoked from a
terminal, `ed' pauses at the end of each page until a newline is
entered. The current address is set to the last line printed.
`(.,.)m(.)'
Moves lines in the buffer. The addressed lines are moved to after
the right-hand destination address, which may be the address `0'
(zero). The current address is set to the last line moved.
`(.,.)n'
Prints the addressed lines along with their line numbers. The
current address is set to the last line printed.
`(.,.)p'
Prints the addressed lines. If invoked from a terminal, `ed'
pauses at the end of each page until a newline is entered. The
current address is set to the last line printed.
`P'
Toggles the command prompt on and off. Unless a prompt is
specified with command-line option `-p STRING', the command prompt
is by default turned off.
`q'
Quits `ed'.
`Q'
Quits `ed' unconditionally. This is similar to the `q' command,
except that unwritten changes are discarded without warning.
`($)r FILE'
Reads FILE to after the addressed line. If FILE is not specified,
then the default filename is used. If there is no default
filename prior to the command, then the default filename is set to
FILE. Otherwise, the default filename is unchanged. The current
address is set to the last line read.
`($)r !COMMAND'
Reads to after the addressed line the standard output of
`!command', (see the `!' command below). The default filename is
unchanged. The current address is set to the last line read.
`(.,.)s /RE/REPLACEMENT/'
`(.,.)s /RE/REPLACEMENT/g'
`(.,.)s /RE/REPLACEMENT/n'
Replaces text in the addressed lines matching a regular expression
RE with REPLACEMENT. By default, only the first match in each
line is replaced. If the `g' (global) suffix is given, then every
match to be replaced. The `n' suffix, where N is a postive
number, causes only the Nth match to be replaced. It is an error
if no substitutions are performed on any of the addressed lines.
The current address is set the last line affected.
RE and REPLACEMENT may be delimited by any character other than
space and newline (see the `s' command below). If one or two of
the last delimiters is omitted, then the last line affected is
printed as though the print suffix `p' were specified.
An unescaped `&' in REPLACEMENT is replaced by the currently
matched text. The character sequence `\M' where M is a number in
the range [1,9], is replaced by the Mth backreference expression
of the matched text. If REPLACEMENT consists of a single `%',
then REPLACEMENT from the last substitution is used. Newlines may
be embedded in REPLACEMENT if they are escaped with a backslash
(`\').
`(.,.)s'
Repeats the last substitution. This form of the `s' command
accepts a count suffix N, or any combination of the characters
`r', `g', and `p'. If a count suffix N is given, then only the
Nth match is replaced. The `r' suffix causes the regular
expression of the last search to be used instead of the that of
the last substitution. The `g' suffix toggles the global suffix
of the last substitution. The `p' suffix toggles the print suffix
of the last substitution The current address is set to the last
line affected.
`(.,.)t(.)'
Copies (i.e., transfers) the addressed lines to after the
right-hand destination address, which may be the address `0'
(zero). The current address is set to the last line copied.
`u'
Undoes the last command and restores the current address to what
it was before the command. The global commands `g', `G', `v', and
`V' are treated as a single command by undo. `u' is its own
inverse.
`(1,$)v /RE/COMMAND-LIST'
Applies COMMAND-LIST to each of the addressed lines not matching a
regular expression RE. This is similar to the `g' command.
`(1,$)V /RE/'
Interactively edits the addressed lines not matching a regular
expression RE. This is similar to the `G' command.
`(1,$)w FILE'
Writes the addressed lines to FILE. Any previous contents of FILE
is lost without warning. If there is no default filename, then
the default filename is set to FILE, otherwise it is unchanged.
If no filename is specified, then the default filename is used.
The current address is unchanged.
`(1,$)wq FILE'
Writes the addressed lines to FILE, and then executes a `q'
command.
`(1,$)w !COMMAND'
Writes the addressed lines to the standard input of `!COMMAND',
(see the `!' command below). The default filename and current
address are unchanged.
`(1,$)W FILE'
Appends the addressed lines to the end of FILE. This is similar
to the `w' command, expect that the previous contents of file is
not clobbered. The current address is unchanged.
`(.)x'
Copies (puts) the contents of the cut buffer to after the
addressed line. The current address is set to the last line
copied.
`(.,.)y'
Copies (yanks) the addressed lines to the cut buffer. The cut
buffer is overwritten by subsequent `y', `s', `j', `d', or `c'
commands. The current address is unchanged.
`(.+1)z N'
Scrolls N lines at a time starting at addressed line. If N is not
specified, then the current window size is used. The current
address is set to the last line printed.
`! COMMAND'
Executes COMMAND via `sh (1)'. If the first character of COMMAND
is `!', then it is replaced by text of the previous `!COMMAND'.
`ed' does not process COMMAND for backslash (`\') escapes.
However, an unescaped `%' is replaced by the default filename.
When the shell returns from execution, a `!' is printed to the
standard output. The current line is unchanged.
`(.,.)#'
Begins a comment; the rest of the line, up to a newline, is
ignored. If a line address followed by a semicolon is given, then
the current address is set to that address. Otherwise, the
current address is unchanged.
`($)='
Prints the line number of the addressed line.
`(.+1)newline'
Prints the addressed line, and sets the current address to that
line.
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