ILS

NAME

SYNOPSIS

DESCRIPTION

Since the original implementation, the functionality of ils has been expanded to allow operations to be performed on the files in the directories currently being examined. Each user can define their own set of operations using built-in variables, environment variables, as well as keyboard input. By creating a file, ``.ils" in the $HOME directory, each user can define what sequence of keys invokes a set of shell operations.

There are several options, some of which corresponds to the option of the same name in the ls(1) command:

-a

List all entries; usually `.', `..' and all files that start with a `.' are suppresed. This is the default if the last character of the name of the program is an `a' (i.e., linking ila to ils).

-F

Cause directories to be marked with a trailing `/' and executable files to be marked with a trailing `*'. This is the default if the last character of the name of the program is a `f' (i.e., linking ilf to ils).

-e

Echo all commands as they are executed.

-T <title>

Print a title on top of the window or screen.

-r

Change the vertical size of the ils window from the default. The default is the size of the screen upon calling ils. If using this option, the number of rows must immediately follow, with no white space (i.e., ils -r10).

Change the horizontal size of the ils window from the default. The default is the size of the screen upon calling ils. If using this option, the number of columns must immediately follow, with no white space (i.e., ils -r60).

WILDCARDING

ils wildcarding works exactly the same as sh(1), csh(1), and ksh(1) wildcarding (thanks to Rich Salz for the wildcarding routine).

THE .ils FILE

key_sequence:   command line 1
                command line 2
                     ...
                command line n

This tells ils that when the key sequence is entered, execute the shell commands in command lines 1 through n. One current limitation ils has is that each command line is executed seperately, so that no interdependent lines can be used. A call to system(3) is made on each line, so a new shell comes into existance for each line. Any environmental changes made such as shell variable assignment or change of working directory are lost after each command. You can, however, have multiple shell commands on one line by using semicolons delimiting seperate commands.

All lines that have a `#' character as the first character are assumed to be comments and are skipped.  

USING ils

One file is always the "current file", it is pointed at by the ils cursor `>'. To change the current file, there are cursor movement keys. The defaults are h,j,k and l (as in vi(1)). If a directory has been made the current file, the user can descend into the directory by pressing the RETURN or ENTER key. Once the user has descended into a directory the directory becomes the current working directory. The current path on the top line will be updated, and the contents of the directory will be shown on the screen.

The user can also ``force" a command from the keyboard by pressing the ':' key. This will prompt the user for a line of input which will be scaned for variable substitution, then executed via a call to system(3). This can be useful in that it makes it so that the user rarely has to leave ils to perform a command (i.e, ":rm *.o" will invoke a shell and remove all file ending in ".o"; ":more $file" will invoke a shell and display the cuurently selected file via the more(1) command).

To go back up one level (i.e., cd ..), press ESCAPE.

To exit ils, press control-D.

KEYBOARD INPUT and STRING EDITING

ESCAPE

Abort editing this string

control-x

Delete a character

control-c

Clear entire string

left-arrow

Go left one character within the string

ENTER(orRETURN)

The first ENTER puts you at the end of the string, the second ENTER will pass the string back to ils for processing, and terminate the string edit. If you are already on the last character in the string, then the first press of ENTER will enter the string.

All of the command keys used in editing can be easily changed by modifying the file "ils.h", then re-making ils. In a later release, it is hoped that each user can define their editing key within their ".ils" file.

VARIABLES AND BUILT-IN COMMANDS

$file

the name of the file currently selected

$prefix

the prefix (all characters up to the first `.') of the file currently selected

$path

the current directory being viewed

$all_files

all files in the directory being viewed

$input(prompt)

value typed in from keyboard after user is prompted with the string contained in prompt (variable names can be used in contructing prompt)

$ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE

the value of any environment variable can be used (i.e., $HOME will be substituted with the value of $HOME in the user's environment). ils will use it's own variable values before checking for any existing environment variables. This means that is the user wants to use the value of the variable $file from his environment, ils will use the name of the current file instead, since $file is a built-in variable.

SAMPLE .ils FILE

# This is a sample .ils file
#
cc:     cc $file

RM:     rm $file

V:      vi $file

# make, can change default by entering an alernative
# (i.e., "make install")
M:      make $input(Make what (RETURN is default)? )

# rename the file
mv:     mv $file (Rename $file to: )

# LateX a file and print it
L:      latex $prefix
        dvijep $prefix
        lpr -b $prefix.jep

# look at my definition file
defs:   more $HOME/.ils

RELEASE NOTES

AUTHOR

BUGS

Index

NAME

SYNOPSIS

DESCRIPTION

WILDCARDING

THE .ils FILE

USING ils

KEYBOARD INPUT and STRING EDITING

VARIABLES AND BUILT-IN COMMANDS

SAMPLE .ils FILE

RELEASE NOTES

AUTHOR

BUGS