This is Info file zsh.info, produced by Makeinfo version 1.68 from the
input file ./zsh.texi.

This is a texinfo version of the man page for the Z Shell, originally by
Paul Falstad.

   Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
preserved on all copies.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also
that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms
of a permission notice identical to this one.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
versions.


File: zsh.info,  Node: Description of Options,  Next: Single Letter Options,  Prev: Specifying Options,  Up: Options

Description of Options
======================

`ALL_EXPORT (-a, ksh: -a)'
     All parameters subsequently defined are automatically exported.

`ALWAYS_LAST_PROMPT'
     If unset, key functions that list completions try to return to the
     last prompt if given a numeric argument.  If set, these functions
     try to return to the last prompt if given no numeric argument.

`ALWAYS_TO_END'
     If a completion with the cursor in the word was started and it
     results in only one match, the cursor is placed at the end of the
     word.

`APPEND_HISTORY'
     If this is set, zsh sessions will append their history list to the
     history file, rather than overwrite it.  Thus, multiple parallel
     zsh sessions will all have their history lists added to the
     history file, in the order they are killed.  *Note Shell Builtin
     Commands::, for the `fc' command.

`AUTO_CD (-J)'
     If a command is not in the hash table, and there exists an
     executable directory by that name, perform the `cd' command to
     that directory.

`AUTO_LIST (-9)'
     Automatically list choices on an ambiguous completion.

`AUTO_MENU'
     Automatically use menu completion after the second consecutive
     request for completion, for example by pressing the <TAB> key
     repeatedly.  This option is overridden by `MENU_COMPLETE'.

`AUTO_NAME_DIRS'
     Any parameter that is set to the absolute name of a directory
     immediately becomes a name for that directory in the usual form
     `~param'.  If this option is not set, the parameter must be used in
     that form for it to become a name (a command-line completion is
     sufficient for this).

`AUTO_PARAM_KEYS'
     If a parameter name was completed and the next character typed is
     one of those that have to come directly after the name (like `}',
     `:', etc.), they are placed there automatically.

`AUTO_PARAM_SLASH'
     If a parameter is completed whose content is the name of a
     directory, then add a trailing slash.

`AUTO_PUSHD (-N)'
     Make `cd' push the old directory onto the directory stack.

`AUTO_REMOVE_SLASH'
     When the last character resulting from a completion is a slash and
     the next character typed is a word delimiter, remove the slash.

`AUTO_RESUME (-W)'
     Treat single word simple commands without redirection as
     candidates for resumption of an existing job.

`BAD_PATTERN (+2)'
     If a pattern for filename generation is badly formed, print an
     error.  If this option is unset, the pattern will be left
     unchanged.

`BANG_HIST (+K)'
     Perform textual history substitution, treating the character `!'
     specially.

`BEEP (+B)'
     Beep.

`BG_NICE (-6)'
     Run all background jobs at a lower priority.  This option is set by
     default.

`BRACE_CCL'
     Expand expressions in braces which would not otherwise undergo
     brace expansion to a lexically ordered list of all the characters.
     *Note Brace Expansion::.

`BSD_ECHO'
     Make the echo builtin compatible with the BSD `echo(1)' command.
     This disables backslashed escape sequences in echo strings unless
     the `-e' option is specified.

`CDABLE_VARS (-T)'
     If the argument to a `cd' command (or an implied `cd' with the
     `AUTO_CD' option set) is not a directory, and does not begin with a
     slash, try to expand the expression as if it were preceded by a
     `~' (*note Filename Expansion::.).

`CHASE_LINKS (-w)'
     Resolve symbolic links to their true values.

`CLOBBER (+C, ksh: +C)'
     Allows `>' redirection to truncate existing files, and `>>' to
     create files.  Otherwise `>!' must be used to truncate a file, and
     `>>!' to create a file.

`COMPLETE_ALIASES'
     If set, aliases on the command line are not internally substituted
     before completion is attempted.

`COMPLETE_IN_WORD'
     If unset, the cursor is moved to the end of the word if completion
     is started.  Otherwise it stays where it is and completion is done
     from both ends.

`CORRECT (-0)'
     Try to correct the spelling of commands.

`CORRECT_ALL (-O)'
     Try to correct the spelling of all arguments in a line.

`CSH_JUNKIE_HISTORY'
     A history reference without an event specifier will always refer
     to the previous command.

`CSH_JUNKIE_LOOPS'
     Allow loop bodies to take the form `LIST; end' instead of `do
     LIST; done'.

`CSH_JUNKIE_QUOTES'
     Complain if a quoted expression runs off the end of a line; prevent
     quoted expressions from containing un-escaped newlines.

`CSH_NULL_GLOB'
     If a pattern for filename generation has no matches, delete the
     pattern from the argument list; do not report an error unless all
     the patterns in a command have no matches.  Overrides `NULL_GLOB'.

`EQUALS'
     Perform `=' filename substitution.

`ERR_EXIT (-e, ksh: -e)'
     If a command has a non-zero exit status, execute the `ZERR' trap,
     if set, and exit.  This is disabled while running initialization
     scripts.

`EXEC (+n, ksh: +n)'
     Do execute commands.  Without this option, commands are read and
     checked for syntax errors, but not executed.

`EXTENDED_GLOB'
     Treat the `#', `~' and `^' characters as part of patterns for
     filename generation, etc.  (An initial unquoted `~' always
     produces named directory expansion (*note Filename Expansion::.).)

`EXTENDED_HISTORY'
     Save beginning and ending timestamps to the history file.  The
     format of these timestamps is `:<BEGINNING TIME>:<ENDING
     TIME>:<COMMAND>'.

`FLOW_CONTROL'
     If this option is unset, output flow control via start/stop
     characters (usually assigned to `^S'/`^Q') is disabled in the
     shell's editor.

`FUNCTION_ARGZERO'
     When executing a shell function or sourcing a script, set `$0'
     temporarily to the name of the function/script.

`GLOB (+F, ksh: +f)'
     Perform filename generation.

`GLOB_ASSIGN'
     If this option is set, filename generation (globbing) is performed
     on the right hand side of scalar parameter assignments of the form
     `NAME=PATTERN' (e.g. ``param=*'').  If the result has more than
     one word the parameter will become an array with those words as
     arguments. This option is provided for backwards compatibility
     only: globbing is always performed on the right hand side of array
     assignments of the form ``NAME=( VALUE )'' (e.g. ``param=(*)'')
     and this form is recommended for clarity; with this option set, it
     is not possible to predict whether the result will be an array or
     a scalar.

`GLOB_COMPLETE'
     When the current word has a glob pattern, do not insert all the
     words resulting from the expansion but generate matches as for
     completion and cycle through them like `MENU_COMPLETE'. The
     matches are generated as if a ``*'' was added to the end of the
     word, or inserted at the cursor when `COMPLETE_IN_WORD' is set.
     This actually uses pattern matching, not globbing, so it works not
     only for files but for any completion, such as options, user
     names, etc.

`GLOB_DOTS (-4)'
     Do not require a leading `.' in a filename to be matched
     explicitly.

`GLOB_SUBST'
     Treat any characters resulting from parameter substitution as being
     eligible for file expansion and filename generation, and any
     characters resulting from command substitution as being eligible
     for filename generation.

`HASH_CMDS'
     Place the location of each command in the hash table the first
     time it is executed.  If this option is unset, no path hashing
     will be done at all.

`HASH_DIRS'
     Whenever a command is executed, hash the directory containing it,
     as well as all directories that occur earlier in the path.  Has no
     effect if `HASH_CMDS' is unset.

`HASH_LIST_ALL'
     Whenever a command completion is attempted, make sure the entire
     command path is hashed first.  This makes the first completion
     slower.

`HIST_ALLOW_CLOBBER'
     Add `|' to output redirections in the history.  This allows history
     references to clobber files even when `CLOBBER' is unset.

`HIST_BEEP'
     Beep when an attempt is made to access a history entry which isn't
     there.

`HIST_IGNORE_DUPS (-h)'
     Do not enter command lines into the history list if they are
     duplicates of the previous event.

`HIST_IGNORE_SPACE (-g)'
     Do not enter command lines into the history list if they begin
     with a blank.

`HIST_NO_STORE'
     Remove the `history' (`fc -l') command from the history when
     invoked.

`HIST_REDUCE_BLANKS'
     Remove superfluous whitespace from each command line being added
     to the history list.

`HIST_VERIFY'
     Whenever the user enters a line with history substitution, don't
     execute the line directly; instead, perform history substitution
     and reload the line into the editing buffer.

`HUP'
     Send the `HUP' signal to running jobs when the shell exits.

`IGNORE_BRACES (-I)'
     Do not perform brace expansion.

`IGNORE_EOF (-7)'
     Do not exit on end-of-file.  Require the use of `exit' or `logout'
     instead.

`INTERACTIVE (-i, ksh: -i)'
     This is an interactive shell.  This option is set upon
     initialisation if the standard input is a tty and commands are
     being read from standard input.  (See the discussion of
     `SHIN_STDIN'.)  This heuristic may be overridden by specifying a
     state for this option on the command line.  The value of this
     option cannot be changed anywhere other than the command line.

`INTERACTIVE_COMMENTS (-k)'
     Allow comments even in interactive shells.

`KSH_ARRAYS'
     Emulate ksh array handling as closely as possible.  If this option
     is set, array elements are numbered from zero, an array parameter
     without subscript refers to the first element instead of the whole
     array, and braces are required to delimit a subscript (
     `${path[2]}' rather than just `$path[2]' ).

`KSH_OPTION_PRINT'
     Alters the way options settings are printed.

`LIST_AMBIGUOUS'
     If this option is set completions are shown only if the completions
     don't have an unambiguous prefix or suffix that could be inserted
     in the command line.

`LIST_BEEP'
     Beep on an ambiguous completion.

`LIST_TYPES (-X)'
     When listing files that are possible completions, show the type of
     each file with a trailing identifying mark.

`LOCAL_OPTIONS'
     If this option is set at the point of return from a shell
     function, all the options (including this one) which were in force
     upon entry to the function are restored.  Otherwise, only this
     option and the `XTRACE' and `PRINT_EXIT_VALUE' options are
     restored.  Hence if this is explicitly unset by a shell function
     the other options in force at the point of return will remain so.

`LOGIN (-l, ksh: -l)'
     This is a login shell.

`LONG_LIST_JOBS (-R)'
     List jobs in the long format by default.

`MAGIC_EQUAL_SUBST'
     All unquoted arguments of the form `IDENTIFIER=EXPRESSION'
     appearing after the command name have file expansion (that is,
     where EXPRESSION has a leading ``~'' or ``='') performed on
     EXPRESSION as if it were a parameter assignment.  The argument is
     not otherwise treated specially: in other words, it is
     subsequently treated as a single word, not as an assignment.

`MAIL_WARNING (-U)'
     Print a warning message if a mail file has been accessed since the
     shell last checked.

`MARK_DIRS (-8, ksh: -X)'
     Append a trailing `/' to all directory names resulting from
     filename generation (globbing).

`MENU_COMPLETE (-Y)'
     On an ambiguous completion, instead of listing possibilities or
     beeping, insert the first match immediately.  Then when completion
     is requested again, remove the first match and insert the second
     match, etc.  When there are no more matches, go back to the first
     one again.  `reverse-menu-complete' may be used to loop through
     the list in the other direction.  This option overrides
     `AUTO_MENU'.

`MONITOR (-m, ksh: -m)'
     Allow job control.  Set by default in interactive shells.

`MULTIOS'
     Perform implicit `tee's or `cat's when multiple redirections are
     attempted. *Note Redirection::.

`NOMATCH (-3)'
     If a pattern for filename generation has no matches, print an
     error, instead of leaving it unchanged in the argument list.  This
     also applies to file expansion of an initial `~' or `='.

`NOTIFY (-5, ksh: -b)'
     Report the status of background jobs immediately, rather than
     waiting until just before printing a prompt.

`NULL_GLOB (-G)'
     If a pattern for filename generation has no matches, delete the
     pattern from the argument list instead of reporting an error.
     Overrides `NOMATCH'.

`NUMERIC_GLOB_SORT'
     If numeric filenames are matched by a filename generation pattern,
     sort the filenames numerically rather than lexicographically.

`OVER_STRIKE'
     Start up the line editor in overstrike mode.

`PATH_DIRS (-Q)'
     Perform a path search even on command names with slashes in them.
     Thus if
          `/usr/local/bin'
     is in the user's path, and he types `X11/xinit', the command
          `/usr/local/bin/X11/xinit'
     will be executed (assuming it exists).  This applies to the `.'
     builtin as well as to command execution.  Commands explicitly
     beginning with `./' or `../' are not subject to path search.

`POSIX_BUILTINS'
     When this option is set the `command' builtin can be used to
     execute shell builtin commands.  Parameter assignments specified
     before shell functions and special builtins are kept after the
     command completes unless the special builtin is prefixed with the
     `command' builtin.  Special builtins are `.', `:', `break',
     `continue', `declare', `eval', `exit', `export', `integer',
     `local', `readonly', `return', `set', `shift', `source', `times',
     `trap' and `unset'.

`PRINT_EIGHT_BIT'
     Print eight bit characters literally in completion lists, etc.
     This option is not necessary if your system correctly returns the
     printability of eight bit characters (see `ctype(3)').

`PRINT_EXIT_VALUE (-1)'
     Print the exit value of programs with non-zero exit status.

`PRIVILEGED (-p, ksh: -p)'
     Turn on privileged mode.  This is enabled automatically on startup
     if the effective user (group) id is not equal to the real user
     (group) id.  Turning this option off causes the effective user and
     group ids to be set to the real user and group ids.  This option
     disables sourcing user startup files.  If zsh is invoked as sh or
     ksh with this option set, `/etc/suid_profile' is sourced (after
     `/etc/profile' on interactive shells).  Sourcing `~/.profile' is
     disabled and the contents of the `ENV' variable is ignored.  This
     option cannot be changed using the `-m' option of `setopt' and
     `unsetopt' and changing it inside a function always changes it
     globally regardless of the `LOCAL_OPTIONS' option.

`PROMPT_CR (+V)'
     Print a carriage return just before printing a prompt in the line
     editor.

`PROMPT_SUBST'
     If set, "parameter expansion", "command substitution" and
     "arithmetic expansion" is performed in prompts.

`PUSHD_IGNORE_DUPS'
     Don't push multiple copies of the same directory onto the directory
     stack.

`PUSHD_MINUS'
     *Note Shell Builtin Commands::, for the `popd' command.

`PUSHD_SILENT (-E)'
     Do not print the directory stack after `pushd' or `popd'.

`PUSHD_TO_HOME (-D)'
     Have `pushd' with no arguments act like `pushd $HOME'.

`RC_EXPAND_PARAM (-P)'
     Array expansions of the form `foo${xx}bar', where the parameter
     `xx' is set to `(a b c)', are substituted with `fooabar foobbar
     foocbar' instead of the default `fooa b cbar'.

`RC_QUOTES'
     Allow the character sequence '' to signify a single quote within
     singly quoted strings.

`RCS (+f)'
     After `/etc/zshenv' is sourced on startup, source the `/etc/zshrc',
     `.zshrc',  `/etc/zlogin', `.zlogin', and `.zlogout' files, as
     described in *Note Startup/Shutdown Files::.  If this option is
     unset, only the `/etc/zshenv' file is sourced.

`REC_EXACT (-S)'
     In completion, recognize exact matches even if they are ambiguous.

`RM_STAR_SILENT (-H)'
     Do not query the user before executing `rm *' or `rm path/*'.

`SH_FILE_EXPANSION'
     Perform filename expansion (e.g., `~' expansion) before parameter
     expansion, command substitution, arithmetic expansion and brace
     expansion.  If this option is unset, it is performed after brace
     expansion, so things like `~$USERNAME' and `~{pfalstad,rc}' will
     work.

`SH_GLOB'
     Disables the special meaning of `(', `|', `)' and `<' for globbing
     the result of parameter and command substitutions, and in some
     other places where the shell accepts patterns.  This option is set
     if `zsh' is invoked as `sh' or `ksh'.

`SHIN_STDIN (-s, ksh: -s)'
     Commands are being read from the standard input.  Commands are
     read from standard input if no command is specified with `-c' and
     no file of commands is specified.  If `SHIN_STDIN' is set
     explicitly on the command line, any argument that would otherwise
     have been taken as a file to run will instead be treated as a
     normal positional parameter.  Note that setting or un-setting this
     option on the command line does not necessarily affect the state
     the option will have while the shell is running; that is purely an
     indicator of whether or not commands are actually being read from
     standard input.  The value of this option cannot be changed
     anywhere other than the command line.

`SH_OPTION_LETTERS'
     If this option is set the shell tries to interpret single letter
     options (which are used with `set' and `setopt') like `ksh' does.
     This also affects the value of the `-' special parameter.

`SHORT_LOOPS'
     Allow the short forms of `for', `select', `if', and `function'
     constructs.

`SH_WORD_SPLIT (-y)'
     *Note Parameter Expansion::.

`SINGLE_COMMAND (-t, ksh: -t)'
     If the shell is reading from standard input, it exits after a
     single command has been executed.  This also makes the shell
     non-interactive, unless the `INTERACTIVE' option is explicitly set
     on the command line.  The value of this option cannot be changed
     anywhere other than the command line.

`SINGLE_LINE_ZLE (-M)'
     Use single-line command line editing instead of multi-line.

`SUN_KEYBOARD_HACK (-L)'
     If a line ends with a back-quote, and there are an odd number of
     back-quotes on the line, ignore the trailing back-quote.  This is
     useful on some keyboards where the return key is too small, and
     the back-quote key lies annoyingly close to it.

`UNSET (+u, ksh: +u)'
     Treat unset parameters as if they were empty when substituting.
     Otherwise they are treated as an error.

`VERBOSE (-v, ksh: -v)'
     Print shell input lines as they are read.

`XTRACE (-x, ksh: -x)'
     Print commands and their arguments as they are executed.

`ZLE (-Z)'
     Use the zsh line editor.


File: zsh.info,  Node: Single Letter Options,  Prev: Description of Options,  Up: Options

Single Letter Options
=====================

Default Set
-----------

`-0'
     `CORRECT'

`-1'
     `PRINT_EXIT_VALUE'

`+2'
     `BAD_PATTERN'

`+3'
     `NOMATCH'

`-4'
     `GLOB_DOTS'

`-5'
     `NOTIFY'

`-6'
     `BG_NICE'

`-7'
     `IGNORE_EOF'

`-8'
     `MARK_DIRS'

`-9'
     `AUTO_LIST'

`+B'
     `BEEP'

`+C'
     `CLOBBER'

`-D'
     `PUSHD_TO_HOME'

`-E'
     `PUSHD_SILENT'

`+F'
     `GLOB'

`-G'
     `NULL_GLOB'

`-H'
     `RM_STAR_SILENT'

`-I'
     `IGNORE_BRACES'

`-J'
     `AUTO_CD'

`+K'
     `BANG_HIST'

`-L'
     `SUN_KEYBOARD_HACK'

`-M'
     `SINGLE_LINE_ZLE'

`-N'
     `AUTO_PUSHD'

`-O'
     `CORRECT_ALL'

`-P'
     `RC_EXPAND_PARAM'

`-Q'
     `PATH_DIRS'

`-R'
     `LONG_LIST_JOBS'

`-S'
     `REC_EXACT'

`-T'
     `CDABLE_VARS'

`-U'
     `MAIL_WARNING'

`+V'
     `PROMPT_CR'

`-W'
     `AUTO_RESUME'

`-X'
     `LIST_TYPES'

`-Y'
     `MENU_COMPLETE'

`-Z'
     `ZLE'

`-a'
     `ALL_EXPORT'

`-e'
     `ERR_EXIT'

`+f'
     `RCS'

`-g'
     `HIST_IGNORE_SPACE'

`-h'
     `HIST_IGNORE_DUPS'

`-i'
     `INTERACTIVE'

`-k'
     `INTERACTIVE_COMMENTS'

`-l'
     `LOGIN'

`-m'
     `MONITOR'

`+n'
     `EXEC'

`-p'
     `PRIVILEGED'

`-s'
     `SHIN_STDIN'

`-t'
     `SINGLE_COMMAND'

`+u'
     `UNSET'

`-v'
     `VERBOSE'

`-w'
     `CHASE_LINKS'

`-x'
     `XTRACE'

`-y'
     `SH_WORD_SPLIT'

sh/ksh Emulation Set
--------------------

`+C'
     `CLOBBER'

`-X'
     `MARK_DIRS'

`-a'
     `ALL_EXPORT'

`-b'
     `NOTIFY'

`-e'
     `ERR_EXIT'

`+f'
     `GLOB'

`-i'
     `INTERACTIVE'

`-l'
     `LOGIN'

`-m'
     `MONITOR'

`+n'
     `EXEC'

`-p'
     `PRIVILEGED'

`-s'
     `SHIN_STDIN'

`-t'
     `SINGLE_COMMAND'

`+u'
     `UNSET'

`-v'
     `VERBOSE'

`-x'
     `XTRACE'

Also Note
---------

`-A'
     Used by set for setting arrays

`-c'
     Used on the command line to specify a single command

`-m'
     Used by setopt for pattern-matching option setting

`-o'
     Used in all places to allow use of long option names

Note that the use of `-m' in `setopt' and `unsetopt', allowing the
specification of option names by glob patterns, clashes with the use of
`-m' for setting the `MONITOR' option.

