2.6.3 Completion Variables

Variable: rl_compentry_func_t * rl_completion_entry_function

A pointer to the generator function for rl_completion_matches(). NULL means to use rl_filename_completion_function(), the default filename completer.

Variable: rl_completion_func_t * rl_attempted_completion_function

A pointer to an alternative function to create matches. The function is called with text, start, and end. start and end are indices in rl_line_buffer defining the boundaries of text, which is a character string. If this function exists and returns NULL, or if this variable is set to NULL, then rl_complete() will call the value of rl_completion_entry_function to generate matches, otherwise the array of strings returned will be used. If this function sets the rl_attempted_completion_over variable to a non-zero value, Readline will not perform its default completion even if this function returns no matches.

Variable: rl_quote_func_t * rl_filename_quoting_function

A pointer to a function that will quote a filename in an application-specific fashion. This is called if filename completion is being attempted and one of the characters in rl_filename_quote_characters appears in a completed filename. The function is called with text, match_type, and quote_pointer. The text is the filename to be quoted. The match_type is either SINGLE_MATCH, if there is only one completion match, or MULT_MATCH. Some functions use this to decide whether or not to insert a closing quote character. The quote_pointer is a pointer to any opening quote character the user typed. Some functions choose to reset this character.

Variable: rl_dequote_func_t * rl_filename_dequoting_function

A pointer to a function that will remove application-specific quoting characters from a filename before completion is attempted, so those characters do not interfere with matching the text against names in the filesystem. It is called with text, the text of the word to be dequoted, and quote_char, which is the quoting character that delimits the filename (usually `'' or `"'). If quote_char is zero, the filename was not in an embedded string.

Variable: rl_linebuf_func_t * rl_char_is_quoted_p

A pointer to a function to call that determines whether or not a specific character in the line buffer is quoted, according to whatever quoting mechanism the program calling Readline uses. The function is called with two arguments: text, the text of the line, and index, the index of the character in the line. It is used to decide whether a character found in rl_completer_word_break_characters should be used to break words for the completer.

Variable: int rl_completion_query_items

Up to this many items will be displayed in response to a possible-completions call. After that, we ask the user if she is sure she wants to see them all. The default value is 100.

Variable: const char * rl_basic_word_break_characters

The basic list of characters that signal a break between words for the completer routine. The default value of this variable is the characters which break words for completion in Bash: " \t\n\"\\'`@$><=;|&{(".

Variable: const char * rl_basic_quote_characters

A list of quote characters which can cause a word break.

Variable: const char * rl_completer_word_break_characters

The list of characters that signal a break between words for rl_complete_internal(). The default list is the value of rl_basic_word_break_characters.

Variable: const char * rl_completer_quote_characters

A list of characters which can be used to quote a substring of the line. Completion occurs on the entire substring, and within the substring rl_completer_word_break_characters are treated as any other character, unless they also appear within this list.

Variable: const char * rl_filename_quote_characters

A list of characters that cause a filename to be quoted by the completer when they appear in a completed filename. The default is the null string.

Variable: const char * rl_special_prefixes

The list of characters that are word break characters, but should be left in text when it is passed to the completion function. Programs can use this to help determine what kind of completing to do. For instance, Bash sets this variable to "$@" so that it can complete shell variables and hostnames.

Variable: int rl_completion_append_character

When a single completion alternative matches at the end of the command line, this character is appended to the inserted completion text. The default is a space character (` '). Setting this to the null character (`\0') prevents anything being appended automatically. This can be changed in custom completion functions to provide the "most sensible word separator character" according to an application-specific command line syntax specification.

Variable: int rl_ignore_completion_duplicates

If non-zero, then duplicates in the matches are removed. The default is 1.

Variable: int rl_filename_completion_desired

Non-zero means that the results of the matches are to be treated as filenames. This is always zero on entry, and can only be changed within a completion entry generator function. If it is set to a non-zero value, directory names have a slash appended and Readline attempts to quote completed filenames if they contain any characters in rl_filename_quote_characters and rl_filename_quoting_desired is set to a non-zero value.

Variable: int rl_filename_quoting_desired

Non-zero means that the results of the matches are to be quoted using double quotes (or an application-specific quoting mechanism) if the completed filename contains any characters in rl_filename_quote_chars. This is always non-zero on entry, and can only be changed within a completion entry generator function. The quoting is effected via a call to the function pointed to by rl_filename_quoting_function.

Variable: int rl_attempted_completion_over

If an application-specific completion function assigned to rl_attempted_completion_function sets this variable to a non-zero value, Readline will not perform its default filename completion even if the application's completion function returns no matches. It should be set only by an application's completion function.

Variable: int rl_completion_type

Set to a character describing the type of completion Readline is currently attempting; see the description of rl_complete_internal() (see section 2.6.2 Completion Functions) for the list of characters.

Variable: int rl_inhibit_completion

If this variable is non-zero, completion is inhibited. The completion character will be inserted as any other bound to self-insert.

Variable: rl_compignore_func_t * rl_ignore_some_completions_function

This function, if defined, is called by the completer when real filename completion is done, after all the matching names have been generated. It is passed a NULL terminated array of matches. The first element (matches[0]) is the maximal substring common to all matches. This function can re-arrange the list of matches as required, but each element deleted from the array must be freed.

Variable: rl_icppfunc_t * rl_directory_completion_hook

This function, if defined, is allowed to modify the directory portion of filenames Readline completes. It is called with the address of a string (the current directory name) as an argument, and may modify that string. If the string is replaced with a new string, the old value should be freed. Any modified directory name should have a trailing slash. The modified value will be displayed as part of the completion, replacing the directory portion of the pathname the user typed. It returns an integer that should be non-zero if the function modifies its directory argument. It could be used to expand symbolic links or shell variables in pathnames.

Variable: rl_compdisp_func_t * rl_completion_display_matches_hook

If non-zero, then this is the address of a function to call when completing a word would normally display the list of possible matches. This function is called in lieu of Readline displaying the list. It takes three arguments: (char **matches, int num_matches, int max_length) where matches is the array of matching strings, num_matches is the number of strings in that array, and max_length is the length of the longest string in that array. Readline provides a convenience function, rl_display_match_list, that takes care of doing the display to Readline's output stream. That function may be called from this hook.