path: root/readline/doc/history.info

Info file history.info, produced by Makeinfo, -*- Text -*- from input
file hist.texinfo.

   This document describes the GNU History library, a programming tool
that provides a consistent user interface for recalling lines of
previously typed input.

   Copyright (C) 1988, 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

   Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
pare preserved on all copies.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that
the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
versions, except that this permission notice may be stated in a
translation approved by the Foundation.


File: history.info,  Node: Top,  Next: Using History Interactively,  Prev: (DIR),  Up: (DIR)

GNU History Library
*******************

   This document describes the GNU History library, a programming tool
that provides a consistent user interface for recalling lines of
previously typed input.

* Menu:

* Using History Interactively::	  GNU History User's Manual.
* Programming with GNU History::  GNU History Programmer's Manual.
* Concept Index::		  Index of concepts described in this manual.
* Function and Variable Index::	  Index of externally visible functions
				  and variables.


File: history.info,  Node: Using History Interactively,  Next: Programming with GNU History,  Prev: Top,  Up: Top

Using History Interactively
***************************

   This chapter describes how to use the GNU History Library
interactively, from a user's standpoint.  It should be considered a
user's guide.  For information on using the GNU History Library in
your own programs, *note Programming with GNU History::..

* Menu:

* History Interaction::		What it feels like using History as a user.


File: history.info,  Node: History Interaction,  Up: Using History Interactively

History Interaction
===================

   The History library provides a history expansion feature that is
similar to the history expansion in Csh.  The following text describes
the sytax that you use to manipulate the history information.

   History expansion takes place in two parts.  The first is to
determine which line from the previous history should be used during
substitution.  The second is to select portions of that line for
inclusion into the current one.  The line selected from the previous
history is called the "event", and the portions of that line that are
acted upon are called "words".  The line is broken into words in the
same fashion that the Bash shell does, so that several English (or
Unix) words surrounded by quotes are considered as one word.

* Menu:

* Event Designators::	How to specify which history line to use.
* Word Designators::	Specifying which words are of interest.
* Modifiers::		Modifying the results of susbstitution.


File: history.info,  Node: Event Designators,  Next: Word Designators,  Up: History Interaction

Event Designators
-----------------

   An event designator is a reference to a command line entry in the
history list.

`!'
     Start a history subsititution, except when followed by a space,
     tab, or the end of the line... = or (.

`!!'
     Refer to the previous command.  This is a synonym for `!-1'.

`!n'
     Refer to command line N.

`!-n'
     Refer to the command line N lines back.

`!string'
     Refer to the most recent command starting with STRING.

`!?string'[`?']
     Refer to the most recent command containing STRING.


File: history.info,  Node: Word Designators,  Next: Modifiers,  Prev: Event Designators,  Up: History Interaction

Word Designators
----------------

   A : separates the event specification from the word designator.  It
can be omitted if the word designator begins with a ^, $, * or %. 
Words are numbered from the beginning of the line, with the first word
being denoted by a 0 (zero).

`0 (zero)'
     The zero'th word.  For many applications, this is the command
     word.

`n'
     The N'th word.

`^'
     The first argument.  that is, word 1.

`$'
     The last argument.

`%'
     The word matched by the most recent `?string?' search.

`x-y'
     A range of words; `-Y' Abbreviates `0-Y'.

`*'
     All of the words, excepting the zero'th.  This is a synonym for
     `1-$'.  It is not an error to use * if there is just one word in
     the event.  The empty string is returned in that case.


File: history.info,  Node: Modifiers,  Prev: Word Designators,  Up: History Interaction

Modifiers
---------

   After the optional word designator, you can add a sequence of one
or more of the following modifiers, each preceded by a :.

`#'
     The entire command line typed so far.  This means the current
     command, not the previous command, so it really isn't a word
     designator, and doesn't belong in this section.

`h'
     Remove a trailing pathname component, leaving only the head.

`r'
     Remove a trailing suffix of the form `.'SUFFIX, leaving the
     basename.

`e'
     Remove all but the suffix.

`t'
     Remove all leading  pathname  components, leaving the tail.

`p'
     Print the new command but do not execute it.


File: history.info,  Node: Programming with GNU History,  Next: Concept Index,  Prev: Using History Interactively,  Up: Top

Programming with GNU History
****************************

   This chapter describes how to interface the GNU History Library with
programs that you write.  It should be considered a technical guide. 
For information on the interactive use of GNU History, *note Using
History Interactively::..

* Menu:

* Introduction to History::	What is the GNU History library for?
* History Storage::		How information is stored.
* History Functions::		Functions that you can use.
* History Variables::		Variables that control behaviour.
* History Programming Example::	Example of using the GNU History Library.


File: history.info,  Node: Introduction to History,  Next: History Storage,  Up: Programming with GNU History

Introduction to History
=======================

   Many programs read input from the user a line at a time.  The GNU
history library is able to keep track of those lines, associate
arbitrary data with each line, and utilize information from previous
lines in making up new ones.

   The programmer using the History library has available to him
functions for remembering lines on a history stack, associating
arbitrary data with a line, removing lines from the stack, searching
through the stack for a line containing an arbitrary text string, and
referencing any line on the stack directly.  In addition, a history
"expansion" function is available which provides for a consistent user
interface across many different programs.

   The end-user using programs written with the History library has the
benifit of a consistent user interface, with a set of well-known
commands for manipulating the text of previous lines and using that
text in new commands.  The basic history manipulation commands are
similar to the history substitution used by `Csh'.

   If the programmer desires, he can use the Readline library, which
includes some history manipulation by default, and has the added
advantage of Emacs style command line editing.


File: history.info,  Node: History Storage,  Next: History Functions,  Prev: Introduction to History,  Up: Programming with GNU History

History Storage
===============

     typedef struct _hist_entry {
       char *line;
       char *data;
     } HIST_ENTRY;


File: history.info,  Node: History Functions,  Next: History Variables,  Prev: History Storage,  Up: Programming with GNU History

History Functions
=================

   This section describes the calling sequence for the various
functions present in GNU History.

 * Function: void using_history ()
     Begin a session in which the history functions might be used. 
     This just initializes the interactive variables.

 * Function: void add_history (CHAR *STRING)
     Place STRING at the end of the history list.  The associated data
     field (if any) is set to `NULL'.

 * Function: int where_history ()
     Returns the number which says what history element we are now
     looking at.

 * Function: int history_set_pos (INT POS)
     Set the position in the history list to POS.

 * Function: int history_search_pos (CHAR *STRING, INT DIRECTION, INT
          POS)
     Search for STRING in the history list, starting at POS, an
     absolute index into the list.  DIRECTION, if negative, says to
     search backwards from POS, else forwards.  Returns the absolute
     index of the history element where STRING was found, or -1
     otherwise.

 * Function: HIST_ENTRY *remove_history ();
     Remove history element WHICH from the history.  The removed
     element is returned to you so you can free the line, data, and
     containing structure.

 * Function: void stifle_history (INT MAX)
     Stifle the history list, remembering only MAX number of entries.

 * Function: int unstifle_history ();
     Stop stifling the history.  This returns the previous amount the
     history was stifled by.  The value is positive if the history was
     stifled, negative if it wasn't.

 * Function: int read_history (CHAR *FILENAME)
     Add the contents of FILENAME to the history list, a line at a
     time.  If FILENAME is `NULL', then read from `~/.history'. 
     Returns 0 if successful, or errno if not.

 * Function: int read_history_range (CHAR *FILENAME, INT FROM, INT TO)
     Read a range of lines from FILENAME, adding them to the history
     list.  Start reading at the FROM'th line and end at the TO'th.  If
     FROM is zero, start at the beginning.  If TO is less than FROM,
     then read until the end of the file.  If FILENAME is `NULL', then
     read from `~/.history'.  Returns 0 if successful, or `errno' if
     not.

 * Function: int write_history (CHAR *FILENAME)
     Append the current history to FILENAME.  If FILENAME is `NULL',
     then append the history list to `~/.history'.  Values returned
     are as in `read_history ()'.

 * Function: int append_history (INT NELEMENTS, CHAR *FILENAME)
     Append NELEMENT entries to FILENAME.  The entries appended are
     from the end of the list minus NELEMENTS up to the end of the
     list.

 * Function: HIST_ENTRY *replace_history_entry ()
     Make the history entry at WHICH have LINE and DATA.  This returns
     the old entry so you can dispose of the data.  In the case of an
     invalid WHICH, a `NULL' pointer is returned.

 * Function: HIST_ENTRY *current_history ()
     Return the history entry at the current position, as determined by
     `history_offset'.  If there is no entry there, return a `NULL'
     pointer.

 * Function: HIST_ENTRY *previous_history ()
     Back up HISTORY_OFFSET to the previous history entry, and return a
     pointer to that entry.  If there is no previous entry, return a
     `NULL' pointer.

 * Function: HIST_ENTRY *next_history ()
     Move `history_offset' forward to the next history entry, and
     return the a pointer to that entry.  If there is no next entry,
     return a `NULL' pointer.

 * Function: HIST_ENTRY **history_list ()
     Return a `NULL' terminated array of `HIST_ENTRY' which is the
     current input history.  Element 0 of this list is the beginning
     of time.  If there is no history, return `NULL'.

 * Function: int history_search (CHAR *STRING, INT DIRECTION)
     Search the history for STRING, starting at `history_offset'.  If
     DIRECTION < 0, then the search is through previous entries, else
     through subsequent.  If STRING is found, then `current_history
     ()' is the history entry, and the value of this function is the
     offset in the line of that history entry that the STRING was
     found in.  Otherwise, nothing is changed, and a -1 is returned.

 * Function: int history_expand (CHAR *STRING, CHAR **OUTPUT)
     Expand STRING, placing the result into OUTPUT, a pointer to a
     string.  Returns:

    `0'
          If no expansions took place (or, if the only change in the
          text was the de-slashifying of the history expansion
          character),

    `1'
          if expansions did take place, or

    `-1'
          if there was an error in expansion.

          If an error ocurred in expansion, then OUTPUT contains a
     descriptive error message.

 * Function: char *history_arg_extract (INT FIRST, INT LAST, CHAR
          *STRING)
     Extract a string segment consisting of the FIRST through LAST
     arguments present in STRING.  Arguments are broken up as in the
     GNU Bash shell.

 * Function: int history_total_bytes ();
     Return the number of bytes that the primary history entries are
     using.  This just adds up the lengths of `the_history->lines'.


File: history.info,  Node: History Variables,  Next: History Programming Example,  Prev: History Functions,  Up: Programming with GNU History

History Variables
=================

   This section describes the variables in GNU History that are
externally visible.

 * Variable: int history_base
     For convenience only.  You set this when interpreting history
     commands.  It is the logical offset of the first history element.


File: history.info,  Node: History Programming Example,  Prev: History Variables,  Up: Programming with GNU History

History Programming Example
===========================

   The following snippet of code demonstrates simple use of the GNU
History Library.

     main ()
     {
       char line[1024], *t;
       int done = 0;
     
       line[0] = 0;
     
       while (!done)
         {
           fprintf (stdout, "history%% ");
           t = gets (line);
     
           if (!t)
             strcpy (line, "quit");
     
           if (line[0])
             {
               char *expansion;
               int result;
     
               using_history ();
     
               result = history_expand (line, &expansion);
               strcpy (line, expansion);
               free (expansion);
               if (result)
                 fprintf (stderr, "%s\n", line);
     
               if (result < 0)
                 continue;
     
               add_history (line);
             }
     
           if (strcmp (line, "quit") == 0) done = 1;
           if (strcmp (line, "save") == 0) write_history (0);
           if (strcmp (line, "read") == 0) read_history (0);
           if (strcmp (line, "list") == 0)
             {
               register HIST_ENTRY **the_list = history_list ();
               register int i;
     
               if (the_list)
                 for (i = 0; the_list[i]; i++)
                   fprintf (stdout, "%d: %s\n",
                      i + history_base, the_list[i]->line);
             }
           if (strncmp (line, "delete", strlen ("delete")) == 0)
             {
               int which;
               if ((sscanf (line + strlen ("delete"), "%d", &which)) == 1)
                 {
                   HIST_ENTRY *entry = remove_history (which);
                   if (!entry)
                     fprintf (stderr, "No such entry %d\n", which);
                   else
                     {
                       free (entry->line);
                       free (entry);
                     }
                 }
               else
                 {
                   fprintf (stderr, "non-numeric arg given to `delete'\n");
                 }
             }
         }
     }


File: history.info,  Node: Concept Index,  Next: Function and Variable Index,  Prev: Programming with GNU History,  Up: Top

Concept Index
*************

* Menu:

* event designators:                    Event Designators.
* expansion:                            History Interaction.


File: history.info,  Node: Function and Variable Index,  Prev: Concept Index,  Up: Top

Function and Variable Index
***************************

* Menu:

* HIST_ENTRY **history_list:            History Functions.
* HIST_ENTRY *current_history:          History Functions.
* HIST_ENTRY *next_history:             History Functions.
* HIST_ENTRY *previous_history:         History Functions.
* HIST_ENTRY *remove_history:           History Functions.
* HIST_ENTRY *replace_history_entry:    History Functions.
* char *history_arg_extract:            History Functions.
* int append_history:                   History Functions.
* int history_base:                     History Variables.
* int history_expand:                   History Functions.
* int history_search:                   History Functions.
* int history_search_pos:               History Functions.
* int history_set_pos:                  History Functions.
* int history_total_bytes:              History Functions.
* int read_history:                     History Functions.
* int read_history_range:               History Functions.
* int unstifle_history:                 History Functions.
* int where_history:                    History Functions.
* int write_history:                    History Functions.
* void add_history:                     History Functions.
* void stifle_history:                  History Functions.
* void using_history:                   History Functions.



Tag Table:
Node: Top973
Node: Using History Interactively1567
Node: History Interaction2075
Node: Event Designators3127
Node: Word Designators3770
Node: Modifiers4676
Node: Programming with GNU History5425
Node: Introduction to History6152
Node: History Storage7502
Node: History Functions7766
Node: History Variables13063
Node: History Programming Example13499
Node: Concept Index15744
Node: Function and Variable Index16030

End Tag Table