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<ol class="chapter"><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="The-Z-Shell-Manual.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">1.</strong> The Z Shell Manual</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Introduction.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">2.</strong> Introduction</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Roadmap.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.</strong> Roadmap</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Invocation.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">4.</strong> Invocation</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Files.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">5.</strong> Files</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Shell-Grammar.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">6.</strong> Shell Grammar</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Redirection.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">7.</strong> Redirection</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Command-Execution.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">8.</strong> Command Execution</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Functions.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">9.</strong> Functions</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Jobs-_0026-Signals.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">10.</strong> Jobs & Signals</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Arithmetic-Evaluation.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">11.</strong> Arithmetic Evaluation</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Conditional-Expressions.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">12.</strong> Conditional Expressions</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Prompt-Expansion.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">13.</strong> Prompt Expansion</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Expansion.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">14.</strong> Expansion</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Parameters.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">15.</strong> Parameters</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Options.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">16.</strong> Options</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Shell-Builtin-Commands.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">17.</strong> Shell Builtin Commands</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Zsh-Line-Editor.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">18.</strong> Zsh Line Editor</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Completion-Widgets.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">19.</strong> Completion Widgets</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Completion-System.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">20.</strong> Completion System</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Completion-Using-compctl.html" class="active"><strong aria-hidden="true">21.</strong> Completion Using compctl</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Zsh-Modules.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">22.</strong> Zsh Modules</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Calendar-Function-System.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">23.</strong> Calendar Function System</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="TCP-Function-System.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">24.</strong> TCP Function System</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="Zftp-Function-System.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">25.</strong> Zftp Function System</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="User-Contributions.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">26.</strong> User Contributions</a></li></ol>
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<!-- START doctoc generated TOC please keep comment here to allow auto update -->
<!-- DON'T EDIT THIS SECTION, INSTEAD RE-RUN doctoc TO UPDATE -->
<p><strong>Table of Contents</strong> <em>generated with <a href="https://github.com/thlorenz/doctoc">DocToc</a></em></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="#21-completion-using-compctl">21 Completion Using compctl</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#211-types-of-completion">21.1 Types of completion</a></li>
<li><a href="#212-description">21.2 Description</a></li>
<li><a href="#213-command-flags">21.3 Command Flags</a></li>
<li><a href="#214-option-flags">21.4 Option Flags</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#2141-simple-flags">21.4.1 Simple Flags</a></li>
<li><a href="#2142-flags-with-arguments">21.4.2 Flags with Arguments</a></li>
<li><a href="#2143-control-flags">21.4.3 Control Flags</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#215-alternative-completion">21.5 Alternative Completion</a></li>
<li><a href="#216-extended-completion">21.6 Extended Completion</a></li>
<li><a href="#217-example">21.7 Example</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<!-- END doctoc generated TOC please keep comment here to allow auto update -->
<p><span id="Completion-Using-compctl"></span>
<span id="Completion-Using-compctl-1"></span></p>
<h1 id="21-completion-using-compctl"><a class="header" href="#21-completion-using-compctl">21 Completion Using compctl</a></h1>
<p><span id="index-completion_002c-programmable-2"></span>
<span id="index-completion_002c-controlling-2"></span></p>
<hr />
<p><span id="Types-of-completion"></span></p>
<h2 id="211-types-of-completion"><a class="header" href="#211-types-of-completion">21.1 Types of completion</a></h2>
<p>This version of zsh has two ways of performing completion of words on
the command line. New users of the shell may prefer to use the newer and
more powerful system based on shell functions; this is described in
<a href="Completion-System.html#Completion-System">Completion System</a>, and the
basic shell mechanisms which support it are described in <a href="Completion-Widgets.html#Completion-Widgets">Completion
Widgets</a>. This chapter
describes the older <code>compctl</code> command.</p>
<hr />
<p><span id="Description-7"></span></p>
<h2 id="212-description"><a class="header" href="#212-description">21.2 Description</a></h2>
<p><span id="index-compctl"></span></p>
<p><code>compctl</code> [ <code>-CDT</code> ] <code>options</code> [ <code>command</code> ... ]</p>
<p><code>compctl </code>[ <code>-CDT</code> ] <code>options</code> [ <code>-x</code> <code>pattern</code> <code>options</code> <code>-</code> ...
<code>-``-</code> ]</p>
<p><code> </code>[ <code>+</code> <code>options</code> [ <code>-x</code> ... <code>-``-</code> ] ... [<code>+</code>] ] [
<code>command</code> ... ]</p>
<p><code>compctl</code> <code>-M</code> <code>match-specs</code> ...</p>
<p><code>compctl</code> <code>-L</code> [ <code>-CDTM</code> ] [ <code>command</code> ... ]</p>
<p><code>compctl</code> <code>+</code> <code>command</code> ...</p>
<p>Control the editor’s completion behavior according to the supplied set
of <code>options</code>. Various editing commands, notably
<code>expand-or-complete-word</code>, usually bound to tab, will attempt to
complete a word typed by the user, while others, notably
<code>delete-char-or-list</code>, usually bound to ^D in EMACS editing mode, list
the possibilities; <code>compctl</code> controls what those possibilities are. They
may for example be filenames (the most common case, and hence the
default), shell variables, or words from a user-specified list.</p>
<hr />
<p><span id="Command-Flags"></span> <span id="Command-Flags-1"></span></p>
<h2 id="213-command-flags"><a class="header" href="#213-command-flags">21.3 Command Flags</a></h2>
<p>Completion of the arguments of a command may be different for each
command or may use the default. The behavior when completing the command
word itself may also be separately specified. These correspond to the
following flags and arguments, all of which (except for <code>-L</code>) may be
combined with any combination of the <code>options</code> described subsequently in
<a href="#Option-Flags">Option Flags</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><code>command</code> ...<br />
controls completion for the named commands, which must be listed
last on the command line. If completion is attempted for a command
with a pathname containing slashes and no completion definition is
found, the search is retried with the last pathname component. If
the command starts with a <code>=</code>, completion is tried with the pathname
of the command.</p>
<p>Any of the <code>command</code> strings may be patterns of the form normally
used for filename generation. These should be quoted to protect them
from immediate expansion; for example the command string <code>’foo*’</code>
arranges for completion of the words of any command beginning with
<code>foo</code>. When completion is attempted, all pattern completions are
tried in the reverse order of their definition until one matches. By
default, completion then proceeds as normal, i.e. the shell will try
to generate more matches for the specific command on the command
line; this can be overridden by including <code>-tn</code> in the flags for the
pattern completion.</p>
<p>Note that aliases are expanded before the command name is determined
unless the <code>COMPLETE_ALIASES</code> option is set. Commands may not be
combined with the <code>-C</code>, <code>-D</code> or <code>-T</code> flags.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-C</code><br />
controls completion when the command word itself is being completed.
If no <code>compctl -C</code> command has been issued, the names of any as
aliases or functions) are completed.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-D</code><br />
controls default completion behavior for the arguments of commands
not assigned any special behavior. If no <code>compctl -D</code> command has
been issued, filenames are completed.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-T</code><br />
supplies completion flags to be used before any other processing is
done, even before processing for <code>compctl</code>s defined for specific
commands. This is especially useful when combined with extended
completion (the <code>-x</code> flag, see <a href="#Extended-Completion">Extended
Completion</a> below). Using this flag you can
define default behavior which will apply to all commands without
exception, or you can alter the standard behavior for all commands.
For example, if your access to the user database is too slow and/or
it contains too many users (so that completion after ‘<code>~</code>’ is too
slow to be usable), you can use</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -T -x 's[~] C[0,[^/]#]' -k friends -S/ -tn
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>to complete the strings in the array <code>friends</code> after a ‘<code>~</code>’. The
<code>C[``...``]</code> argument is necessary so that this form of
<code>~</code>-completion is not tried after the directory name is finished.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-L</code><br />
<em>no argument</em><br />
If no argument is given, <code>compctl</code> lists all defined completions in
an abbreviated form; with a list of <code>options</code>, all completions with
those flags set (not counting extended completion) are listed.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>If the <code>+</code> flag is alone and followed immediately by the <code>command</code> list,
the completion behavior for all the commands in the list is reset to the
default. In other words, completion will subsequently use the options
specified by the <code>-D</code> flag.</p>
<p>The form with <code>-M</code> as the first and only option defines global matching
specifications (see <a href="Completion-Widgets.html#Completion-Matching-Control">Completion Matching
Control</a>). The
match specifications given will be used for every completion attempt
(only when using <code>compctl</code>, not with the new completion system) and are
tried in the order in which they are defined until one generates at
least one match. E.g.:</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -M '' 'm:{a-zA-Z}={A-Za-z}'
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>This will first try completion without any global match specifications
(the empty string) and, if that generates no matches, will try case
insensitive completion.</p>
<hr />
<p><span id="Option-Flags"></span> <span id="Option-Flags-1"></span></p>
<h2 id="214-option-flags"><a class="header" href="#214-option-flags">21.4 Option Flags</a></h2>
<p>[ <code>-fcFBdeaRGovNAIOPZEnbjrzu/12</code> ]</p>
<p>[ <code>-k</code> <code>array</code> ] [ <code>-g</code> <code>globstring</code> ] [ <code>-s</code> <code>subststring</code> ]</p>
<p>[ <code>-K</code> <code>function</code> ]</p>
<p>[ <code>-Q</code> ] [ <code>-P</code> <code>prefix</code> ] [ <code>-S</code> <code>suffix</code> ]</p>
<p>[ <code>-W</code> <code>file-prefix</code> ] [ <code>-H</code> <code>num pattern</code> ]</p>
<p>[ <code>-q</code> ] [ <code>-X</code> <code>explanation</code> ] [ <code>-Y</code> <code>explanation</code> ]</p>
<p>[ <code>-y</code> <code>func-or-var</code> ] [ <code>-l</code> <code>cmd</code> ] [ <code>-h</code> <code>cmd</code> ] [ <code>-U</code> ]</p>
<p>[ <code>-t</code> <code>continue</code> ] [ <code>-J</code> <code>name</code> ] [ <code>-V</code> <code>name</code> ]</p>
<p>[ <code>-M</code> <code>match-spec</code> ]</p>
<p>The remaining <code>options</code> specify the type of command arguments to look
for during completion. Any combination of these flags may be specified;
the result is a sorted list of all the possibilities. The options are as
follows.</p>
<hr />
<p><span id="Simple-Flags"></span> <span id="Simple-Flags-1"></span></p>
<h3 id="2141-simple-flags"><a class="header" href="#2141-simple-flags">21.4.1 Simple Flags</a></h3>
<p>These produce completion lists made up by the shell itself:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><code>-f</code><br />
Filenames and file system paths.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-/</code><br />
Just file system paths.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-c</code><br />
Command names, including aliases, shell functions, builtins and
reserved words.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-F</code><br />
Function names.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-B</code><br />
Names of builtin commands.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-m</code><br />
Names of external commands.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-w</code><br />
Reserved words.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-a</code><br />
Alias names.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-R</code><br />
Names of regular (non-global) aliases.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-G</code><br />
Names of global aliases.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-d</code><br />
This can be combined with <code>-F</code>, <code>-B</code>, <code>-w</code>, <code>-a</code>, <code>-R</code> and <code>-G</code> to
get names of disabled functions, builtins, reserved words or
aliases.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-e</code><br />
This option (to show enabled commands) is in effect by default, but
may be combined with <code>-d</code>; <code>-de</code> in combination with <code>-F</code>, <code>-B</code>,
<code>-w</code>, <code>-a</code>, <code>-R</code> and <code>-G</code> will complete names of functions,
builtins, reserved words or aliases whether or not they are
disabled.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-o</code><br />
Names of shell options (see <a href="Options.html#Options">Options</a>).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-v</code><br />
Names of any variable defined in the shell.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-N</code><br />
Names of scalar (non-array) parameters.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-A</code><br />
Array names.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-I</code><br />
Names of integer variables.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-O</code><br />
Names of read-only variables.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-p</code><br />
Names of parameters used by the shell (including special
parameters).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-Z</code><br />
Names of shell special parameters.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-E</code><br />
Names of environment variables.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-n</code><br />
Named directories.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-b</code><br />
Key binding names.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-j</code><br />
Job names: the first word of the job leader’s command line. This is
useful with the <code>kill</code> builtin.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-r</code><br />
Names of running jobs.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-z</code><br />
Names of suspended jobs.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-u</code><br />
User names.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><span id="Flags-with-Arguments"></span>
<span id="Flags-with-Arguments-1"></span></p>
<h3 id="2142-flags-with-arguments"><a class="header" href="#2142-flags-with-arguments">21.4.2 Flags with Arguments</a></h3>
<p>These have user supplied arguments to determine how the list of
completions is to be made up:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><code>-k</code> <code>array</code><br />
Names taken from the elements of <code>$``array</code> (note that the ‘<code>$</code>’
does not appear on the command line). Alternatively, the argument
<code>array</code> itself may be a set of space- or comma-separated values in
parentheses, in which any delimiter may be escaped with a backslash;
in this case the argument should be quoted. For example,</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -k "(cputime filesize datasize stacksize
coredumpsize resident descriptors)" limit
</code></pre>
</div>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-g</code> <code>globstring</code><br />
The <code>globstring</code> is expanded using filename globbing; it should be
quoted to protect it from immediate expansion. The resulting
filenames are taken as the possible completions. Use ‘<code>*(/)</code>’
instead of ‘<code>*/</code>’ for directories. The <code>fignore</code> special parameter
is not applied to the resulting files. More than one pattern may be
given separated by blanks. (Note that brace expansion is <em>not</em> part
of globbing. Use the syntax ‘<code>(either|or)</code>’ to match alternatives.)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-s</code> <code>subststring</code><br />
The <code>subststring</code> is split into words and these words are than
expanded using all shell expansion mechanisms (see
<a href="Expansion.html#Expansion">Expansion</a>). The resulting words are
taken as possible completions. The <code>fignore</code> special parameter is
not applied to the resulting files. Note that <code>-g</code> is faster for
filenames.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-K</code> <code>function</code><br />
<span id="index-reply_002c-use-of-2"></span></p>
<p>Call the given function to get the completions. Unless the name
starts with an underscore, the function is passed two arguments: the
prefix and the suffix of the word on which completion is to be
attempted, in other words those characters before the cursor
position, and those from the cursor position onwards. The whole
command line can be accessed with the <code>-c</code> and <code>-l</code> flags of the
<code>read</code> builtin. The function should set the variable <code>reply</code> to an
array containing the completions (one completion per element); note
that <code>reply</code> should not be made local to the function. From such a
function the command line can be accessed with the <code>-c</code> and <code>-l</code>
flags to the <code>read</code> builtin. For example,</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">function whoson { reply=(`users`); }
compctl -K whoson talk
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>completes only logged-on users after ‘<code>talk</code>’. Note that ‘<code>whoson</code>’
must return an array, so ‘<code>reply=‘users‘</code>’ would be incorrect.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-H</code> <code>num pattern</code><br />
The possible completions are taken from the last <code>num</code> history
lines. Only words matching <code>pattern</code> are taken. If <code>num</code> is zero or
negative the whole history is searched and if <code>pattern</code> is the empty
string all words are taken (as with ‘<code>*</code>’). A typical use is</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -D -f + -H 0 ''
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>which forces completion to look back in the history list for a word
if no filename matches.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><span id="Control-Flags"></span> <span id="Control-Flags-1"></span></p>
<h3 id="2143-control-flags"><a class="header" href="#2143-control-flags">21.4.3 Control Flags</a></h3>
<p>These do not directly specify types of name to be completed, but
manipulate the options that do:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><code>-Q</code><br />
This instructs the shell not to quote any metacharacters in the
possible completions. Normally the results of a completion are
inserted into the command line with any metacharacters quoted so
that they are interpreted as normal characters. This is appropriate
for filenames and ordinary strings. However, for special effects,
such as inserting a backquoted expression from a completion array
(<code>-k</code>) so that the expression will not be evaluated until the
complete line is executed, this option must be used.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-P</code> <code>prefix</code><br />
The <code>prefix</code> is inserted just before the completed string; any
initial part already typed will be completed and the whole <code>prefix</code>
ignored for completion purposes. For example,</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -j -P "%" kill
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>inserts a ‘%’ after the kill command and then completes job names.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-S</code> <code>suffix</code><br />
When a completion is found the <code>suffix</code> is inserted after the
completed string. In the case of menu completion the suffix is
inserted immediately, but it is still possible to cycle through the
list of completions by repeatedly hitting the same key.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-W</code> <code>file-prefix</code><br />
With directory <code>file-prefix</code>: for command, file, directory and
globbing completion (options <code>-c</code>, <code>-f</code>, <code>-/</code>, <code>-g</code>), the file
prefix is implicitly added in front of the completion. For example,</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -/ -W ~/Mail maildirs
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>completes any subdirectories to any depth beneath the directory
<code>~/Mail</code>, although that prefix does not appear on the command line.
The <code>file-prefix</code> may also be of the form accepted by the <code>-k</code> flag,
i.e. the name of an array or a literal list in parenthesis. In this
case all the directories in the list will be searched for possible
completions.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-q</code><br />
If used with a suffix as specified by the <code>-S</code> option, this causes
the suffix to be removed if the next character typed is a blank or
does not insert anything or if the suffix consists of only one
character and the next character typed is the same character; this
the same rule used for the <code>AUTO_REMOVE_SLASH</code> option. The option is
most useful for list separators (comma, colon, etc.).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-l</code> <code>cmd</code><br />
This option restricts the range of command line words that are
considered to be arguments. If combined with one of the extended
completion patterns ‘<code>p[</code>...<code>]</code>’, ‘<code>r[</code>...<code>]</code>’, or ‘<code>R[</code>...<code>]</code>’ (see
<a href="#Extended-Completion">Extended Completion</a> below) the range is
restricted to the range of arguments specified in the brackets.
Completion is then performed as if these had been given as arguments
to the <code>cmd</code> supplied with the option. If the <code>cmd</code> string is empty
the first word in the range is instead taken as the command name,
and command name completion performed on the first word in the
range. For example,</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -x 'r[-exec,;]' -l '' -- find
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>completes arguments between ‘<code>-exec</code>’ and the following ‘<code>;</code>’ (or
the end of the command line if there is no such string) as if they
were a separate command line.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-h</code> <code>cmd</code><br />
Normally zsh completes quoted strings as a whole. With this option,
completion can be done separately on different parts of such
strings. It works like the <code>-l</code> option but makes the completion code
work on the parts of the current word that are separated by spaces.
These parts are completed as if they were arguments to the given
<code>cmd</code>. If <code>cmd</code> is the empty string, the first part is completed as
a command name, as with <code>-l</code>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-U</code><br />
Use the whole list of possible completions, whether or not they
actually match the word on the command line. The word typed so far
will be deleted. This is most useful with a function (given by the
<code>-K</code> option) which can examine the word components passed to it (or
via the <code>read</code> builtin’s <code>-c</code> and <code>-l</code> flags) and use its own
criteria to decide what matches. If there is no completion, the
original word is retained. Since the produced possible completions
seldom have interesting common prefixes and suffixes, menu
completion is started immediately if <code>AUTO_MENU</code> is set and this
flag is used.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-y</code> <code>func-or-var</code><br />
<span id="index-reply_002c-use-of-3"></span></p>
<p>The list provided by <code>func-or-var</code> is displayed instead of the list
of completions whenever a listing is required; the actual
completions to be inserted are not affected. It can be provided in
two ways. Firstly, if <code>func-or-var</code> begins with a <code>$</code> it defines a
variable, or if it begins with a left parenthesis a literal array,
which contains the list. A variable may have been set by a call to a
function using the <code>-K</code> option. Otherwise it contains the name of a
function which will be executed to create the list. The function
will be passed as an argument list all matching completions,
including prefixes and suffixes expanded in full, and should set the
array <code>reply</code> to the result. In both cases, the display list will
only be retrieved after a complete list of matches has been created.</p>
<p>Note that the returned list does not have to correspond, even in
length, to the original set of matches, and may be passed as a
scalar instead of an array. No special formatting of characters is
performed on the output in this case; in particular, newlines are
printed literally and if they appear output in columns is
suppressed.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-X</code> <code>explanation</code><br />
Print <code>explanation</code> when trying completion on the current set of
options. A ‘<code>%n</code>’ in this string is replaced by the number of
matches that were added for this explanation string. The explanation
only appears if completion was tried and there was no unique match,
or when listing completions. Explanation strings will be listed
together with the matches of the group specified together with the
<code>-X</code> option (using the <code>-J</code> or <code>-V</code> option). If the same explanation
string is given to multiple <code>-X</code> options, the string appears only
once (for each group) and the number of matches shown for the ‘<code>%n</code>’
is the total number of all matches for each of these uses. In any
case, the explanation string will only be shown if there was at
least one match added for the explanation string.</p>
<p>The sequences <code>%B</code>, <code>%b</code>, <code>%S</code>, <code>%s</code>, <code>%U</code>, and <code>%u</code> specify output
attributes (bold, standout, and underline), <code>%F</code>, <code>%f</code>, <code>%K</code>, <code>%k</code>
specify foreground and background colours, and <code>%{``...``%}</code> can be
used to include literal escape sequences as in prompts.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-Y</code> <code>explanation</code><br />
Identical to <code>-X</code>, except that the <code>explanation</code> first undergoes
expansion following the usual rules for strings in double quotes.
The expansion will be carried out after any functions are called for
the <code>-K</code> or <code>-y</code> options, allowing them to set variables.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-t</code> <code>continue</code><br />
The <code>continue</code>-string contains a character that specifies which set
of completion flags should be used next. It is useful:</p>
<p>(i) With <code>-T</code>, or when trying a list of pattern completions, when
<code>compctl</code> would usually continue with ordinary processing after
finding matches; this can be suppressed with ‘<code>-tn</code>’.</p>
<p>(ii) With a list of alternatives separated by <code>+</code>, when <code>compctl</code>
would normally stop when one of the alternatives generates matches.
It can be forced to consider the next set of completions by adding
‘<code>-t+</code>’ to the flags of the alternative before the ‘<code>+</code>’.</p>
<p>(iii) In an extended completion list (see below), when <code>compctl</code>
would normally continue until a set of conditions succeeded, then
use only the immediately following flags. With ‘<code>-t-</code>’, <code>compctl</code>
will continue trying extended completions after the next ‘<code>-</code>’; with
‘<code>-tx</code>’ it will attempt completion with the default flags, in other
words those before the ‘<code>-x</code>’.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-J</code> <code>name</code><br />
This gives the name of the group the matches should be placed in.
Groups are listed and sorted separately; likewise, menu completion
will offer the matches in the groups in the order in which the
groups were defined. If no group name is explicitly given, the
matches are stored in a group named <code>default</code>. The first time a
group name is encountered, a group with that name is created. After
that all matches with the same group name are stored in that group.</p>
<p>This can be useful with non-exclusive alternative completions. For
example, in</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -f -J files -t+ + -v -J variables foo
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>both files and variables are possible completions, as the <code>-t+</code>
forces both sets of alternatives before and after the <code>+</code> to be
considered at once. Because of the <code>-J</code> options, however, all files
are listed before all variables.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-V</code> <code>name</code><br />
Like <code>-J</code>, but matches within the group will not be sorted in
listings nor in menu completion. These unsorted groups are in a
different name space from the sorted ones, so groups defined as <code>-J files</code> and <code>-V files</code> are distinct.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-1</code><br />
If given together with the <code>-V</code> option, makes only consecutive
duplicates in the group be removed. Note that groups with and
without this flag are in different name spaces.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-2</code><br />
If given together with the <code>-J</code> or <code>-V</code> option, makes all duplicates
be kept. Again, groups with and without this flag are in different
name spaces.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>-M</code> <code>match-spec</code><br />
This defines additional matching control specifications that should
be used only when testing words for the list of flags this flag
appears in. The format of the <code>match-spec</code> string is described in
<a href="Completion-Widgets.html#Completion-Matching-Control">Completion Matching
Control</a>.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><span id="Alternative-Completion"></span>
<span id="Alternative-Completion-1"></span></p>
<h2 id="215-alternative-completion"><a class="header" href="#215-alternative-completion">21.5 Alternative Completion</a></h2>
<p><code>compctl</code> [ <code>-CDT</code> ] <code>options</code> <code>+</code> <code>options</code> [ <code>+</code> ... ] [ <code>+</code> ]
<code>command</code> ...</p>
<p>The form with ‘<code>+</code>’ specifies alternative options. Completion is tried
with the options before the first ‘<code>+</code>’. If this produces no matches
completion is tried with the flags after the ‘<code>+</code>’ and so on. If there
are no flags after the last ‘<code>+</code>’ and a match has not been found up to
that point, default completion is tried. If the list of flags contains a
<code>-t</code> with a <code>+</code> character, the next list of flags is used even if the
current list produced matches.</p>
<hr />
<p><span id="Extended-Completion"></span></p>
<p>Additional options are available that restrict completion to some part
of the command line; this is referred to as ‘extended completion’.</p>
<p><span id="Extended-Completion-1"></span></p>
<h2 id="216-extended-completion"><a class="header" href="#216-extended-completion">21.6 Extended Completion</a></h2>
<p><code>compctl </code>[ <code>-CDT</code> ] <code>options</code> <code>-x</code> <code>pattern</code> <code>options</code> <code>-</code> ...
<code>-``-</code></p>
<p><code> </code>[ <code>command</code> ... ]</p>
<p><code>compctl </code>[ <code>-CDT</code> ] <code>options</code> [ <code>-x</code> <code>pattern</code> <code>options</code> <code>-</code> ...
<code>-``-</code> ]</p>
<p><code> </code>[ <code>+</code> <code>options</code> [ <code>-x</code> ... <code>-``-</code> ] ... [<code>+</code>] ] [
<code>command</code> ... ]</p>
<p>The form with ‘<code>-x</code>’ specifies extended completion for the commands
given; as shown, it may be combined with alternative completion using
‘<code>+</code>’. Each <code>pattern</code> is examined in turn; when a match is found, the
corresponding <code>options</code>, as described in <a href="#Option-Flags">Option Flags</a>
above, are used to generate possible completions. If no <code>pattern</code>
matches, the <code>options</code> given before the <code>-x</code> are used.</p>
<p>Note that each pattern should be supplied as a single argument and
should be quoted to prevent expansion of metacharacters by the shell.</p>
<p>A <code>pattern</code> is built of sub-patterns separated by commas; it matches if
at least one of these sub-patterns matches (they are ‘or’ed). These
sub-patterns are in turn composed of other sub-patterns separated by
white spaces which match if all of the sub-patterns match (they are
‘and’ed). An element of the sub-patterns is of the form
‘<code>c``[</code>...<code>][</code>...<code>]</code>’, where the pairs of brackets may be repeated as
often as necessary, and matches if any of the sets of brackets match (an
‘or’). The example below makes this clearer.</p>
<p>The elements may be any of the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><code>s[``string``]</code>...<br />
Matches if the current word on the command line starts with one of
the strings given in brackets. The <code>string</code> is not removed and is
not part of the completion.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>S[``string``]</code>...<br />
Like <code>s[``string``]</code> except that the <code>string</code> is part of the
completion.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>p[``from``,``to``]</code>...<br />
Matches if the number of the current word is between one of the
<code>from</code> and <code>to</code> pairs inclusive. The comma and <code>to</code> are optional;
<code>to</code> defaults to the same value as <code>from</code>. The numbers may be
negative: <code>-``n</code> refers to the <code>n</code>’th last word on the line.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>c[``offset``,``string``]</code>...<br />
Matches if the <code>string</code> matches the word offset by <code>offset</code> from the
current word position. Usually <code>offset</code> will be negative.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>C[``offset``,``pattern``]</code>...<br />
Like <code>c</code> but using pattern matching instead.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>w[``index``,``string``]</code>...<br />
Matches if the word in position <code>index</code> is equal to the
corresponding <code>string</code>. Note that the word count is made after any
alias expansion.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>W[``index``,``pattern``]</code>...<br />
Like <code>w</code> but using pattern matching instead.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>n[``index``,``string``]</code>...<br />
Matches if the current word contains <code>string</code>. Anything up to and
including the <code>index</code>th occurrence of this string will not be
considered part of the completion, but the rest will. <code>index</code> may be
negative to count from the end: in most cases, <code>index</code> will be 1 or
-1. For example,</p>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -s '`users`' -x 'n[1,@]' -k hosts -- talk
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>will usually complete usernames, but if you insert an <code>@</code> after the
name, names from the array <code>hosts</code> (assumed to contain hostnames,
though you must make the array yourself) will be completed. Other
commands such as <code>rcp</code> can be handled similarly.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>N[``index``,``string``]</code>...<br />
Like <code>n</code> except that the string will be taken as a character class.
Anything up to and including the <code>index</code>th occurrence of any of the
characters in <code>string</code> will not be considered part of the
completion.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>m[``min``,``max``]</code>...<br />
Matches if the total number of words lies between <code>min</code> and <code>max</code>
inclusive.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>r[``str1``,``str2``]</code>...<br />
Matches if the cursor is after a word with prefix <code>str1</code>. If there
is also a word with prefix <code>str2</code> on the command line after the one
matched by <code>str1</code> it matches only if the cursor is before this word.
If the comma and <code>str2</code> are omitted, it matches if the cursor is
after a word with prefix <code>str1</code>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>R[``str1``,``str2``]</code>...<br />
Like <code>r</code> but using pattern matching instead.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><code>q[``str``]</code>...<br />
Matches the word currently being completed is in single quotes and
the <code>str</code> begins with the letter ‘s’, or if completion is done in
double quotes and <code>str</code> starts with the letter ‘d’, or if completion
is done in backticks and <code>str</code> starts with a ‘b’.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><span id="Example"></span> <span id="Example-3"></span></p>
<h2 id="217-example"><a class="header" href="#217-example">21.7 Example</a></h2>
<div class="example">
<pre><code class="language-example">compctl -u -x 's[+] c[-1,-f],s[-f+]' \
-g '~/Mail/*(:t)' - 's[-f],c[-1,-f]' -f -- mail
</code></pre>
</div>
<p>This is to be interpreted as follows:</p>
<p>If the current command is <code>mail</code>, then</p>
<blockquote>
<p>if ((the current word begins with <code>+</code> and the previous word is <code>-f</code>)
or (the current word begins with <code>-f+</code>)), then complete the
non-directory part (the ‘<code>:t</code>’ glob modifier) of files in the
directory <code>~/Mail</code>; else</p>
<p>if the current word begins with <code>-f</code> or the previous word was <code>-f</code>,
then complete any file; else</p>
<p>complete user names.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>This document was generated on <em>February 15, 2020</em> using
<a href="http://www.nongnu.org/texi2html/"><em>texi2html 5.0</em></a>.<br />
Zsh version 5.8, released on February 14, 2020.</p>
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