zsh(1)

Keybindings

Change input mode:

bindkey -v              change to vi keymap
-bindkey -e              change to emacs keymap
-

Define key-mappings:

bindkey                 list mappings in current keymap
-bindkey in-str cmd      create mapping for `in-str` to `cmd`
-bindkey -r in-str       remove binding for `in-str`
-
-# C-v <key>             dump <key> code, which can be used in `in-str`
-# zle -l                list all functions for keybindings
-# man zshzle(1)         STANDARD WIDGETS: get description of functions
-

Completion

Installation

Completion functions are provided via files and need to be placed in a location -covered by $fpath. By convention the completion files are names as _<CMD>.

A completion skeleton for the command foo, stored in _foo

#compdef _foo foo
-
-function _foo() {
-	...
-}
-

Alternatively one can install a completion function explicitly by calling compdef <FUNC> <CMD>.

Completion Variables

Following variables are available in Completion functions:

$words              # array with command line in words
-$#words             # number words
-$CURRENT            # index into $words for cursor position
-$words[CURRENT-1]   # previous word (relative to cursor position)
-

Completion Functions

_describe simple completion, just words + description
_arguments sophisticated completion, allow to specify actions

Completion with `_describe`

_describe MSG COMP
-

MSG simple string with header message
COMP array of completions where each entry is "opt:description"

function _foo() {
-    local -a opts
-    opts=('bla:desc for bla' 'blu:desc for blu')
-    _describe 'foo-msg' opts
-}
-compdef _foo foo
-
-foo <TAB><TAB>
- -- foo-msg --
-bla  -- desc for bla
-blu  -- desc for blu
-

Completion with `_arguments`

_arguments SPEC [SPEC...]
-

where SPEC can have one of the following forms:

OPT[DESC]:MSG:ACTION
N:MSG:ACTION

Available actions

(op1 op2)   list possible matches
-->VAL       set $state=VAL and continue, `$state` can be checked later in switch case
-FUNC        call func to generate matches
-{STR}       evaluate `STR` to generate matches
-

Example

Skeleton to copy/paste for writing simple completions.

Assume a program foo with the following interface:

foo -c green|red|blue -s low|high -f <file> -d <dir> -h
-

The completion handler could be implemented as follows in a file called _foo:

#compdef _foo foo
-
-function _foo_color() {
-    local colors=()
-    colors+=('green:green color')
-    colors+=('red:red color')
-    colors+=('blue:blue color')
-    _describe "color" colors
-}
-
-function _foo() {
-    _arguments                              \
-        "-c[define color]:color:->s_color"  \
-        "-s[select sound]:color:(low high)" \
-        "-f[select file]:file:_files"       \
-        "-d[select dir]:fir:_files -/"      \
-        "-h[help]"
-
-    case $state in
-        s_color) _foo_color;;
-    esac
-}
-

- -

Notes