


LESSKEY(1)                                             LESSKEY(1)


NAME
       lesskey - specify key bindings for less

SYNOPSIS
       lesskey [-o output] [input]
       lesskey -V

DESCRIPTION
       Lesskey  is  used  to  specify a set of key bindings to be
       used by less.   The  input  file  is  a  text  file  which
       describes  the  key  bindings,  If  the input file is "-",
       standard input is read.  If no input  file  is  specified,
       $HOME/.lesskey  is read.  The output file is a binary file
       which is used by less.  If no output  file  is  specified,
       $HOME/.less  is  written.   If  the  output  file  already
       exists, lesskey will overwrite it.

       The input file consists of lines of the form:

            string <whitespace> action [extra-string] <newline>

       Whitespace is any sequence of one or  more  spaces  and/or
       tabs.   The  string is the command key(s) which invoke the
       action.  The string may be a  single  command  key,  or  a
       sequence  of up to 15 keys.  The action is the name of the
       less action, from the list below.  The characters  in  the
       string  may appear literally, or be prefixed by a caret to
       indicate a control key.  A backslash followed  by  one  to
       three  octal  digits may be used to specify a character by
       its octal value.  A backslash followed by b, e, n, r or  t
       specifies  BACKSPACE,  ESCAPE,  NEWLINE,  RETURN  or  TAB,
       respectively.  A backslash followed by any other character
       indicates  that character is to be taken literally.  Char-
       acters which must be preceded by backslash include  caret,
       space,  tab  and  the  backslash  itself.  Blank lines and
       lines which start with a pound sign (#) are ignored.

       An action may be followed by an "extra" string.  When such
       a  command  is  entered  while running less, the action is
       performed, and then the extra string is parsed, just as if
       it  were  typed  in  to less.  This feature can be used in
       certain cases to extend the functionality  of  a  command.
       For  example, see the "{" and ":t" commands in the example
       below.

       The -V flag causes lesskey to print its version number and
       immediately  exit.  Other flags and arguments are ignored.


EXAMPLE
       The following input file describes the set of default com-
       mand keys used by less:

            \r        forw-line



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LESSKEY(1)                                             LESSKEY(1)


            \n        forw-line
            e         forw-line
            j         forw-line
            ^E        forw-line
            ^N        forw-line
            k         back-line
            y         back-line
            ^Y        back-line
            ^K        back-line
            ^P        back-line
            J         forw-line-force
            K         back-line-force
            Y         back-line-force
            d         forw-scroll
            ^D        forw-scroll
            u         back-scroll
            ^U        back-scroll
            \40       forw-screen
            f         forw-screen
            ^F        forw-screen
            ^V        forw-screen
            b         back-screen
            ^B        back-screen
            \ev       back-screen
            z         forw-window
            w         back-window
            F         forw-forever
            R         repaint-flush
            r         repaint
            ^R        repaint
            ^L        repaint
            g         goto-line
            <         goto-line
            \e<       goto-line
            p         percent
            %         percent
            {         forw-bracket {}
            }         back-bracket {}
            (         forw-bracket ()
            )         back-bracket ()
            [         forw-bracket []
            ]         back-bracket []
            \e^F      forw-bracket
            \e^B      back-bracket
            G         goto-end
            \e>       goto-end
            >         goto-end
            =         status
            ^G        status
            :f        status
            /         forw-search
            ?         back-search
            \e/       forw-search *
            \e?       back-search *



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LESSKEY(1)                                             LESSKEY(1)


            n         repeat-search
            \en       repeat-search-all
            N         reverse-search
            \eN       reverse-search-all
            \u        undo-hilite
            m         set-mark
            '         goto-mark
            ^X^X      goto-mark
            E         examine
            :e        examine
            ^X^V      examine
            :n        next-file
            :p        prev-file
            :x        index-file
            -         toggle-option
            :t        toggle-option t
            s         toggle-option o
            _         display-option
            |         pipe
            v         visual
            !         shell
            +         firstcmd
            H         help
            h         help
            V         version
            q         quit
            :q        quit
            :Q        quit
            ZZ        quit


PRECEDENCE
       Commands  specified  by  lesskey  take precedence over the
       default commands.  A default command key may  be  disabled
       by  including  it  in  the  input  file  with  the  action
       "invalid".  Alternatively, a key  may  be  defined  to  do
       nothing  by  using  the  action "noaction".  "noaction" is
       similar to "invalid", but less will give an error beep for
       an  "invalid"  command,  but not for a "noaction" command.
       In addition, ALL  default  commands  may  be  disabled  by
       adding this control line to the input file:

       #stop

       This  will  cause all default commands to be ignored.  The
       #stop line should be the last line in that section of  the
       file.   (Another  section,  introduced  by #line-edit, may
       follow the #stop line.)

       Be aware that #stop can be dangerous.  Since  all  default
       commands  are  disabled,  you must provide sufficient com-
       mands before  the  #stop  line  to  enable  all  necessary
       actions.  For example, failure to provide a "quit" command
       can lead to frustration.



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LESSKEY(1)                                             LESSKEY(1)


LINE EDITING
       New key bindings may be specified  for  the  line  editing
       commands,  in a manner similar to the way key bindings for
       ordinary commands are specified.  This control line  marks
       the beginning of a section of line-editing commands:

       #line-edit

       Following this line is a list of keys and actions, one per
       line as in the example below.


EXAMPLE
       The following input file  describes  the  set  of  default
       line-editing keys used by less:

            #line-edit
            \t        forw-complete
            \17       back-complete
            \e\t      back-complete
            \14       expand
            ^V        literal
            ^A        literal
            \el       right
            \eh       left
            \eb       word-left
            \ew       word-right
            \ei       insert
            \ex       delete
            \e\b      word-backspace
            \e0       home
            \e$       end
            \ek       up
            \ej       down



SEE ALSO
       less(1)


COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (c) 1984,1985,1989,1994,1995  Mark Nudelman














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