Imported from ../bash-2.04.tar.gz.

lib/readline/doc/hsuser.texinfo

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 @ignore
 This file documents the user interface to the GNU History library.
 
-Copyright (C) 1988, 1991, 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+Copyright (C) 1988-1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 Authored by Brian Fox and Chet Ramey.
 
 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this manual
@@ -26,11 +26,16 @@ into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
 @node Using History Interactively
 @chapter Using History Interactively
 
+@ifclear BashFeatures
+@defcodeindex bt
+@end ifclear
+
 @ifset BashFeatures
-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 other programs,
-see the GNU Readline Library Manual.
+This chapter describes how to use the @sc{gnu} History Library
+interactively, from a user's standpoint.
+It should be considered a user's guide.
+For information on using the @sc{gnu} History Library in other programs,
+see the @sc{gnu} Readline Library Manual.
 @end ifset
 @ifclear BashFeatures
 This chapter describes how to use the GNU History Library interactively,
@@ -63,20 +68,25 @@ information on using the GNU History Library in your own programs,
 When the @samp{-o history} option to the @code{set} builtin
 is enabled (@pxref{The Set Builtin}),
 the shell provides access to the @var{command history},
-the list of commands previously typed.  The text of the last
-@code{HISTSIZE}
-commands (default 500) is saved in a history list.  The shell
-stores each command in the history list prior to parameter and
-variable expansion
+the list of commands previously typed.
+The value of the @code{HISTSIZE} shell variable is used as the
+number of commands to save in a history list.
+The text of the last @code{$HISTSIZE}
+commands (default 500) is saved.
+The shell stores each command in the history list prior to
+parameter and variable expansion
 but after history expansion is performed, subject to the
 values of the shell variables
 @code{HISTIGNORE} and @code{HISTCONTROL}.
+
 When the shell starts up, the history is initialized from the
 file named by the @code{HISTFILE} variable (default @file{~/.bash_history}).
-@code{HISTFILE} is truncated, if necessary, to contain no more than
-the number of lines specified by the value of the @code{HISTFILESIZE}
-variable.  When an interactive shell exits, the last
-@code{HISTSIZE} lines are copied from the history list to @code{HISTFILE}.
+The file named by the value of @code{HISTFILE} is truncated, if
+necessary, to contain no more than the number of lines specified by
+the value of the @code{HISTFILESIZE} variable.
+When an interactive shell exits, the last
+@code{$HISTSIZE} lines are copied from the history list to the file
+named by @code{$HISTFILE}.
 If the @code{histappend} shell option is set (@pxref{Bash Builtins}),
 the lines are appended to the history file,
 otherwise the history file is overwritten.
@@ -88,11 +98,11 @@ lines.  If @code{HISTFILESIZE} is not set, no truncation is performed.
 
 The builtin command @code{fc} may be used to list or edit and re-execute
 a portion of the history list.
-The @code{history} builtin can be used to display or modify the history
+The @code{history} builtin may be used to display or modify the history
 list and manipulate the history file.
-When using the command-line editing, search commands
+When using command-line editing, search commands
 are available in each editing mode that provide access to the
-history list.
+history list (@pxref{Commands For History}).
 
 The shell allows control over which commands are saved on the history
 list.  The @code{HISTCONTROL} and @code{HISTIGNORE}
@@ -105,13 +115,14 @@ semicolons where necessary to preserve syntactic correctness.
 The @code{lithist}
 shell option causes the shell to save the command with embedded newlines
 instead of semicolons.
+The @code{shopt} builtin is used to set these options.
 @xref{Bash Builtins}, for a description of @code{shopt}.
 
 @node Bash History Builtins
 @section Bash History Builtins
 @cindex history builtins
 
-Bash provides two builtin commands that allow you to manipulate the
+Bash provides two builtin commands which manipulate the
 history list and history file.
 
 @table @code
@@ -151,23 +162,27 @@ and typing @samp{r} re-executes the last command (@pxref{Aliases}).
 @item history
 @btindex history
 @example
-history [-c] [@var{n}]
+history [@var{n}]
+history -c
+history -d @var{offset}
 history [-anrw] [@var{filename}]
 history -ps @var{arg}
 @end example
 
-Display the history list with line numbers.  Lines prefixed with
-with a @samp{*} have been modified.  An argument of @var{n} says
-to list only the last @var{n} lines.  Options, if supplied, have
-the following meanings:
+With no options, display the history list with line numbers.
+Lines prefixed with with a @samp{*} have been modified.
+An argument of @var{n} lists only the last @var{n} lines.
+Options, if supplied, have the following meanings:
 
 @table @code
-@item -w
-Write out the current history to the history file.
+@item -c
+Clear the history list.  This may be combined
+with the other options to replace the history list completely.
 
-@item -r
-Read the current history file and append its contents to
-the history list.
+@item -d @var{offset}
+Delete the history entry at position @var{offset}.
+@var{offset} should be specified as it appears when the history is
+displayed.
 
 @item -a
 Append the new
@@ -179,20 +194,24 @@ Append the history lines not already read from the history file
 to the current history list.  These are lines appended to the history
 file since the beginning of the current Bash session.
 
-@item -c
-Clear the history list.  This may be combined
-with the other options to replace the history list completely.
+@item -r
+Read the current history file and append its contents to
+the history list.
+
+@item -w
+Write out the current history to the history file.
+
+@item -p
+Perform history substitution on the @var{arg}s and display the result
+on the standard output, without storing the results in the history list.
 
 @item -s
 The @var{arg}s are added to the end of
 the history list as a single entry.
 
-@item -p
-Perform history substitution on the @var{arg}s and display the result
-on the standard output, without storing the results in the history list.
 @end table
 
-When the @samp{-w}, @samp{-r}, @samp{-a}, or @samp{-n} option is
+When any of the @samp{-w}, @samp{-r}, @samp{-a}, or @samp{-n} options is
 used, if @var{filename}
 is given, then it is used as the history file.  If not, then
 the value of the @code{HISTFILE} variable is used.
@@ -309,6 +328,26 @@ may be omitted if the word designator begins with a @samp{^}, @samp{$},
 of the line, with the first word being denoted by 0 (zero).  Words are
 inserted into the current line separated by single spaces.
 
+@need 0.75
+For example,
+
+@table @code
+@item !!
+designates the preceding command.  When you type this, the preceding
+command is repeated in toto.
+
+@item !!:$
+designates the last argument of the preceding command.  This may be
+shortened to @code{!$}.
+
+@item !fi:2
+designates the second argument of the most recent command starting with
+the letters @code{fi}.
+@end table
+
+@need 0.75
+Here are the word designators:
+ 
 @table @code
 
 @item 0 (zero)