-# Possible commands
+# Command bar
-You can execute an editor command by pressing `Ctrl-e` followed by the command.
-Here are the possible commands that you can use.
+The command bar is opened by pressing Ctrl-e. It is a single-line buffer,
+meaning that all keybindings from a normal buffer are supported (as well
+as mouse and selection).
-* `quit`: Quits micro.
+When running a command, you can use extra syntax that micro will expand before
+running the command. To use an argument with a space in it, put it in
+quotes. The command bar parser uses the same rules for parsing arguments that
+`/bin/sh` would use (single quotes, double quotes, escaping). The command bar
+does not look up environment variables.
+
+# Commands
+
+Micro provides the following commands that can be executed at the command-bar
+by pressing `Ctrl-e` and entering the command. Arguments are placed in single
+quotes here but these are not necessary when entering the command in micro.
+
+* `bind 'key' 'action'`: creates a keybinding from key to action. See the
+ `keybindings` documentation for more information about binding keys.
+ This command will modify `bindings.json` and overwrite any bindings to
+ `key` that already exist.
-* `save filename?`: Saves the current buffer. If the filename is provided it
- will 'save as' the filename.
+* `help 'topic'?`: opens the corresponding help topic. If no topic is provided
+ opens the default help screen. Help topics are stored as `.md` files in the
+ `runtime/help` directory of the source tree, which is embedded in the final
+ binary.
-* `replace "search" "value" flags`: This will replace `search` with `value`.
+* `save 'filename'?`: saves the current buffer. If the file is provided it
+ will 'save as' the filename.
+
+* `quit`: quits micro.
+
+* `goto 'line'`: jumps to the given line number. A negative number can be
+ passed to jump inward from the end of the file; for example, -5 jumps
+ to the 5th-last line in the file.
+
+* `replace 'search' 'value' 'flags'?`: This will replace `search` with `value`.
The `flags` are optional. Possible flags are:
* `-a`: Replace all occurrences at once
* `-l`: Do a literal search instead of a regex search
Note that `search` must be a valid regex (unless `-l` is passed). If one
of the arguments does not have any spaces in it, you may omit the quotes.
-* `replaceall "search" "value"`: This will replace `search` with `value` without
- user confirmation.
+* `replaceall 'search' 'value'`: this will replace all occurrences of `search`
+ with `value` without user confirmation.
See `replace` command for more information.
-* `set option value`: sets the option to value. See the `options` help topic for
- a list of options you can set.
+* `set 'option' 'value'`: sets the option to value. See the `options` help
+ topic for a list of options you can set. This will modify your
+ `settings.json` with the new value.
-* `setlocal option value`: sets the option to value locally (only in the current
- buffer).
+* `setlocal 'option' 'value'`: sets the option to value locally (only in the
+ current buffer). This will *not* modify `settings.json`.
-* `show option`: shows the current value of the given option.
+* `show 'option'`: shows the current value of the given option.
-* `run sh-command`: runs the given shell command in the background. The
+* `run 'sh-command'`: runs the given shell command in the background. The
command's output will be displayed in one line when it finishes running.
-* `bind key action`: creates a keybinding from key to action. See the sections
- on keybindings above for more info about what keys and actions are available.
+* `vsplit 'filename'`: opens a vertical split with `filename`. If no filename
+ is provided, a vertical split is opened with an empty buffer.
+
+* `hsplit 'filename'`: same as `vsplit` but opens a horizontal split instead
+ of a vertical split.
-* `vsplit filename`: opens a vertical split with `filename`. If no filename is
- provided, a vertical split is opened with an empty buffer.
+* `tab 'filename'`: opens the given file in a new tab.
-* `hsplit filename`: same as `vsplit` but opens a horizontal split instead of a
- vertical split.
+* `tabmove '[-+]?n'`: Moves the active tab to another slot. `n` is an integer.
+ If `n` is prefixed with `-` or `+`, then it represents a relative position
+ (e.g. `tabmove +2` moves the tab to the right by `2`). If `n` has no prefix,
+ it represents an absolute position (e.g. `tabmove 2` moves the tab to slot `2`).
-* `tab filename`: opens the given file in a new tab.
+* `tabswitch 'tab'`: This command will switch to the specified tab. The `tab`
+ can either be a tab number, or a name of a tab.
-* `tabswitch tab`: This command will switch to the specified tab. The `tab` can
- either be a tab number, or a name of a tab.
+* `textfilter 'sh-command'`: filters the current selection through a shell
+ command as standard input and replaces the selection with the stdout of
+ the shell command. For example, to sort a list of numbers, first select
+ them, and then execute `> textfilter sort -n`.
-* `textfilter sh-command`: filters the current selection through a shell command
- as standard input and replaces the selection with the stdout of the shell command.
- For example, to sort a list of numbers, first select them, and then execute
- `> textfilter sort -n`.
-
* `log`: opens a log of all messages and debug statements.
* `plugin list`: lists all installed plugins.
-* `plugin version pl`: shows version for specified plugin.
+* `plugin install 'pl'`: install a plugin.
-* `plugin info pl`: shows additional info for specified plugin.
+* `plugin remove 'pl'`: remove a plugin.
+
+* `plugin update 'pl'`: update a plugin (if no arguments are provided
+ updates all plugins).
+
+* `plugin search 'pl'`: search available plugins for a keyword.
+
+* `plugin available`: show available plugins that can be installed.
* `reload`: reloads all runtime files.
-* `cd path`: Change the working directory to the given `path`.
+* `cd 'path'`: Change the working directory to the given `path`.
* `pwd`: Print the current working directory.
-* `open filename`: Open a file in the current buffer.
+* `open 'filename'`: Open a file in the current buffer.
-* `reset option`: resets the given option to its default value
+* `reset 'option'`: resets the given option to its default value
* `retab`: Replaces all leading tabs with spaces or leading spaces with tabs
depending on the value of `tabstospaces`.
-* `raw`: Micro will open a new tab and show the escape sequence for every event
+* `raw`: micro will open a new tab and show the escape sequence for every event
it receives from the terminal. This shows you what micro actually sees from
the terminal and helps you see which bindings aren't possible and why. This
is most useful for debugging keybindings.
* `showkey`: Show the action(s) bound to a given key. For example
- running `> showkey CtrlC` will display `main.(*View).Copy`. Unfortuately
- showkey does not work well for keys bound to plugin actions. For those
- it just shows "LuaFunctionBinding."
+ running `> showkey Ctrl-c` will display `Copy`.
+
+* `term exec?`: Open a terminal emulator running the given executable. If no
+ executable is given, this will open the default shell in the terminal
+ emulator.
---
The following commands are provided by the default plugins:
* `lint`: Lint the current file for errors.
-
* `comment`: automatically comment or uncomment current selection or line.
-
-# Command Parsing
-
-When running a command, you can use extra syntax that micro will expand before
-running the command. To use an argument with a space in it, simply put it in
-quotes. You can also use environment variables in the command bar and they
-will be expanded to their value. Finally, you can put an expression in backticks
-and it will be evaluated by the shell beforehand.
projects / micro.git / blobdiff