command-line options. Additionally, there are some commands to define
syntax highlighting and to rebind keys -- see the two separate sections
on those. \fBnano\fP reads one command per line.
-
+.PP
Options in \fInanorc\fP files take precedence over nano's defaults, and
-command-line options override \fInanorc\fP settings. Also, options are
-unset by default, except for those that take arguments.
-
-Quotes inside string parameters don't have to be escaped with
+command-line options override \fInanorc\fP settings. Also, options that
+do not take an argument are unset by default. So using the \fBunset\fR
+command is only needed when wanting to override a setting of the system's
+\fInanorc\fR file in your own \fB~/.nanorc\fR. Options that take an
+argument cannot be unset.
+.PP
+Below, the \fIstring\fR parameters need to be enclosed in double quotes.
+Quotes inside these string parameters don't have to be escaped with
backslashes. The last double quote in the string will be treated as its
end. For example, for the \fBbrackets\fP option, "\fB"')>]}\fP" will
match \fB"\fP, \fB'\fP, \fB)\fP, \fB>\fP, \fB]\fP, and \fB}\fP.
-
+.PP
The supported commands and arguments are:
.TP 3
-.B set/unset allow_insecure_backup
+.B set allow_insecure_backup
When backing up files, allow the backup to succeed even if its permissions
can't be (re)set due to special OS considerations. You should
NOT enable this option unless you are sure you need it.
.TP
-.B set/unset autoindent
+.B set autoindent
Use auto-indentation.
.TP
-.B set/unset backup
+.B set backup
Create backup files by adding a tilde (\fB~\fP) to each file's name.
.TP
.B set backupdir "\fIdirectory\fP"
Set the directory where \fBnano\fP puts unique backup files, if file
backups are enabled.
.TP
-.B set/unset backwards
+.B set backwards
Do backwards searches by default.
.TP
-.B set/unset boldtext
+.B set boldtext
Use bold instead of reverse video for the titlebar, statusbar, key combos,
and selected text. This can be overridden for the first three by setting
the options \fBtitlecolor\fP, \fBstatuscolor\fP, and \fBkeycolor\fP.
punctuation (see \fBpunct\fP), optionally followed by the specified
closing brackets, can end sentences. The default value is "\fB"')>]}\fP".
.TP
-.B set/unset casesensitive
+.B set casesensitive
Do case-sensitive searches by default.
.TP
-.B set/unset const
+.B set const
Constantly display the cursor position in the status bar.
.TP
-.B set/unset cut
+.B set cut
Use cut-to-end-of-line by default, instead of cutting the whole line.
.TP
-.B set fill \fIn\fP
-Hard-wrap lines at column number \fIn\fP. If \fIn\fP is 0 or less, the
-maximum line length will be the screen width less \fIn\fP columns. The
-default value is \-8.
+.B set fill \fInumber\fR
+Hard-wrap lines at column number \fInumber\fR. If \fInumber\fR is 0 or less,
+the maximum line length will be the screen width less \fInumber\fP columns.
+The default value is \fB\-8\fR.
.TP
.B set functioncolor \fIfgcolor\fR,\fIbgcolor\fR
Specify the color combination to use for the function descriptions
in the two help lines at the bottom of the screen.
See \fBset titlecolor\fR for more details.
.TP
-.B set/unset historylog
+.B set historylog
Enable the use of \fB~/.nano/search_history\fP for saving and reading
search/replace strings.
.TP
in the two help lines at the bottom of the screen.
See \fBset titlecolor\fR for more details.
.TP
-.B set/unset locking
+.B set locking
Enable vim-style lock-files for when editing files.
.TP
.B set matchbrackets "\fIstring\fP"
come before the closing set, and the two sets must be in the same order.
The default value is "\fB(<[{)>]}\fP".
.TP
-.B set/unset morespace
+.B set morespace
Use the blank line below the titlebar as extra editing space.
.TP
-.B set/unset mouse
+.B set mouse
Enable mouse support, if available for your system. When enabled, mouse
clicks can be used to place the cursor, set the mark (with a double
click), and execute shortcuts. The mouse will work in the X Window
System, and on the console when gpm is running. Text can still be
selected through dragging by holding down the Shift key.
.TP
-.B set/unset multibuffer
+.B set multibuffer
Allow inserting files into their own buffers.
.TP
-.B set/unset noconvert
+.B set noconvert
Don't convert files from DOS/Mac format.
.TP
-.B set/unset nofollow
+.B set nofollow
Don't follow symlinks when writing files.
.TP
-.B set/unset nohelp
+.B set nohelp
Don't display the two help lines at the bottom of the screen.
.TP
-.B set/unset nonewlines
+.B set nonewlines
Don't automatically add a newline to the ends of files.
.TP
-.B set/unset nowrap
+.B set nowrap
Don't hard-wrap text at all.
.TP
.B set operatingdir "\fIdirectory\fP"
files are inserted from this directory. By default, the operating
directory feature is turned off.
.TP
-.B set/unset poslog
+.B set poslog
Save the cursor position of files between editing sessions.
.TP
-.B set/unset preserve
+.B set preserve
Preserve the XON and XOFF keys (^Q and ^S).
.TP
.B set punct "\fIstring\fP"
specfified closing punctuation, optionally followed by closing brackets
(see \fBbrackets\fP), can end sentences. The default value is "\fB!.?\fP".
.TP
-.B set/unset quickblank
+.B set quickblank
Do quick statusbar blanking. Statusbar messages will disappear after 1
keystroke instead of 25.
.TP
-.B set/unset quiet
+.B set quiet
\fBnano\fP will not report errors in the \fInanorc\fP file nor ask them
to be acknowledged by pressing Enter at startup. If this is used, it
should be placed at the top of the file to be fully effective.
support, and "\fB>\ \fP" otherwise. Note that '\\t' stands for a literal
Tab character.
.TP
-.B set/unset rebinddelete
+.B set rebinddelete
Interpret the Delete key differently so that both Backspace and Delete
work properly. You should only need to use this option if Backspace
acts like Delete on your system.
.TP
-.B set/unset rebindkeypad
+.B set rebindkeypad
Interpret the numeric keypad keys so that they all work properly. You
should only need to use this option if they don't, as mouse support
won't work properly with this option enabled.
.TP
-.B set/unset regexp
+.B set regexp
Do extended regular expression searches by default.
.TP
-.B set/unset smarthome
+.B set smarthome
Make the Home key smarter. When Home is pressed anywhere but at the
very beginning of non-whitespace characters on a line, the cursor will
jump to that beginning (either forwards or backwards). If the cursor is
already at that position, it will jump to the true beginning of the
line.
.TP
-.B set/unset smooth
+.B set smooth
Use smooth scrolling by default.
.TP
-.B set/unset softwrap
+.B set softwrap
Enable soft line wrapping for easier viewing of very long lines.
.TP
.B set speller "\fIspellprog\fP"
Specify the color combination to use for the statusbar.
See \fBset titlecolor\fR for more details.
.TP
-.B set/unset suspend
+.B set suspend
Allow \fBnano\fP to be suspended.
.TP
-.B set tabsize \fIn\fP
-Use a tab size of \fIn\fP columns. The value of \fIn\fP must be greater
-than 0. The default value is 8.
+.B set tabsize \fInumber\fR
+Use a tab size of \fInumber\fR columns. The value of \fInumber\fP must be
+greater than 0. The default value is \fB8\fR.
.TP
-.B set/unset tabstospaces
+.B set tabstospaces
Convert typed tabs to spaces.
.TP
-.B set/unset tempfile
+.B set tempfile
Save automatically on exit, don't prompt.
.TP
.B set titlecolor \fIfgcolor\fR,\fIbgcolor\fR
.BR white , \ black , \ red , \ blue , \ green , \ yellow , \ magenta ", and " cyan .
And either "\fIfgcolor\fR" or ",\fIbgcolor\fR" may be left out.
.TP
-.B set/unset view
+.B set view
Disallow file modification.
.TP
.B set whitespace "\fIstring\fP"
Set the two characters used to indicate the presence of tabs and
spaces. They must be single-column characters.
.TP
-.B set/unset wordbounds
+.B set wordbounds
Detect word boundaries more accurately by treating punctuation
characters as parts of words.
projects / nano.git / commitdiff