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(readline.info)Completion Functions

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Completion Functions
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   Here is the complete list of callable completion functions present in
Readline.

 - Function: int rl_complete_internal (int what_to_do)
     Complete the word at or before point.  WHAT_TO_DO says what to do
     with the completion.  A value of `?' means list the possible
     completions.  `TAB' means do standard completion.  `*' means
     insert all of the possible completions.  `!' means to display all
     of the possible completions, if there is more than one, as well as
     performing partial completion.

 - Function: int rl_complete (int ignore, int invoking_key)
     Complete the word at or before point.  You have supplied the
     function that does the initial simple matching selection algorithm
     (see `rl_completion_matches()' and `rl_completion_entry_function').
     The default is to do filename completion.  This calls
     `rl_complete_internal()' with an argument depending on
     INVOKING_KEY.

 - Function: int rl_possible_completions (int count, int invoking_key)
     List the possible completions.  See description of `rl_complete
     ()'.  This calls `rl_complete_internal()' with an argument of `?'.

 - Function: int rl_insert_completions (int count, int invoking_key)
     Insert the list of possible completions into the line, deleting the
     partially-completed word.  See description of `rl_complete()'.
     This calls `rl_complete_internal()' with an argument of `*'.

 - Function: char ** rl_completion_matches (const char *text,
          rl_compentry_func_t *entry_func)
     Returns an array of strings which is a list of completions for
     TEXT.  If there are no completions, returns `NULL'.  The first
     entry in the returned array is the substitution for TEXT.  The
     remaining entries are the possible completions.  The array is
     terminated with a `NULL' pointer.

     ENTRY_FUNC is a function of two args, and returns a `char *'.  The
     first argument is TEXT.  The second is a state argument; it is
     zero on the first call, and non-zero on subsequent calls.
     ENTRY_FUNC returns a `NULL'  pointer to the caller when there are
     no more matches.

 - Function: char * rl_filename_completion_function (const char *text,
          int state)
     A generator function for filename completion in the general case.
     TEXT is a partial filename.  The Bash source is a useful reference
     for writing custom completion functions (the Bash completion
     functions call this and other Readline functions).

 - Function: char * rl_username_completion_function (const char *text,
          int state)
     A completion generator for usernames.  TEXT contains a partial
     username preceded by a random character (usually `~').  As with all
     completion generators, STATE is zero on the first call and non-zero
     for subsequent calls.