F1 Licenseware/F1 Licenseware - Volume 1.iso/disks/028.dms/028.adf/Features_of_the_Shell/Editing_Shortcuts

Text File | 1992-02-26 | 5KB | 116 lines

            Useful Key Combinations

All these key combinations can be used while you edit a line in the Shell
window.  Just hold down the first key while pressing the second, then
release both.  For example, Ctrl C means hold the Ctrl key, press the
C key then release both.  It is best to release the letter key first to
avoid typing unwanted characters into the window.

So let's kick off with the key combinations and their result...

Left Cursor    This is one of the simplest keys.  You don't have to hold a
        qualifier key first, (for example Ctrl or Shift).  This
        key moves the cursor one character left.  If the cursor is
        already at the leftmost point, it has no effect.

Right Cursor    Same as left cursor, but moves to the right.

Shift-Left    This moves the cursor to the extreme left of the current
        string (i.e. the first character).

Shift-Right    And this one moves the cursor to the far right of the string

Backspace    This is the left facing arrow on the top left of the
        keyboard.  It deletes the character to the left of the
        cursor.  If there is no character then no effect is
        generated.

Del        This deletes the character highlighted by the cursor

Ctrl-H        This is the shortcut for backspace.  It's hardly a shortcut,
        I'm sure you will agree, but it is useful if your backspace
        key is broken!  (It's true, my numeric keypad 0 key hasn't
        worked for at least three months and I have not had it
        repaired!)

Ctrl-M        This is a "shortcut" for Return (or Enter).  See above for
        uses.

Ctrl-J        This prints the linefeed character.  This is like a
        Return press, but it does not execute a command.  It just
        prints a blank line.  Try it in the Shell window.

Ctrl-W        This is a useful command.  It deletes the word to the left
        of the cursor.  Hold it down and you can quickly delete a
        full line of text.

Ctrl-X        This deletes the whole line.

Ctrl-K        This deletes all the characters from the current cursor
        position to the end of the line...

Ctrl-Y        ... and this command puts them back (in a different place,
        if you want!).  Ctrl-K and Ctrl-Y form a simple Cut/Paste
        operation.

Ctrl-U        This is the opposite of Ctrl-K.  It removes all characters
        from the cursor leftward.  (??)

The Shell has a history feature.  No, not Kings' and Queens' names,
but it remembers all the commands you have typed in (well the last few).  It
has a 2K buffer to hold them in (don't worry if you don't understand, it is
simply an area of memory).  You can use the buffer by pushing the cursor up
and down keys.  try tying a few lines into the Shell window.  There is no
need to type real commands, just a load of garbage.  Now use the up cursor
key to scroll through the commands you did - the most recent one first.  And
cursor down moves you back again.  This is good for repetitive tasks like
copying files to the same place.  You just type the copy part once then move
backwards and edit the lines.  plus, you can search for the most recent
occurrence of a command by typing the first part of it then pressing
Shift-Up Arrow or Ctrl-R.  This is good if you know you did a really
long Copy command a while ago and don't feel like re-typing it.  (I know you
could just go through the lines one by one, but this way is faster and more
fun!)  Finally, you can press Shift-Down Cursor to move to the final line
in the history buffer - a blank one.

Plus, there are also some keys you can press at other times.  For example,
when the Shell is producing output, perhaps after a Dir command.  These are

Space bar    (or any other printable character, like a letter, or Escape)
        This halts the output of the current Shell window until the
        character you typed is deleted with backspace.  An example:

            Dir Df0:

        A listing of Df0:'s contents zoom by.  In the small CLI
        window we are using you will never have the chance to read
        it all!  So, type the command again (or, if you are learning
        anything at all, use the history buffer) and as soon as you
        hit Return, press any key that prints a character.  Space
        is best.  The listing stops.  You need fast reactions,
        though!  Now delete the space and quickly hit a key again.
        Now a bit more is shown.  Continue until the whole list has
        been shown.

Backspace    Resumes scrolling after it has been stopped.

Ctrl-C        This Breaks the current process.  Use it to stop a command,
        like Format.  It must be repeatedly pressed to work, this
        ensures that the break registers.  Some programs, for
        example SimGen and OctaMEDplayer, use this combination to
        stop them running.

Ctrl-D        This stops execution of the current script file (assuming
        one is running!).  Use this to break into a disk while it is
        loading - the startup-sequence is broken into when you use
        the command.  Remember to repeatedly press it.

Ctrl-S    Suspends output, the same as typing a character, but more flashy.

Ctrl-Q        Resumes output after Ctrl-S has suspended it.

If you type in a Shell command while output is being given, then press
return, the command is executed once output has completed.  When you stop
output with a character, you are using this effect.  Because the character
you type is deleted, no command is entered.