zsh: The zsh/complist Module

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### 22.7 The zsh/complist Module

The `zsh/complist` module offers three extensions to completion listings: the ability to highlight matches in such a list, the ability to scroll through long lists and a different style of menu completion.

#### 22.7.1 Colored completion listings

Whenever one of the parameters `ZLS_COLORS` or `ZLS_COLOURS` is set and the `zsh/complist` module is loaded or linked into the shell, completion lists will be colored. Note, however, that `complist` will not automatically be loaded if it is not linked in: on systems with dynamic loading, ‘`zmodload zsh/complist`’ is required.

The parameters `ZLS_COLORS` and `ZLS_COLOURS` describe how matches are highlighted. To turn on highlighting an empty value suffices, in which case all the default values given below will be used. The format of the value of these parameters is the same as used by the GNU version of the `ls` command: a colon-separated list of specifications of the form ‘name`=`value’. The name may be one of the following strings, most of which specify file types for which the value will be used. The strings and their default values are:

`no 0`

  for normal text (i.e. when displaying something other than a matched file)

`fi 0`

  for regular files

`di 32`

  for directories

`ln 36`

  for symbolic links. If this has the special value `target`, symbolic links are dereferenced and the target file used to determine the display format.

`pi 31`

  for named pipes (FIFOs)

`so 33`

  for sockets

`bd 44;37`

  for block devices

`cd 44;37`

  for character devices

`or` none

  for a symlink to nonexistent file (default is the value defined for `ln`)

`mi` none

  for a non-existent file (default is the value defined for `fi`); this code is currently not used

`su 37;41`

  for files with setuid bit set

`sg 30;43`

  for files with setgid bit set

`tw 30;42`

  for world writable directories with sticky bit set

`ow 34;43`

  for world writable directories without sticky bit set

`sa` none

  for files with an associated suffix alias; this is only tested after specific suffixes, as described below

`st 37;44`

  for directories with sticky bit set but not world writable

`ex 35`

  for executable files

`lc \e[`

  for the left code (see below)

`rc m`

  for the right code

`tc 0`

  for the character indicating the file type printed after filenames if the `LIST_TYPES` option is set

`sp 0`

  for the spaces printed after matches to align the next column

`ec` none

  for the end code

Apart from these strings, the name may also be an asterisk (‘`*`’) followed by any string. The value given for such a string will be used for all files whose name ends with the string. The name may also be an equals sign (‘`=`’) followed by a pattern; the `EXTENDED_GLOB` option will be turned on for evaluation of the pattern. The value given for this pattern will be used for all matches (not just filenames) whose display string are matched by the pattern. Definitions for the form with the leading equal sign take precedence over the values defined for file types, which in turn take precedence over the form with the leading asterisk (file extensions).

The leading-equals form also allows different parts of the displayed strings to be colored differently. For this, the pattern has to use the ‘`(#b)`’ globbing flag and pairs of parentheses surrounding the parts of the strings that are to be colored differently. In this case the value may consist of more than one color code separated by equal signs. The first code will be used for all parts for which no explicit code is specified and the following codes will be used for the parts matched by the sub-patterns in parentheses. For example, the specification ‘`=(#b)(?)*(?)=0=3=7`’ will be used for all matches which are at least two characters long and will use the code ‘`3`’ for the first character, ‘`7`’ for the last character and ‘`0`’ for the rest.

All three forms of name may be preceded by a pattern in parentheses. If this is given, the value will be used only for matches in groups whose names are matched by the pattern given in the parentheses. For example, ‘`(g*)m*=43`’ highlights all matches beginning with ‘`m`’ in groups whose names begin with ‘`g`’ using the color code ‘`43`’. In case of the ‘`lc`’, ‘`rc`’, and ‘`ec`’ codes, the group pattern is ignored.

Note also that all patterns are tried in the order in which they appear in the parameter value until the first one matches which is then used.

When printing a match, the code prints the value of `lc`, the value for the file-type or the last matching specification with a ‘`*`’, the value of `rc`, the string to display for the match itself, and then the value of `ec` if that is defined or the values of `lc`, `no`, and `rc` if `ec` is not defined.

The default values are ISO 6429 (ANSI) compliant and can be used on vt100 compatible terminals such as `xterm`s. On monochrome terminals the default values will have no visible effect. The `colors` function from the contribution can be used to get associative arrays containing the codes for ANSI terminals (see Other Functions). For example, after loading `colors`, one could use ‘`$colors[red]`’ to get the code for foreground color red and ‘`$colors[bg-green]`’ for the code for background color green.

If the completion system invoked by compinit is used, these parameters should not be set directly because the system controls them itself. Instead, the `list-colors` style should be used (see Completion System Configuration).

#### 22.7.2 Scrolling in completion listings

To enable scrolling through a completion list, the `LISTPROMPT` parameter must be set. Its value will be used as the prompt; if it is the empty string, a default prompt will be used. The value may contain escapes of the form ‘`%x`’. It supports the escapes ‘`%B`’, ‘`%b`’, ‘`%S`’, ‘`%s`’, ‘`%U`’, ‘`%u`’, ‘`%F`’, ‘`%f`’, ‘`%K`’, ‘`%k`’ and ‘`%{`...`%}`’ used also in shell prompts as well as three pairs of additional sequences: a ‘`%l`’ or ‘`%L`’ is replaced by the number of the last line shown and the total number of lines in the form ‘number`/`total’; a ‘`%m`’ or ‘`%M`’ is replaced with the number of the last match shown and the total number of matches; and ‘`%p`’ or ‘`%P`’ is replaced with ‘`Top`’, ‘`Bottom`’ or the position of the first line shown in percent of the total number of lines, respectively. In each of these cases the form with the uppercase letter will be replaced with a string of fixed width, padded to the right with spaces, while the lowercase form will not be padded.

If the parameter `LISTPROMPT` is set, the completion code will not ask if the list should be shown. Instead it immediately starts displaying the list, stopping after the first screenful, showing the prompt at the bottom, waiting for a keypress after temporarily switching to the `listscroll` keymap. Some of the zle functions have a special meaning while scrolling lists:

`send-break`

  stops listing discarding the key pressed

`accept-line`, `down-history`, `down-line-or-history`
`down-line-or-search`, `vi-down-line-or-history`

  scrolls forward one line

`complete-word`, `menu-complete`, `expand-or-complete`
`expand-or-complete-prefix`, `menu-complete-or-expand`

  scrolls forward one screenful

`accept-search`

  stop listing but take no other action

Every other character stops listing and immediately processes the key as usual. Any key that is not bound in the `listscroll` keymap or that is bound to `undefined-key` is looked up in the keymap currently selected.

As for the `ZLS_COLORS` and `ZLS_COLOURS` parameters, `LISTPROMPT` should not be set directly when using the shell function based completion system. Instead, the `list-prompt` style should be used.

#### 22.7.3 Menu selection

The `zsh/complist` module also offers an alternative style of selecting matches from a list, called menu selection, which can be used if the shell is set up to return to the last prompt after showing a completion list (see the `ALWAYS_LAST_PROMPT` option in Options).

Menu selection can be invoked directly by the widget `menu-select` defined by this module. This is a standard ZLE widget that can be bound to a key in the usual way as described in Zsh Line Editor.

Alternatively, the parameter `MENUSELECT` can be set to an integer, which gives the minimum number of matches that must be present before menu selection is automatically turned on. This second method requires that menu completion be started, either directly from a widget such as `menu-complete`, or due to one of the options `MENU_COMPLETE` or `AUTO_MENU` being set. If `MENUSELECT` is set, but is 0, 1 or empty, menu selection will always be started during an ambiguous menu completion.

When using the completion system based on shell functions, the `MENUSELECT` parameter should not be used (like the `ZLS_COLORS` and `ZLS_COLOURS` parameters described above). Instead, the `menu` style should be used with the `select=`... keyword.

After menu selection is started, the matches will be listed. If there are more matches than fit on the screen, only the first screenful is shown. The matches to insert into the command line can be selected from this list. In the list one match is highlighted using the value for `ma` from the `ZLS_COLORS` or `ZLS_COLOURS` parameter. The default value for this is ‘`7`’ which forces the selected match to be highlighted using standout mode on a vt100-compatible terminal. If neither `ZLS_COLORS` nor `ZLS_COLOURS` is set, the same terminal control sequence as for the ‘`%S`’ escape in prompts is used.

If there are more matches than fit on the screen and the parameter `MENUPROMPT` is set, its value will be shown below the matches. It supports the same escape sequences as `LISTPROMPT`, but the number of the match or line shown will be that of the one where the mark is placed. If its value is the empty string, a default prompt will be used.

The `MENUSCROLL` parameter can be used to specify how the list is scrolled. If the parameter is unset, this is done line by line, if it is set to ‘`0`’ (zero), the list will scroll half the number of lines of the screen. If the value is positive, it gives the number of lines to scroll and if it is negative, the list will be scrolled the number of lines of the screen minus the (absolute) value.

As for the `ZLS_COLORS`, `ZLS_COLOURS` and `LISTPROMPT` parameters, neither `MENUPROMPT` nor `MENUSCROLL` should be set directly when using the shell function based completion system. Instead, the `select-prompt` and `select-scroll` styles should be used.

The completion code sometimes decides not to show all of the matches in the list. These hidden matches are either matches for which the completion function which added them explicitly requested that they not appear in the list (using the `-n` option of the `compadd` builtin command) or they are matches which duplicate a string already in the list (because they differ only in things like prefixes or suffixes that are not displayed). In the list used for menu selection, however, even these matches are shown so that it is possible to select them. To highlight such matches the `hi` and `du` capabilities in the `ZLS_COLORS` and `ZLS_COLOURS` parameters are supported for hidden matches of the first and second kind, respectively.

Selecting matches is done by moving the mark around using the zle movement functions. When not all matches can be shown on the screen at the same time, the list will scroll up and down when crossing the top or bottom line. The following zle functions have special meaning during menu selection. Note that the following always perform the same task within the menu selection map and cannot be replaced by user defined widgets, nor can the set of functions be extended:

`accept-line`, `accept-search`

  accept the current match and leave menu selection (but do not cause the command line to be accepted)

`send-break`

  leaves menu selection and restores the previous contents of the command line

`redisplay`, `clear-screen`

  execute their normal function without leaving menu selection

`accept-and-hold`, `accept-and-menu-complete`

  accept the currently inserted match and continue selection allowing to select the next match to insert into the line

`accept-and-infer-next-history`

  accepts the current match and then tries completion with menu selection again; in the case of files this allows one to select a directory and immediately attempt to complete files in it; if there are no matches, a message is shown and one can use `undo` to go back to completion on the previous level, every other key leaves menu selection (including the other zle functions which are otherwise special during menu selection)

`undo`

  removes matches inserted during the menu selection by one of the three functions before

`down-history`, `down-line-or-history`
`vi-down-line-or-history`, `down-line-or-search`

  moves the mark one line down

`up-history`, `up-line-or-history`
`vi-up-line-or-history`, `up-line-or-search`

  moves the mark one line up

`forward-char`, `vi-forward-char`

  moves the mark one column right

`backward-char`, `vi-backward-char`

  moves the mark one column left

`forward-word`, `vi-forward-word`
`vi-forward-word-end`, `emacs-forward-word`

  moves the mark one screenful down

`backward-word`, `vi-backward-word`, `emacs-backward-word`

  moves the mark one screenful up

`vi-forward-blank-word`, `vi-forward-blank-word-end`

  moves the mark to the first line of the next group of matches

`vi-backward-blank-word`

  moves the mark to the last line of the previous group of matches

`beginning-of-history`

  moves the mark to the first line

`end-of-history`

  moves the mark to the last line

`beginning-of-buffer-or-history`, `beginning-of-line`
`beginning-of-line-hist`, `vi-beginning-of-line`

  moves the mark to the leftmost column

`end-of-buffer-or-history`, `end-of-line`
`end-of-line-hist`, `vi-end-of-line`

  moves the mark to the rightmost column

`complete-word`, `menu-complete`, `expand-or-complete`
`expand-or-complete-prefix`, `menu-expand-or-complete`

  moves the mark to the next match

`reverse-menu-complete`

  moves the mark to the previous match

`vi-insert`

  this toggles between normal and interactive mode; in interactive mode the keys bound to `self-insert` and `self-insert-unmeta` insert into the command line as in normal editing mode but without leaving menu selection; after each character completion is tried again and the list changes to contain only the new matches; the completion widgets make the longest unambiguous string be inserted in the command line and `undo` and `backward-delete-char` go back to the previous set of matches

`history-incremental-search-forward`
`history-incremental-search-backward`

  this starts incremental searches in the list of completions displayed; in this mode, `accept-line` only leaves incremental search, going back to the normal menu selection mode

All movement functions wrap around at the edges; any other zle function not listed leaves menu selection and executes that function. It is possible to make widgets in the above list do the same by using the form of the widget with a ‘`.`’ in front. For example, the widget ‘`.accept-line`’ has the effect of leaving menu selection and accepting the entire command line.

During this selection the widget uses the keymap `menuselect`. Any key that is not defined in this keymap or that is bound to `undefined-key` is looked up in the keymap currently selected. This is used to ensure that the most important keys used during selection (namely the cursor keys, return, and TAB) have sensible defaults. However, keys in the `menuselect` keymap can be modified directly using the `bindkey` builtin command (see The zsh/zle Module). For example, to make the return key leave menu selection without accepting the match currently selected one could call

    bindkey -M menuselect '^M' send-break

after loading the `zsh/complist` module.

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