How to set and determine the command-line editing mode of Bash?











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How to set the vi or emacs command line editing mode the Bash AND how to determine which mode is currently set?










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    How to set the vi or emacs command line editing mode the Bash AND how to determine which mode is currently set?










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      How to set the vi or emacs command line editing mode the Bash AND how to determine which mode is currently set?










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      How to set the vi or emacs command line editing mode the Bash AND how to determine which mode is currently set?







      bash emacs vi






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      edited Nov 30 at 6:13









      bignose

      22528




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      asked Nov 29 at 19:02









      Blcknx

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          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

          votes

















          up vote
          3
          down vote



          accepted










          Since your question is specific about bash:



          To set it permanently for every new session:



          echo 'set -o vi' >> ~/.bashrc


          or (recommended), add (or change) a line in ./inputrc:



          set editing-mode vi


          This will set the editing mode of readline which is used by several other programs beside bash.



          It is easy to unset both options:



          shopt -ou vi emacs


          To set one, either:



          set -o vi


          Or



          shopt -os vi


          The same for emacs. Setting vi unsets emacs and viceversa.



          To list the state:



          $ shopt -op emacs
          set +o emacs

          $ shopt -op vi
          set -o vi


          Or both at once:



          $ shopt -op emacs vi
          set +o emacs
          set -o vi


          To test if vi is set:



          shopt -oq vi      &&   echo vi is set


          Or (ksh syntax):



          [[ -o vi ]]        &&   echo vi is set


          emacs:



          shopt -oq emacs   &&   echo emacs is set


          Or:



          [[ -o emacs ]]    &&   echo emacs is set


          or, to test that no option is set:



          ! ( shopt -oq emacs || shopt -oq vi ) && echo no option is set





          share|improve this answer






























            up vote
            14
            down vote













            To set:



            set -o vi


            Or:



            set -o emacs


            (setting one unsets the other. You can do set -o vi +o vi to unset both)



            To check:



            if [[ -o emacs ]]; then
            echo emacs mode
            elif [[ -o vi ]]; then
            echo vi mode
            else
            echo neither
            fi


            That syntax comes from ksh. The set -o vi is POSIX. set -o emacs is not (as Richard Stallman objected to the emacs mode being specified by POSIX) but very common among shell implementations. Some shells support extra editing modes. [[ -o option ]] is not POSIX, but supported by ksh, bash and zsh. [ -o option ] is supported by bash, ksh and yash (note that -o is also a binary OR operator for [).






            share|improve this answer























            • It works and it is surprising, that it is that difficult to determine the mode.
              – Blcknx
              Nov 29 at 19:06






            • 3




              set -o | egrep -w '^emacs|vi' will return whether emacs or vi is set.
              – Stephen Harris
              Nov 29 at 19:10


















            up vote
            3
            down vote













            There is also bind -V | grep editing-mode.



            man bash is huge but well worth reading in depth.






            share|improve this answer





















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              3 Answers
              3






              active

              oldest

              votes








              3 Answers
              3






              active

              oldest

              votes









              active

              oldest

              votes






              active

              oldest

              votes








              up vote
              3
              down vote



              accepted










              Since your question is specific about bash:



              To set it permanently for every new session:



              echo 'set -o vi' >> ~/.bashrc


              or (recommended), add (or change) a line in ./inputrc:



              set editing-mode vi


              This will set the editing mode of readline which is used by several other programs beside bash.



              It is easy to unset both options:



              shopt -ou vi emacs


              To set one, either:



              set -o vi


              Or



              shopt -os vi


              The same for emacs. Setting vi unsets emacs and viceversa.



              To list the state:



              $ shopt -op emacs
              set +o emacs

              $ shopt -op vi
              set -o vi


              Or both at once:



              $ shopt -op emacs vi
              set +o emacs
              set -o vi


              To test if vi is set:



              shopt -oq vi      &&   echo vi is set


              Or (ksh syntax):



              [[ -o vi ]]        &&   echo vi is set


              emacs:



              shopt -oq emacs   &&   echo emacs is set


              Or:



              [[ -o emacs ]]    &&   echo emacs is set


              or, to test that no option is set:



              ! ( shopt -oq emacs || shopt -oq vi ) && echo no option is set





              share|improve this answer



























                up vote
                3
                down vote



                accepted










                Since your question is specific about bash:



                To set it permanently for every new session:



                echo 'set -o vi' >> ~/.bashrc


                or (recommended), add (or change) a line in ./inputrc:



                set editing-mode vi


                This will set the editing mode of readline which is used by several other programs beside bash.



                It is easy to unset both options:



                shopt -ou vi emacs


                To set one, either:



                set -o vi


                Or



                shopt -os vi


                The same for emacs. Setting vi unsets emacs and viceversa.



                To list the state:



                $ shopt -op emacs
                set +o emacs

                $ shopt -op vi
                set -o vi


                Or both at once:



                $ shopt -op emacs vi
                set +o emacs
                set -o vi


                To test if vi is set:



                shopt -oq vi      &&   echo vi is set


                Or (ksh syntax):



                [[ -o vi ]]        &&   echo vi is set


                emacs:



                shopt -oq emacs   &&   echo emacs is set


                Or:



                [[ -o emacs ]]    &&   echo emacs is set


                or, to test that no option is set:



                ! ( shopt -oq emacs || shopt -oq vi ) && echo no option is set





                share|improve this answer

























                  up vote
                  3
                  down vote



                  accepted







                  up vote
                  3
                  down vote



                  accepted






                  Since your question is specific about bash:



                  To set it permanently for every new session:



                  echo 'set -o vi' >> ~/.bashrc


                  or (recommended), add (or change) a line in ./inputrc:



                  set editing-mode vi


                  This will set the editing mode of readline which is used by several other programs beside bash.



                  It is easy to unset both options:



                  shopt -ou vi emacs


                  To set one, either:



                  set -o vi


                  Or



                  shopt -os vi


                  The same for emacs. Setting vi unsets emacs and viceversa.



                  To list the state:



                  $ shopt -op emacs
                  set +o emacs

                  $ shopt -op vi
                  set -o vi


                  Or both at once:



                  $ shopt -op emacs vi
                  set +o emacs
                  set -o vi


                  To test if vi is set:



                  shopt -oq vi      &&   echo vi is set


                  Or (ksh syntax):



                  [[ -o vi ]]        &&   echo vi is set


                  emacs:



                  shopt -oq emacs   &&   echo emacs is set


                  Or:



                  [[ -o emacs ]]    &&   echo emacs is set


                  or, to test that no option is set:



                  ! ( shopt -oq emacs || shopt -oq vi ) && echo no option is set





                  share|improve this answer














                  Since your question is specific about bash:



                  To set it permanently for every new session:



                  echo 'set -o vi' >> ~/.bashrc


                  or (recommended), add (or change) a line in ./inputrc:



                  set editing-mode vi


                  This will set the editing mode of readline which is used by several other programs beside bash.



                  It is easy to unset both options:



                  shopt -ou vi emacs


                  To set one, either:



                  set -o vi


                  Or



                  shopt -os vi


                  The same for emacs. Setting vi unsets emacs and viceversa.



                  To list the state:



                  $ shopt -op emacs
                  set +o emacs

                  $ shopt -op vi
                  set -o vi


                  Or both at once:



                  $ shopt -op emacs vi
                  set +o emacs
                  set -o vi


                  To test if vi is set:



                  shopt -oq vi      &&   echo vi is set


                  Or (ksh syntax):



                  [[ -o vi ]]        &&   echo vi is set


                  emacs:



                  shopt -oq emacs   &&   echo emacs is set


                  Or:



                  [[ -o emacs ]]    &&   echo emacs is set


                  or, to test that no option is set:



                  ! ( shopt -oq emacs || shopt -oq vi ) && echo no option is set






                  share|improve this answer














                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer








                  edited Nov 29 at 23:42

























                  answered Nov 29 at 22:58









                  Isaac

                  10.1k11445




                  10.1k11445
























                      up vote
                      14
                      down vote













                      To set:



                      set -o vi


                      Or:



                      set -o emacs


                      (setting one unsets the other. You can do set -o vi +o vi to unset both)



                      To check:



                      if [[ -o emacs ]]; then
                      echo emacs mode
                      elif [[ -o vi ]]; then
                      echo vi mode
                      else
                      echo neither
                      fi


                      That syntax comes from ksh. The set -o vi is POSIX. set -o emacs is not (as Richard Stallman objected to the emacs mode being specified by POSIX) but very common among shell implementations. Some shells support extra editing modes. [[ -o option ]] is not POSIX, but supported by ksh, bash and zsh. [ -o option ] is supported by bash, ksh and yash (note that -o is also a binary OR operator for [).






                      share|improve this answer























                      • It works and it is surprising, that it is that difficult to determine the mode.
                        – Blcknx
                        Nov 29 at 19:06






                      • 3




                        set -o | egrep -w '^emacs|vi' will return whether emacs or vi is set.
                        – Stephen Harris
                        Nov 29 at 19:10















                      up vote
                      14
                      down vote













                      To set:



                      set -o vi


                      Or:



                      set -o emacs


                      (setting one unsets the other. You can do set -o vi +o vi to unset both)



                      To check:



                      if [[ -o emacs ]]; then
                      echo emacs mode
                      elif [[ -o vi ]]; then
                      echo vi mode
                      else
                      echo neither
                      fi


                      That syntax comes from ksh. The set -o vi is POSIX. set -o emacs is not (as Richard Stallman objected to the emacs mode being specified by POSIX) but very common among shell implementations. Some shells support extra editing modes. [[ -o option ]] is not POSIX, but supported by ksh, bash and zsh. [ -o option ] is supported by bash, ksh and yash (note that -o is also a binary OR operator for [).






                      share|improve this answer























                      • It works and it is surprising, that it is that difficult to determine the mode.
                        – Blcknx
                        Nov 29 at 19:06






                      • 3




                        set -o | egrep -w '^emacs|vi' will return whether emacs or vi is set.
                        – Stephen Harris
                        Nov 29 at 19:10













                      up vote
                      14
                      down vote










                      up vote
                      14
                      down vote









                      To set:



                      set -o vi


                      Or:



                      set -o emacs


                      (setting one unsets the other. You can do set -o vi +o vi to unset both)



                      To check:



                      if [[ -o emacs ]]; then
                      echo emacs mode
                      elif [[ -o vi ]]; then
                      echo vi mode
                      else
                      echo neither
                      fi


                      That syntax comes from ksh. The set -o vi is POSIX. set -o emacs is not (as Richard Stallman objected to the emacs mode being specified by POSIX) but very common among shell implementations. Some shells support extra editing modes. [[ -o option ]] is not POSIX, but supported by ksh, bash and zsh. [ -o option ] is supported by bash, ksh and yash (note that -o is also a binary OR operator for [).






                      share|improve this answer














                      To set:



                      set -o vi


                      Or:



                      set -o emacs


                      (setting one unsets the other. You can do set -o vi +o vi to unset both)



                      To check:



                      if [[ -o emacs ]]; then
                      echo emacs mode
                      elif [[ -o vi ]]; then
                      echo vi mode
                      else
                      echo neither
                      fi


                      That syntax comes from ksh. The set -o vi is POSIX. set -o emacs is not (as Richard Stallman objected to the emacs mode being specified by POSIX) but very common among shell implementations. Some shells support extra editing modes. [[ -o option ]] is not POSIX, but supported by ksh, bash and zsh. [ -o option ] is supported by bash, ksh and yash (note that -o is also a binary OR operator for [).







                      share|improve this answer














                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer








                      edited Nov 29 at 19:14

























                      answered Nov 29 at 19:05









                      Stéphane Chazelas

                      296k54559902




                      296k54559902












                      • It works and it is surprising, that it is that difficult to determine the mode.
                        – Blcknx
                        Nov 29 at 19:06






                      • 3




                        set -o | egrep -w '^emacs|vi' will return whether emacs or vi is set.
                        – Stephen Harris
                        Nov 29 at 19:10


















                      • It works and it is surprising, that it is that difficult to determine the mode.
                        – Blcknx
                        Nov 29 at 19:06






                      • 3




                        set -o | egrep -w '^emacs|vi' will return whether emacs or vi is set.
                        – Stephen Harris
                        Nov 29 at 19:10
















                      It works and it is surprising, that it is that difficult to determine the mode.
                      – Blcknx
                      Nov 29 at 19:06




                      It works and it is surprising, that it is that difficult to determine the mode.
                      – Blcknx
                      Nov 29 at 19:06




                      3




                      3




                      set -o | egrep -w '^emacs|vi' will return whether emacs or vi is set.
                      – Stephen Harris
                      Nov 29 at 19:10




                      set -o | egrep -w '^emacs|vi' will return whether emacs or vi is set.
                      – Stephen Harris
                      Nov 29 at 19:10










                      up vote
                      3
                      down vote













                      There is also bind -V | grep editing-mode.



                      man bash is huge but well worth reading in depth.






                      share|improve this answer

























                        up vote
                        3
                        down vote













                        There is also bind -V | grep editing-mode.



                        man bash is huge but well worth reading in depth.






                        share|improve this answer























                          up vote
                          3
                          down vote










                          up vote
                          3
                          down vote









                          There is also bind -V | grep editing-mode.



                          man bash is huge but well worth reading in depth.






                          share|improve this answer












                          There is also bind -V | grep editing-mode.



                          man bash is huge but well worth reading in depth.







                          share|improve this answer












                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer










                          answered Nov 29 at 22:25









                          studog

                          25316




                          25316






















                              Blcknx is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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