nano.info

This is nano.info, produced by makeinfo version 4.0 from nano.texi.


File: nano.info,  Node: Top,  Next: Introduction,  Prev: (dir),  Up: (dir)

   This manual documents GNU nano, a small and friendly text editor.

* Menu:

* Introduction::
* Editor Basics::
* Online Help::
* Feature Toggles::
* The File Browser::
* Pico Compatibility::
* Building and Configure Options::


File: nano.info,  Node: Introduction,  Next: Editor Basics,  Prev: Top,  Up: Top

Introduction
************

   GNU `nano' is a small and friendly text editor.  Besides basic text
editing, `nano' offers many extra features like an interactive search
and replace, goto line number, auto-indentation, feature toggles,
internationalization support, and filename tab completion.

* Menu:

* Overview::
* Command Line Options::


File: nano.info,  Node: Overview,  Next: Command Line Options,  Prev: Introduction,  Up: Introduction

Overview
========

   `nano' [GNU long option] [option] +LINE [  FILE ... ]

   The original goal for `nano' was a complete bug-for-bug compatible
emulation of Pico, but consistency is now a slightly higher priority.
There is a flag to implement (nearly) complete Pico emulation, (option
-p or GNU long option -pico).  This can also be toggled from within
`nano' by typing Meta-P.  *Note Pico Compatibility::, for more info.

   Email bug reports to <nano@nano-editor.org>.


File: nano.info,  Node: Command Line Options,  Prev: Overview,  Up: Introduction

Command Line Options
====================

   `nano' takes the following options from the command line:
`-T [num, --tabsize=[num]'
     Set the displayed tab length to [num] columns.

`-R, --regexp'
     Turns on regular expression search and search/replace.

`-V, --version'
     Print the version number and copyright and quit.

`-c, --const'
     Constantly display the cursor posititon and line number on the
     statusbar.

`-h, --help'
     Print the usage and exit.

`-i, --autoindent'
     Automatically indent new lines to the same number of spaces and
     tabs as the previous line.

`-k, --cut'
     Makes ^K cut from the current cursor position to the end of the
     current line.

`-l, --nofollow'
     When writing files, if the given file is a symbolic link it is
     removed and a new file is created.

`-m, --mouse'
     Enables the use of the mouse to select text (currently only useful
     for running under the X window system).

`-p, --pico'
     Emulate Pico as closely as possible, sacrificing consistency for
     correct emulation.  *Note Pico Compatibility::, for more info.

`-r [#cols], --fill=[#cols].'
     Wrap lines at column #cols.  By default this is the width of the
     screen, less eight.

`-s [prog], --speller=[prog]'
     Invoke [prog] as the spell checker.  By default, `nano' uses its
     own interactive spell checker that requires the `spell' program be
     installed on your system.

`-t, --tempfile'
     Do not ask whether or not to save the current contents of the file
     when exiting, assume yes.  This is most useful when using `nano'
     as the composer of a mailer program.

`-x, --nohelp'
     In Expert Mode, the Shortcut Lists will not appear at the bottom
     of the screen.  This affects the location of the statusbar as
     well, as in Expert Mode it is located at the very bottom of the
     editor.

     Note: When accesing the help system, Expert Mode is temporarily
     disabled to display the help system navigation keys.

`-v, --view'
     Do not allow the contents of the file to be altered.  Note that
     this flag should NOT be used in place of correct file permissions
     to implement a read-only file.

`-w, --nowrap'
     Do not wrap long lines at any length. This option overrides any
     value for -r.

`-z, --suspend'
     Enable suspend ability of `nano' using the system's suspend
     keystroke (usually ^Z).

`+LINE'
     Start at line number LINE instead of the default of line 1.


File: nano.info,  Node: Editor Basics,  Next: Online Help,  Prev: Introduction,  Up: Top

Editor Basics
*************

* Menu:

* Entering Text::
* Special Functions::
* The Titlebar::
* The Statusbar::
* Shortcut Lists::


File: nano.info,  Node: Entering Text,  Next: Special Functions,  Prev: Editor Basics,  Up: Editor Basics

Entering Text
=============

   All key sequences in `nano' are entered using the keyboard.  `nano'
is a "modeless" editor, all keys with the exception of Control and Meta
key sequences will enter text into the file being edited.


File: nano.info,  Node: Special Functions,  Next: The Titlebar,  Prev: Entering Text,  Up: Editor Basics

Special Functions
=================

   Special functions use the Control key (displayed in the help and
shotcut lists as ^) or the Meta key (displayed as M).

   * Control key sequences are entered by holding down the Control key
     and pressing the desired letter.

   * Meta key sequences can be entered in a number of possible ways:
     Pressing the Escape key, then releasing it and pressing the
     desired key, or holding down the Alt key while pressing the desired
     key.  This varies from keyboard to keyboard, and certain commercial
     operating systems "swallow" the Alt key so that it never reaches
     the application. If your operating system does this, you should
     use the Escape key to generate Meta key sequences.


File: nano.info,  Node: The Titlebar,  Next: The Statusbar,  Prev: Special Functions,  Up: Editor Basics

The Titlebar
============

   The titlebar is the line displayed at the top of the editor.  There
are three sections: left, center and right. The section on the left
displays the version of `nano' being used.  The center section displays
the current file name, or "New Buffer" if the file has not yet been
named.  The section on the right will display "Modified" if the file
has been modified since it ws last saved or opened.

   Special modes: When nano is in "File browser" mode, the center
section will display the current directory instead of the filename.
*Note The File Browser::.


File: nano.info,  Node: The Statusbar,  Next: Shortcut Lists,  Prev: The Titlebar,  Up: Editor Basics

The Statusbar
=============

   The statusbar is located three lines from the bottom of the screen
(or the bottom line in Expert Mode.  *Note Expert Mode::, for more info.

   The Statusbar shows important and informational messages.  Any error
messages that occur from using the editor will appear on the statusbar.
Any questions that are asked of the user will be asked on the statusbar,
and any user input (serch strings, file names, etc) will be input on the
statusbar.


File: nano.info,  Node: Shortcut Lists,  Prev: The Statusbar,  Up: Editor Basics

Shortcut Lists
==============

   The Shorcut Lists are the two lines at the bottom of the screen
which show some of the more commonly used functions in the editor. The
exact functions which are displayed depend on whether Pico
Compatibility Mode mode is enabled. *Note Pico Compatibility::, for
more info.


File: nano.info,  Node: Online Help,  Next: Feature Toggles,  Prev: Editor Basics,  Up: Top

Online Help
***********

   The online help system in `nano' is available by pressing ^G.  It is
fairly self explanatory, documenting the various parts of the editor
and available keystrokes.  Navigation is via the ^Y (Page Up) and ^V
(Page Down) keys.  ^X exits the help system.


File: nano.info,  Node: Feature Toggles,  Next: The File Browser,  Prev: Online Help,  Up: Top

Feature Toggles
***************

   Toggles allow you to change certain aspects of the editor that would
normally be done via command line flags. They are invoked via certain
Meta key sequenced. *Note Special Functions::, for more info.  The
following toggles are available:

`Constant Update Toggle (Meta-C)'
     toggles the -c (-const) command line flag.

`Regular Expressions Toggle (Meta-E)'
     toggles the -R (-regexp) command line flag.

`AutoIndent Toggle (Meta-I)'
     toggles the -i (-autoindent) command line flag.

`Cut To End Toggle (Meta-K)'
     toggles the -k (-cut) command line flag.

`Cut To End Toggle (Meta-M)'
     toggles the -m (-mouse) command line flag.

`Pico Mode Toggle (Meta-P)'
     toggles the -p (-pico) command line flag.  *Note Pico
     Compatibility::, for more info.

`AutoWrap Toggle (Meta-W)'
     toggles the -w (-nowrap) command line flag.

`Expert/Nohelp Toggle (Meta-X)'
     toggles the -x (-nohelp) command line flag.

`Suspend Toggle (Meta-Z)'
     toggles the -i (-autoindent) command line flag.


File: nano.info,  Node: The File Browser,  Next: Pico Compatibility,  Prev: Feature Toggles,  Up: Top

The File Browser
****************

   When reading or writilg files, pressing ^T will invoke the file
browser.  Here, one can navigate directories in a graphical manner in
order to find the desired file.

   Basic movement in the file browser is accomplished with he arrow keys
and page up/down.  The behavior of the enter (or 's') key varies by what
is currently selected.  If the currently selected object is a directory,
the file browser will enter and display the contects of the directory.
If the object is a file, this filename and path are copied to the
statusbar and the file browser is exited.


File: nano.info,  Node: Pico Compatibility,  Next: Building and Configure Options,  Prev: The File Browser,  Up: Top

Pico Compatibility
******************

   Nano does not completely emulate Pico by default.  The following
differences apply to the default mode and Pico Compatibility mode:

`Displayed Shortcuts'
     By default, the following shortcuts are displayed in the Shortcut
     Lists:

     ^G ^O ^\ ^Y ^K ^C
     ^X ^R ^W ^V ^U ^T

     Related functions are listed above or below each other by default.
     The Justify function is not listed, instead the "Replace"
     function is displayed. Also, he "Read File" and "WriteOut"
     functions are aligned for consistency.

     In Pico Compatibility mode, the default Pico shortcuts are
     displayed:

     ^G ^O ^R ^Y ^K ^C
     ^X ^J ^W ^V ^U ^T

`Previous String Text'
     By default, previously entered string for a function (search
     string, file name) will be placed on the statusbar, and is
     editable.  This is done so there is consistency across all
     functions.  For example: even if there is a previous replace
     string, it can always be deleted if one wishes to perform an empty
     string replace.

     In Pico Compatibility Mode, the previously entered text in a
     search or replace will appear in brackets, and is not editable.
     It is not a simple matter to do an empty string replace when a
     previous replace string exists, for example.  When writing a file,
     the previous filename will be displayed in the editable text
     portion of the editor.

`Interactive Replace and Spell Checker'
     It is worth noting that the `nano' replace function is interactive,
     i.e. it does not stop after one search string is found and
     automatically replace it.  The `nano' implementation will stop at
     each search string found and query whether to replace this
     instance or not.  The internal spell checker operates similarly.
     Note that these is no way to force these functions to behave in
     the Pico fashion.


File: nano.info,  Node: Building and Configure Options,  Prev: Pico Compatibility,  Up: Top

Building and Configure Options
******************************

   Building nano from source is fairly straightforward if you are
familiar with compiling programs with autoconf support:

   tar xvfz nano-x.y.z.tar.gz (where x.y.z is the version of nano) cd
nano-x.y.z/ ./configure make make install

   if you are looking to optimize nano for size, you may want to
consider the following command line options:

`--disable-tabcomp'
     Disable the tab completion code when reading or writing files.

`--disable-justify'
     Disable the justify (^J)/unjustify (^U) functions in the editor.

`--disable-speller'
     Disables spell checker abillity.

`--disable-help'
     Disables the help function (^G).  Disabling this option maks the
     binary much smaller, but makes it difficult for new users to learn
     more than very basic things about using the editor.

`--disable-browser'
     Disables the mini file browser (^O) when reading or writing files.

`--enable-tiny'
     This options disables all the above.  It also disables some of the
     larger internals of the editor, like the marker code (^^) and the
     cut to line (-k) option which depends on the it to work properly.
     It also disables the function toggles and mouse support.



Tag Table:
Node: Top69
Node: Introduction377
Node: Overview803
Node: Command Line Options1383
Ref: Expert Mode3106
Node: Editor Basics3948
Node: Entering Text4173
Node: Special Functions4513
Node: The Titlebar5367
Node: The Statusbar6064
Node: Shortcut Lists6644
Node: Online Help7036
Node: Feature Toggles7412
Node: The File Browser8558
Node: Pico Compatibility9267
Node: Building and Configure Options11309

End Tag Table