Terminal: Expand list of similar filename shortcut

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3

I remember reading a trick in a stackoverflow comment somewhere for getting a list of filenames in the terminal, but I can't exactly remember it.

If you have a bunch of files like:

foo-a.txt

foo-b.txt

foo-c.txt

There is a trick that goes something along the lines of:

1. type cat foo-*
   


2. Press something like tab, backspace, esc (this does not work, but is the step I want to know)


3. The command line should now have cat foo-a foo-b foo-c
   

Note that is is different to the basic tab completion which shows a list of filenames below the command. This will put all the filenames in the command input so that pressing "enter" will execute cat with all the files.

Can anyone enlighten me?

command-line bash shortcut-keys

share|improve this question

edited Feb 3 at 8:45

mdsimmo

asked Feb 3 at 8:17

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

add a comment | 

3

I remember reading a trick in a stackoverflow comment somewhere for getting a list of filenames in the terminal, but I can't exactly remember it.

If you have a bunch of files like:

foo-a.txt

foo-b.txt

foo-c.txt

There is a trick that goes something along the lines of:

1. type cat foo-*
   


2. Press something like tab, backspace, esc (this does not work, but is the step I want to know)


3. The command line should now have cat foo-a foo-b foo-c
   

Note that is is different to the basic tab completion which shows a list of filenames below the command. This will put all the filenames in the command input so that pressing "enter" will execute cat with all the files.

Can anyone enlighten me?

command-line bash shortcut-keys

share|improve this question

edited Feb 3 at 8:45

mdsimmo

asked Feb 3 at 8:17

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

add a comment | 

3

3

3

0

I remember reading a trick in a stackoverflow comment somewhere for getting a list of filenames in the terminal, but I can't exactly remember it.

If you have a bunch of files like:

foo-a.txt

foo-b.txt

foo-c.txt

There is a trick that goes something along the lines of:

1. type cat foo-*
   


2. Press something like tab, backspace, esc (this does not work, but is the step I want to know)


3. The command line should now have cat foo-a foo-b foo-c
   

Note that is is different to the basic tab completion which shows a list of filenames below the command. This will put all the filenames in the command input so that pressing "enter" will execute cat with all the files.

Can anyone enlighten me?

command-line bash shortcut-keys

share|improve this question

edited Feb 3 at 8:45

mdsimmo

asked Feb 3 at 8:17

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

I remember reading a trick in a stackoverflow comment somewhere for getting a list of filenames in the terminal, but I can't exactly remember it.

If you have a bunch of files like:

foo-a.txt

foo-b.txt

foo-c.txt

There is a trick that goes something along the lines of:

1. type cat foo-*
   


2. Press something like tab, backspace, esc (this does not work, but is the step I want to know)


3. The command line should now have cat foo-a foo-b foo-c
   

Note that is is different to the basic tab completion which shows a list of filenames below the command. This will put all the filenames in the command input so that pressing "enter" will execute cat with all the files.

Can anyone enlighten me?

command-line bash shortcut-keys

command-line bash shortcut-keys

share|improve this question

edited Feb 3 at 8:45

mdsimmo

asked Feb 3 at 8:17

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

share|improve this question

edited Feb 3 at 8:45

mdsimmo

asked Feb 3 at 8:17

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited Feb 3 at 8:45

mdsimmo

edited Feb 3 at 8:45

mdsimmo

edited Feb 3 at 8:45

mdsimmo

asked Feb 3 at 8:17

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

asked Feb 3 at 8:17

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

asked Feb 3 at 8:17

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

486

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

6

1. Type cat foo-*
   


2. Press Ctrl+X then * (asterisk - Shift+8 on a US keyboard) to expand the glob
   
   
   
   
   • That's the default shortcut. If it doesn't work, check bind -p | grep glob-expand-word to see if it's set as the default: "C-x*": glob-expand-word. If it's not, you can set it with bind '"C-x*": glob-expand-word'.
   
   
   
   


3. The command line should now be cat foo-a.txt foo-b.txt foo-c.txt
   

---

glob-expand-word vs insert-completions

OP's answer is about insert-completions (Esc, *), which is similar but different to glob-expand-word. glob-expand-word expands filename globs. insert-completions inserts all the possible completions that pressing Tab would show.

So that means you can also use it for things besides filenames, like options. For example type ls --f, press Esc, *, and you will get ls --file-type --format=, though I'm not sure what good that does...

And that means that it behaves differently when expanding filenames or globs. For example if you type cat foo-* and press Esc, *, it will expand to only the first completion: cat foo-a.txt.

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:40

answered Feb 3 at 8:56

wjandreawjandrea

9,57142765

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks, that it! Btw: You can also use esc instead of ctr+x
  
  – mdsimmo
  Feb 3 at 8:59
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @mdsimmo Esc, * is a different function actually. I just checked bind -p | grep '\e*' and it says "e*": insert-completions. I'm not clear on the exact difference, but if you type cat * then press Esc, *, it will expand to just the first matching item.
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 9:02
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

I found the original comment here. (Can someone with more points upvote him for me? :P)

The sequence is:

• Type cat foo-
  


• Press esc
  


• Press * (asterisk)

The same sequence seems to work with any program (not just cat)

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:15

wjandrea

9,57142765

answered Feb 3 at 8:55

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Upvoted the comment per request :p (BTW, worth noting that comment upvotes don't count towards reputation points)
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 22:16
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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2 Answers
2

active

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2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

6

1. Type cat foo-*
   


2. Press Ctrl+X then * (asterisk - Shift+8 on a US keyboard) to expand the glob
   
   
   
   
   • That's the default shortcut. If it doesn't work, check bind -p | grep glob-expand-word to see if it's set as the default: "C-x*": glob-expand-word. If it's not, you can set it with bind '"C-x*": glob-expand-word'.
   
   
   
   


3. The command line should now be cat foo-a.txt foo-b.txt foo-c.txt
   

---

glob-expand-word vs insert-completions

OP's answer is about insert-completions (Esc, *), which is similar but different to glob-expand-word. glob-expand-word expands filename globs. insert-completions inserts all the possible completions that pressing Tab would show.

So that means you can also use it for things besides filenames, like options. For example type ls --f, press Esc, *, and you will get ls --file-type --format=, though I'm not sure what good that does...

And that means that it behaves differently when expanding filenames or globs. For example if you type cat foo-* and press Esc, *, it will expand to only the first completion: cat foo-a.txt.

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:40

answered Feb 3 at 8:56

wjandreawjandrea

9,57142765

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks, that it! Btw: You can also use esc instead of ctr+x
  
  – mdsimmo
  Feb 3 at 8:59
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @mdsimmo Esc, * is a different function actually. I just checked bind -p | grep '\e*' and it says "e*": insert-completions. I'm not clear on the exact difference, but if you type cat * then press Esc, *, it will expand to just the first matching item.
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 9:02
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

6

1. Type cat foo-*
   


2. Press Ctrl+X then * (asterisk - Shift+8 on a US keyboard) to expand the glob
   
   
   
   
   • That's the default shortcut. If it doesn't work, check bind -p | grep glob-expand-word to see if it's set as the default: "C-x*": glob-expand-word. If it's not, you can set it with bind '"C-x*": glob-expand-word'.
   
   
   
   


3. The command line should now be cat foo-a.txt foo-b.txt foo-c.txt
   

---

glob-expand-word vs insert-completions

OP's answer is about insert-completions (Esc, *), which is similar but different to glob-expand-word. glob-expand-word expands filename globs. insert-completions inserts all the possible completions that pressing Tab would show.

So that means you can also use it for things besides filenames, like options. For example type ls --f, press Esc, *, and you will get ls --file-type --format=, though I'm not sure what good that does...

And that means that it behaves differently when expanding filenames or globs. For example if you type cat foo-* and press Esc, *, it will expand to only the first completion: cat foo-a.txt.

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:40

answered Feb 3 at 8:56

wjandreawjandrea

9,57142765

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks, that it! Btw: You can also use esc instead of ctr+x
  
  – mdsimmo
  Feb 3 at 8:59
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @mdsimmo Esc, * is a different function actually. I just checked bind -p | grep '\e*' and it says "e*": insert-completions. I'm not clear on the exact difference, but if you type cat * then press Esc, *, it will expand to just the first matching item.
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 9:02
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

6

6

6

1. Type cat foo-*
   


2. Press Ctrl+X then * (asterisk - Shift+8 on a US keyboard) to expand the glob
   
   
   
   
   • That's the default shortcut. If it doesn't work, check bind -p | grep glob-expand-word to see if it's set as the default: "C-x*": glob-expand-word. If it's not, you can set it with bind '"C-x*": glob-expand-word'.
   
   
   
   


3. The command line should now be cat foo-a.txt foo-b.txt foo-c.txt
   

---

glob-expand-word vs insert-completions

OP's answer is about insert-completions (Esc, *), which is similar but different to glob-expand-word. glob-expand-word expands filename globs. insert-completions inserts all the possible completions that pressing Tab would show.

So that means you can also use it for things besides filenames, like options. For example type ls --f, press Esc, *, and you will get ls --file-type --format=, though I'm not sure what good that does...

And that means that it behaves differently when expanding filenames or globs. For example if you type cat foo-* and press Esc, *, it will expand to only the first completion: cat foo-a.txt.

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:40

answered Feb 3 at 8:56

wjandreawjandrea

9,57142765

1. Type cat foo-*
   


2. Press Ctrl+X then * (asterisk - Shift+8 on a US keyboard) to expand the glob
   
   
   
   
   • That's the default shortcut. If it doesn't work, check bind -p | grep glob-expand-word to see if it's set as the default: "C-x*": glob-expand-word. If it's not, you can set it with bind '"C-x*": glob-expand-word'.
   
   
   
   


3. The command line should now be cat foo-a.txt foo-b.txt foo-c.txt
   

---

glob-expand-word vs insert-completions

OP's answer is about insert-completions (Esc, *), which is similar but different to glob-expand-word. glob-expand-word expands filename globs. insert-completions inserts all the possible completions that pressing Tab would show.

So that means you can also use it for things besides filenames, like options. For example type ls --f, press Esc, *, and you will get ls --file-type --format=, though I'm not sure what good that does...

And that means that it behaves differently when expanding filenames or globs. For example if you type cat foo-* and press Esc, *, it will expand to only the first completion: cat foo-a.txt.

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:40

answered Feb 3 at 8:56

wjandreawjandrea

9,57142765

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:40

edited Feb 3 at 22:40

edited Feb 3 at 22:40

answered Feb 3 at 8:56

wjandreawjandrea

9,57142765

answered Feb 3 at 8:56

wjandreawjandrea

9,57142765

answered Feb 3 at 8:56

wjandreawjandrea

9,57142765

9,57142765

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks, that it! Btw: You can also use esc instead of ctr+x
  
  – mdsimmo
  Feb 3 at 8:59
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @mdsimmo Esc, * is a different function actually. I just checked bind -p | grep '\e*' and it says "e*": insert-completions. I'm not clear on the exact difference, but if you type cat * then press Esc, *, it will expand to just the first matching item.
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 9:02
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks, that it! Btw: You can also use esc instead of ctr+x
  
  – mdsimmo
  Feb 3 at 8:59
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @mdsimmo Esc, * is a different function actually. I just checked bind -p | grep '\e*' and it says "e*": insert-completions. I'm not clear on the exact difference, but if you type cat * then press Esc, *, it will expand to just the first matching item.
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 9:02
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

Thanks, that it! Btw: You can also use esc instead of ctr+x

– mdsimmo
Feb 3 at 8:59

Thanks, that it! Btw: You can also use esc instead of ctr+x

– mdsimmo
Feb 3 at 8:59

1

1

@mdsimmo Esc, * is a different function actually. I just checked bind -p | grep '\e*' and it says "e*": insert-completions. I'm not clear on the exact difference, but if you type cat * then press Esc, *, it will expand to just the first matching item.

– wjandrea
Feb 3 at 9:02

@mdsimmo Esc, * is a different function actually. I just checked bind -p | grep '\e*' and it says "e*": insert-completions. I'm not clear on the exact difference, but if you type cat * then press Esc, *, it will expand to just the first matching item.

– wjandrea
Feb 3 at 9:02

add a comment | 

3

I found the original comment here. (Can someone with more points upvote him for me? :P)

The sequence is:

• Type cat foo-
  


• Press esc
  


• Press * (asterisk)

The same sequence seems to work with any program (not just cat)

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:15

wjandrea

9,57142765

answered Feb 3 at 8:55

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Upvoted the comment per request :p (BTW, worth noting that comment upvotes don't count towards reputation points)
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 22:16
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

I found the original comment here. (Can someone with more points upvote him for me? :P)

The sequence is:

• Type cat foo-
  


• Press esc
  


• Press * (asterisk)

The same sequence seems to work with any program (not just cat)

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:15

wjandrea

9,57142765

answered Feb 3 at 8:55

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Upvoted the comment per request :p (BTW, worth noting that comment upvotes don't count towards reputation points)
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 22:16
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

3

3

I found the original comment here. (Can someone with more points upvote him for me? :P)

The sequence is:

• Type cat foo-
  


• Press esc
  


• Press * (asterisk)

The same sequence seems to work with any program (not just cat)

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:15

wjandrea

9,57142765

answered Feb 3 at 8:55

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

I found the original comment here. (Can someone with more points upvote him for me? :P)

The sequence is:

• Type cat foo-
  


• Press esc
  


• Press * (asterisk)

The same sequence seems to work with any program (not just cat)

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:15

wjandrea

9,57142765

answered Feb 3 at 8:55

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 3 at 22:15

wjandrea

9,57142765

edited Feb 3 at 22:15

wjandrea

9,57142765

edited Feb 3 at 22:15

wjandrea

9,57142765

9,57142765

answered Feb 3 at 8:55

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

answered Feb 3 at 8:55

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

answered Feb 3 at 8:55

mdsimmomdsimmo

486

486

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Upvoted the comment per request :p (BTW, worth noting that comment upvotes don't count towards reputation points)
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 22:16
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Upvoted the comment per request :p (BTW, worth noting that comment upvotes don't count towards reputation points)
  
  – wjandrea
  Feb 3 at 22:16
  

  
  
  
  

1

1

Upvoted the comment per request :p (BTW, worth noting that comment upvotes don't count towards reputation points)

– wjandrea
Feb 3 at 22:16

Upvoted the comment per request :p (BTW, worth noting that comment upvotes don't count towards reputation points)

– wjandrea
Feb 3 at 22:16

add a comment | 

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