source: chapter07/inputrc.xml@ a1ff26f

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<sect1 id="ch-scripts-inputrc">
<title>Creating the /etc/inputrc File</title>
<?dbhtml filename="inputrc.html"?>

<indexterm zone="ch-scripts-inputrc"><primary sortas="e-/etc/inputrc">/etc/inputrc</primary></indexterm>

<para>The <filename>/etc/inputrc</filename> file deals with mapping
the keyboard for specific situations. This file is the start-up file
used by <application>Readline</application>, the input-related
library used by <application>Bash</application> and most other
shells.</para>

<para>For more information, see the <command>bash</command> info page, section
<emphasis>Readline Init File</emphasis>. The
<filename class="libraryfile">readline</filename> info page is
also a good source of information.</para>

<para>Global values are set in <filename>/etc/inputrc</filename>.
Personal user values are set in <filename>~/.inputrc</filename>. The
<filename>~/.inputrc</filename> file will override the global settings
file. A later page sets up Bash to use
<filename>/etc/inputrc</filename> if there is no
<filename>.inputrc</filename> for a user when
<filename>/etc/profile</filename> is read (usually at login). To make
the system use both, or to negate global keyboard handling, it is a
good idea to place a default <filename>.inputrc</filename> into the
<filename class="directory">/etc/skel</filename> directory for use
with new users.</para>

<para>Below is a base <filename>/etc/inputrc</filename>, along with
comments to explain what the various options do. Note that comments
cannot be on the same line as commands.</para>

<para>To create the <filename>.inputrc</filename> in <filename
class="directory">/etc/skel</filename> using the command below, change
the command's output to <filename
class="directory">/etc/skel/.inputrc</filename> and be sure to
check/set permissions afterward. Copy that file to
<filename>/etc/inputrc</filename> and the home directory of any user
already existing on the system, including <emphasis>root</emphasis>,
that needs a private version of the file. Be certain to use the
<parameter>-p</parameter> parameter of <command>cp</command> to
maintain permissions and be sure to change owner and group
appropriately.</para>

<screen><userinput>cat &gt; /etc/inputrc &lt;&lt; "EOF"
<literal># Begin /etc/inputrc
# Modified by Chris Lynn &lt;roryo@roryo.dynup.net&gt;

# Make sure we don't output everything on the 1 line
set horizontal-scroll-mode Off

# Enable 8bit input
set meta-flag On 
set input-meta On

# Turns off 8th bit stripping
set convert-meta Off

# Keep the 8th bit for display
set output-meta On

# none, visible or audible
set bell-style none

# All of the following map the escape sequence of the 
# value contained inside the 1st argument to the 
# readline specific functions

"\eOd": backward-word
"\eOc": forward-word

# for linux console
"\e[1~": beginning-of-line
"\e[4~": end-of-line
"\e[5~": beginning-of-history
"\e[6~": end-of-history
"\e[3~": delete-char
"\e[2~": quoted-insert

# for xterm
"\eOH": beginning-of-line
"\eOF": end-of-line

# for Konsole
"\e[H": beginning-of-line
"\e[F": end-of-line

# End /etc/inputrc</literal>
EOF</userinput></screen>

</sect1>