(ed.info.gz) Commands
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6 Commands
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All `ed' commands are single characters, though some require additonal
parameters. If a command's parameters extend over several lines, then
each line except for the last must be terminated with a backslash (`\').
In general, at most one command is allowed per line. However, most
commands accept a print suffix, which is any of `p' (print), `l'
(list), or `n' (enumerate), to print the last line affected by the
command.
An interrupt (typically <Control-C>) has the effect of aborting the
current command and returning the editor to command mode.
`ed' recognizes the following commands. The commands are shown
together with the default address or address range supplied if none is
specified (in parenthesis).
`(.)a'
Appends text to the buffer after the addressed line, which may be
the address `0' (zero). Text is entered in input mode. The current
address is set to last line entered.
`(.,.)c'
Changes lines in the buffer. The addressed lines are deleted from
the buffer, and text is appended in their place. Text is entered
in input mode. The current address is set to last line entered.
`(.,.)d'
Deletes the addressed lines from the buffer. If there is a line
after the deleted range, then the current address is set to this
line. Otherwise the current address is set to the line before the
deleted range.
`e FILE'
Edits FILE, and sets the default filename. If FILE is not
specified, then the default filename is used. Any lines in the
buffer are deleted before the new file is read. The current
address is set to the last line read.
`e !COMMAND'
Edits the standard output of `!COMMAND', (see the `!' command
below). The default filename is unchanged. Any lines in the buffer
are deleted before the output of COMMAND is read. The current
address is set to the last line read.
`E FILE'
Edits FILE unconditionally. This is similar to the `e' command,
except that unwritten changes are discarded without warning. The
current address is set to the last line read.
`f FILE'
Sets the default filename to FILE. If FILE is not specified, then
the default unescaped filename is printed.
`(1,$)g /RE/COMMAND-LIST'
Global command. Applies COMMAND-LIST to each of the addressed
lines matching a regular expression RE. The current address is set
to the line currently matched before COMMAND-LIST is executed. At
the end of the `g' command, the current address is set to the last
line affected by COMMAND-LIST.
At least the first command of COMMAND-LIST must appear on the same
line as the `g' command. All lines of a multi-line COMMAND-LIST
except the last line must be terminated with a backslash (`\').
Any commands are allowed, except for `g', `G', `v', and `V'. By
default, a newline alone in COMMAND-LIST is equivalent to a `p'
command. If `ed' is invoked with the command-line option `-G',
then a newline in COMMAND-LIST is equivalent to a `.+1p' command.
`(1,$)G /RE/'
Interactive global command. Interactively edits the addressed lines
matching a regular expression RE. For each matching line, the line
is printed, the current address is set, and the user is prompted to
enter a COMMAND-LIST. At the end of the `G' command, the current
address is set to the last line affected by (the last)
COMMAND-LIST.
The format of COMMAND-LIST is the same as that of the `g' command.
A newline alone acts as a null command list. A single `&' repeats
the last non-null command list.
`H'
Toggles the printing of error explanations. By default,
explanations are not printed. It is recommended that ed scripts
begin with this command to aid in debugging.
`h'
Prints an explanation of the last error.
`(.)i'
Inserts text in the buffer before the current line. The address `0'
(zero) is valid for this command; it is equivalent to address `1'.
Text is entered in input mode. The current address is set to the
last line entered.
`(.,.+1)j'
Joins the addressed lines. The addressed lines are deleted from the
buffer and replaced by a single line containing their joined text.
The current address is set to the resultant line.
`(.)kx'
Marks a line with a lower case letter `x'. The line can then be
addressed as `'x' (i.e., a single quote followed by `x') in
subsequent commands. The mark is not cleared until the line is
deleted or otherwise modified.
`(.,.)l'
Prints the addressed lines unambiguously. The end of each line is
marked with a `$', and every `$' character within the text is
printed with a preceding backslash. The current address is set to
the last line printed.
`(.,.)m(.)'
Moves lines in the buffer. The addressed lines are moved to after
the right-hand destination address, which may be the address `0'
(zero). The current address is set to the last line moved.
`(.,.)n'
Prints the addressed lines, preceding each line by its line number
and a <tab>. The current address is set to the last line printed.
`(.,.)p'
Prints the addressed lines. The current address is set to the last
line printed.
`P'
Toggles the command prompt on and off. Unless a prompt is
specified with command-line option `-p', the command prompt is by
default turned off.
`q'
Quits `ed'.
`Q'
Quits `ed' unconditionally. This is similar to the `q' command,
except that unwritten changes are discarded without warning.
`($)r FILE'
Reads FILE to after the addressed line. If FILE is not specified,
then the default filename is used. If there is no default filename
prior to the command, then the default filename is set to FILE.
Otherwise, the default filename is unchanged. The current address
is set to the last line read.
`($)r !COMMAND'
Reads to after the addressed line the standard output of
`!command', (see the `!' command below). The default filename is
unchanged. The current address is set to the last line read.
`(.,.)s /RE/REPLACEMENT/'
`(.,.)s /RE/REPLACEMENT/g'
`(.,.)s /RE/REPLACEMENT/N'
Replaces text in the addressed lines matching a regular expression
RE with REPLACEMENT. By default, only the first match in each line
is replaced. If the `g' (global) suffix is given, then every match
is replaced. The N suffix, where N is a postive number, causes
only the Nth match to be replaced. It is an error if no
substitutions are performed on any of the addressed lines. The
current address is set the last line affected.
RE and REPLACEMENT may be delimited by any character other than
<space> and <newline> (see the `s' command below). If one or two
of the last delimiters is omitted, then the last line affected is
printed as if the print suffix `p' were specified.
An unescaped `&' in REPLACEMENT is replaced by the currently
matched text. The character sequence `\M' where M is a number in
the range [1,9], is replaced by the Mth backreference expression
of the matched text. If REPLACEMENT consists of a single `%', then
REPLACEMENT from the last substitution is used. Newlines may be
embedded in REPLACEMENT if they are escaped with a backslash (`\').
`(.,.)s'
Repeats the last substitution. This form of the `s' command accepts
a count suffix N, or any combination of the characters `r', `g',
and `p'. If a count suffix N is given, then only the Nth match is
replaced. The `r' suffix causes the regular expression of the last
search to be used instead of the that of the last substitution.
The `g' suffix toggles the global suffix of the last substitution.
The `p' suffix toggles the print suffix of the last substitution
The current address is set to the last line affected.
`(.,.)t(.)'
Copies (i.e., transfers) the addressed lines to after the
right-hand destination address, which may be the address `0'
(zero). The current address is set to the last line copied.
`u'
Undoes the last command and restores the current address to what
it was before the command. The global commands `g', `G', `v', and
`V' are treated as a single command by undo. `u' is its own
inverse.
`(1,$)v /RE/COMMAND-LIST'
This is similar to the `g' command except that it applies
COMMAND-LIST to each of the addressed lines not matching the
regular expression RE.
`(1,$)V /RE/'
This is similar to the `G' command except that it interactively
edits the addressed lines not matching the regular expression RE.
`(1,$)w FILE'
Writes the addressed lines to FILE. Any previous contents of FILE
is lost without warning. If there is no default filename, then the
default filename is set to FILE, otherwise it is unchanged. If no
filename is specified, then the default filename is used. The
current address is unchanged.
`(1,$)w !COMMAND'
Writes the addressed lines to the standard input of `!COMMAND',
(see the `!' command below). The default filename and current
address are unchanged.
`(1,$)wq FILE'
Writes the addressed lines to FILE, and then executes a `q'
command.
`(1,$)W FILE'
Appends the addressed lines to the end of FILE. This is similar to
the `w' command, expect that the previous contents of file is not
clobbered. The current address is unchanged.
`(.)x'
Copies (puts) the contents of the cut buffer to after the addressed
line. The current address is set to the last line copied.
`(.,.)y'
Copies (yanks) the addressed lines to the cut buffer. The cut
buffer is overwritten by subsequent `y', `s', `j', `d', or `c'
commands. The current address is unchanged.
`(.+1)z N'
Scrolls N lines at a time starting at addressed line. If N is not
specified, then the current window size is used. The current
address is set to the last line printed.
`!COMMAND'
Executes COMMAND via `sh (1)'. If the first character of COMMAND
is `!', then it is replaced by text of the previous `!COMMAND'.
`ed' does not process COMMAND for backslash (`\') escapes.
However, an unescaped `%' is replaced by the default filename.
When the shell returns from execution, a `!' is printed to the
standard output. The current line is unchanged.
`(.,.)#'
Begins a comment; the rest of the line, up to a newline, is
ignored. If a line address followed by a semicolon is given, then
the current address is set to that address. Otherwise, the current
address is unchanged.
`($)='
Prints the line number of the addressed line.
`(.+1)<newline>'
An address alone prints the addressed line. A <newline> alone is
equivalent to `+1p'. the current address is set to the address of
the printed line.
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