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(zsh.info)The zsh/complist Module


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The zsh/complist Module
=======================

The zsh/complist module offers three extensions to completion listings:
the ability to highlight matches in such a list, the ability to scroll
through long lists and a different style of menu completion.

Colored completion listings
---------------------------

Whenever one of the parameters ZLS_COLORS or ZLS_COLOURS is set and the
zsh/complist module is loaded or linked into the shell, completion
lists will be colored.  Note, however, that complist will not
automatically be loaded if it is not linked in:  on systems with
dynamic loading, `zmodload zsh/complist' is required.

The parameters ZLS_COLORS and ZLS_COLOURS describe how matches are
highlighted.  To turn on highlighting an empty value suffices, in which
case all the default values given below will be used.  The format of
the value of these parameters is the same as used by the GNU version of
the ls command: a colon-separated list of specifications of the form
`NAME=VALUE'.  The NAME may be one of the following strings, most of
which specify file types for which the VALUE will be used.  The strings
and their default values are:

no 0
     for normal text (i.e. when displaying something other than a
     matched file)

fi 0
     for regular files

di 32
     for directories

ln 36
     for symbolic links

pi 31
     for named pipes (FIFOs)

so 33
     for sockets

bd 44;37
     for block devices

cd 44;37
     for character devices

ex 35
     for executable files

mi NONE
     for a non-existent file (default is the value defined for fi)

lc \e[
     for the left code (see below)

rc m
     for the right code

tc 0
     for the character indicating the file type  printed after
     filenames if the LIST_TYPES option is set

sp 0
     for the spaces printed after matches to align the next column

ec NONE
     for the end code

Apart from these strings, the NAME may also be an asterisk (`*')
followed by any string. The VALUE given for such a string will be used
for all files whose name ends with the string.  The NAME may also be an
equals sign (`=') followed by a pattern.  The VALUE given for this
pattern will be used for all matches (not just filenames) whose display
string are matched by the pattern.  Definitions for both of these take
precedence over the values defined for file types and the form with the
leading asterisk takes precedence over the form with the leading equal
sign.

The last form also allows different parts of the displayed strings to
be colored differently.  For this, the pattern has to use the `(#b)'
globbing flag and pairs of parentheses surrounding the parts of the
strings that are to be colored differently.  In this case the VALUE may
consist of more than one color code separated by equal signs.  The
first code will be used for all parts for which no explicit code is
specified and the following codes will be used for the parts matched by
the sub-patterns in parentheses.  For example, the specification
`=(#b)(?)*(?)=0=3=7' will be used for all matches which are at least
two characters long and will use the code `3' for the first character,
`7' for the last character and `0' for the rest.

All three forms of NAME may be preceded by a pattern in parentheses.
If this is given, the VALUE will be used only for matches in groups
whose names are matched by the pattern given in the parentheses.  For
example, `(g*)m*=43' highlights all matches beginning with `m' in
groups whose names  begin with `g' using the color code `43'.  In case
of the `lc', `rc', and `ec' codes, the group pattern is ignored.

Note also that all patterns are tried in the order in which they appear
in the parameter value until the first one matches which is then used.

When printing a match, the code prints the value of lc, the value for
the file-type or the last matching specification with a `*', the value
of rc, the string to display for the match itself, and then the value
of ec if that is defined or the values of lc, no, and rc if ec is not
defined.

The default values are ISO 6429 (ANSI) compliant and can be used on
vt100 compatible terminals such as xterms.  On monochrome terminals the
default values will have no visible effect.  The colors function from
the contribution can be used to get associative arrays containing the
codes for ANSI terminals (see Note: Other Functions).  For example,
after loading colors, one could use `$colors[red]' to get the code for
foreground color red and `$colors[bg-green]' for the code for
background color green.

If the completion system invoked by compinit is used, these parameters
should not be set directly because the system controls them itself.
Instead, the list-colors style should be used (see Note: Completion
System Configuration).

Scrolling in completion listings
--------------------------------

To enable scrolling through a completion list, the LISTPROMPT parameter
must be set.  Its value will be used as the prompt; if it is the empty
string, a default prompt will be used.  The value may contain escapes
of the form `%x'.  It supports the escapes `%B', `%b', `%S', `%s',
`%U', `%u' and `%{...%}' used also in shell prompts as well as three
pairs of additional sequences: a `%l' or `%L' is replaced by the number
of the last line shown and the total number of lines in the form
`NUMBER/TOTAL'; a `%m' or `%M' is replaced with the number of the last
match shown and the total number of matches; and `%p' or `%P' is
replaced with `Top', `Bottom' or the position of the first line shown
in percent of the total number of lines, respectively.  In each of
these cases the form with the uppercase letter will be replaced with a
string of fixed width, padded to the right with spaces, while the
lowercase form will not be padded.

If the parameter LISTPROMPT is set, the completion code will not ask if
the list should be shown.  Instead it immediately starts displaying the
list, stopping after the first screenful, showing the prompt at the
bottom, waiting for a keypress after temporarily switching to the
listscroll keymap.  Some of the zle functions have a special meaning
while scrolling lists:

send-break
     stops listing discarding the key pressed

accept-line, down-history, down-line-or-history
down-line-or-search, vi-down-line-or-history
     scrolls forward one line

complete-word, menu-complete, expand-or-complete
expand-or-complete-prefix, menu-complete-or-expand
     scrolls forward one screenful

Every other character stops listing and immediately processes the key
as usual.  Any key that is not bound in the listscroll keymap or that
is bound to undefined-key is looked up in the keymap currently selected.

As for the ZLS_COLORS and ZLS_COLOURS parameters, LISTPROMPT should not
be set directly when using the shell function based completion system.
Instead, the list-prompt style should be used.

Menu selection
--------------

The zsh/complist module also offers an alternative style of selecting
matches from a list, called menu selection, which can be used if the
shell is set up to return to the last prompt after showing a completion
list (see the ALWAYS_LAST_PROMPT option in Note: Options).  It can be
invoked directly by the widget menu-select defined by the module.
Alternatively, the parameter MENUSELECT can be set to an integer, which
gives the minimum number of matches that must be present before menu
selection is automatically turned on.  This second method requires that
menu completion be started, either directly from a widget such as
menu-complete, or due to one of the options MENU_COMPLETE or AUTO_MENU
being set.  If MENUSELECT is set, but is 0, 1 or empty, menu selection
will always be started during an ambiguous menu completion.

When using the completion system based on shell functions, the
MENUSELECT parameter should not be used (like the ZLS_COLORS and
ZLS_COLOURS parameters described above).  Instead, the menu style
should be used with the select=... keyword.

After menu selection is started, the matches will be listed. If there
are more matches than fit on the screen, only the first screenful is
shown.  The matches to insert into the command line can be selected
from this list.  In the list one match is highlighted using the value
for ma from the ZLS_COLORS or ZLS_COLOURS parameter.  The default value
for this is `7' which forces the selected match to be highlighted using
standout mode on a vt100-compatible terminal.  If neither ZLS_COLORS
nor ZLS_COLOURS is set, the same terminal control sequence as for the
`%S' escape in prompts is used.

If there are more matches than fit on the screen and the parameter
MENUPROMPT is set, its value will be shown below the matches.  It
supports the same escape sequences as LISTPROMPT, but the number of the
match or line shown will be that of the one where the mark is placed.
If its value is the empty string, a default prompt will be used.

The MENUSCROLL parameter can be used to specify how the list is
scrolled.  If the parameter is unset, this is done line by line, if it
is set to `0' (zero), the list will scroll half the number of lines of
the screen.  If the value is positive, it gives the number of lines to
scroll and if it is negative, the list will be scrolled the number of
lines of the screen minus the (absolute) value.

As for the ZLS_COLORS, ZLS_COLOURS and LISTPROMPT parameters, neither
MENUPROMPT nor MENUSCROLL should be set directly when using the shell
function based completion system.  Instead, the select-prompt and
select-scroll styles should be used.

The completion code sometimes decides not to show all of the matches in
the list.  These hidden matches are either matches for which the
completion function which added them explicitly requested that they not
appear in the list (using the -n option of the compadd builtin command)
or they are matches which duplicate a string already in the list
(because they differ only in things like prefixes or suffixes that are
not displayed).  In the list used for menu selection, however, even
these matches are shown so that it is possible to select them.  To
highlight such matches the hi and du capabilities in the ZLS_COLORS and
ZLS_COLOURS parameters are supported for hidden matches of the first
and second kind, respectively.

Selecting matches is done by moving the mark around using the zle
movement functions.  When not all matches can be shown on the screen at
the same time, the list will scroll up and down when crossing the top or
bottom line.  The following zle functions have special meaning during
menu selection:

accept-line
     accepts the current match and leaves menu selection

send-break
     leaves menu selection and restores the previous contents of the
     command line

redisplay, clear-screen
     execute their normal function without leaving menu selection

accept-and-hold, accept-and-menu-complete
     accept the currently inserted match and continue selection
     allowing to select the next match to insert into the line

accept-and-infer-next-history
     accepts the current match and then tries completion with menu
     selection again;  in the case of files this allows one to select a
     directory and immediately attempt to complete files in it;  if
     there are no matches, a message is shown and one can use undo to
     go back to completion on the previous level, every other key
     leaves menu selection (including the other zle functions which are
     otherwise special during menu selection)

undo
     removes matches inserted during the menu selection by one of the
     three functions before

down-history, down-line-or-history
vi-down-line-or-history,  down-line-or-search
     moves the mark one line down

up-history, up-line-or-history
vi-up-line-or-history, up-line-or-search
     moves the mark one line up

forward-char, vi-forward-char
     moves the mark one column right

backward-char, vi-backward-char
     moves the mark one column left

forward-word, vi-forward-word
vi-forward-word-end, emacs-forward-word
     moves the mark one screenful down

backward-word, vi-backward-word, emacs-backward-word
     moves the mark one screenful up

vi-forward-blank-word, vi-forward-blank-word-end
     moves the mark to the first line of the next group of matches

vi-backward-blank-word
     moves the mark to the last line of the previous group of matches

beginning-of-history
     moves the mark to the first line

end-of-history
     moves the mark to the last line

beginning-of-buffer-or-history, beginning-of-line
beginning-of-line-hist, vi-beginning-of-line
     moves the mark to the leftmost column

end-of-buffer-or-history, end-of-line
end-of-line-hist, vi-end-of-line
     moves the mark to the rightmost column

complete-word, menu-complete, expand-or-complete
expand-or-complete-prefix, menu-expand-or-complete
     moves the mark to the next match

reverse-menu-complete
     moves the mark to the previous match

All movement functions wrap around at the edges; any other zle function
not listed leaves menu selection and executes that function.  It is
possible to make widgets in the above list do the same by using the
form of the widget with a `.' in front.  For example, the widget
`.accept-line' has the effect of leaving menu selection and accepting
the entire command line.

During this selection the widget uses the keymap menuselect.  Any key
that is not defined in this keymap or that is bound to undefined-key is
looked up in the keymap currently selected.  This is used to ensure
that the most important keys used during selection (namely the cursor
keys, return, and TAB) have sensible defaults.  However, keys in the
menuselect keymap can be modified directly using the bindkey builtin
command (see Note: The zsh/zle Module). For example, to make the
return key leave menu selection without accepting the match currently
selected one could call

     bindkey -M menuselect '^M' send-break

after loading the zsh/complist module.


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