15. Options

15.1 Specifying Options
15.2 Description of Options
15.3 Option Aliases
15.4 Single Letter Options

15.1 Specifying Options

The sense of an option name may be inverted by preceding it with `no', so `setopt No_Beep' is equivalent to `unsetopt beep'. This inversion can only be done once, so `nonobeep' is not a synonym for `beep'. Similarly, `tify' is not a synonym for `nonotify' (the inversion of `notify').

Some options also have one or more single letter names. There are two sets of single letter options: one used by default, and another used to emulate sh/ksh (used when the SH_OPTION_LETTERS option is set). The single letter options can be used on the shell command line, or with the set, setopt and unsetopt builtins, as normal Unix options preceded by `-'.

The sense of the single letter options may be inverted by using `+' instead of `-'. Some of the single letter option names refer to an option being off, in which case the inversion of that name refers to the option being on. For example, `+n' is the short name of `exec', and `-n' is the short name of its inversion, `noexec'.

In strings of single letter options supplied to the shell at startup, trailing whitespace will be ignored; for example the string `-f ' will be treated just as `-f', but the string `-f i' is an error. This is because many systems which implement the `#!' mechanism for calling scripts do not strip trailing whitespace.

15.2 Description of Options

ALIASES <D>

Expand aliases.

ALL_EXPORT (-a, ksh: -a)

All parameters subsequently defined are automatically exported.

ALWAYS_LAST_PROMPT <D>

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 is performed with the cursor within a word, and a full completion is inserted, the cursor is moved to the end of the word. That is, the cursor is moved to the end of the word if either a single match is inserted or menu completion is performed.

APPEND_HISTORY <D>

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.

AUTO_CD (-J)

If a command is issued that can't be executed as a normal command, and the command is the name of a directory, perform the cd command to that directory.

AUTO_LIST (-9) <D>

Automatically list choices on an ambiguous completion.

AUTO_MENU <D>

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, that will be used by the `%~' and related prompt sequences, and will be available when completion is performed on a word starting with `~'. (Otherwise, the parameter must be used in the form `~param' first.)

AUTO_PARAM_KEYS <D>

If a parameter name was completed and a following character (normally a space) automatically inserted, and the next character typed is one of those that have to come directly after the name (like `}', `:', etc.), the automatically added character is deleted, so that the character typed comes immediately after the parameter name. Completion in a brace expansion is affected similarly: the added character is a `,', which will be removed if `}' is typed next.

AUTO_PARAM_SLASH <D>

If a parameter is completed whose content is the name of a directory, then add a trailing slash instead of a space.

AUTO_PUSHD (-N)

Make cd push the old directory onto the directory stack.

AUTO_REMOVE_SLASH <D>

When the last character resulting from a completion is a slash and the next character typed is a word delimiter, a slash, or a character that ends a command (such as a semicolon or an ampersand), remove the slash.

AUTO_RESUME (-W)

Treat single word simple commands without redirection as candidates for resumption of an existing job.

BAD_PATTERN (+2) <C> <Z>

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

BANG_HIST (+K) <C> <Z>

Perform textual history expansion, csh-style, treating the character `!' specially.

BARE_GLOB_QUAL <Z>

In a glob pattern, treat a trailing set of parentheses as a qualifier list, if it contains no `|', `(' or (if special) `~' characters. See 13.8 Filename Generation.

BASH_AUTO_LIST

On an ambiguous completion, automatically list choices when the completion function is called twice in succession. This takes precedence over AUTO_LIST. The setting of LIST_AMBIGUOUS is respected. If AUTO_MENU is set, the menu behaviour will then start with the third press. Note that this will not work with MENU_COMPLETE, since repeated completion calls immediately cycle through the list in that case.

BEEP (+B) <D>

Beep on error in ZLE.

BG_NICE (-6) <C> <Z>

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. See 13.6 Brace Expansion.

BSD_ECHO <S>

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

C_BASES

Output hexadecimal numbers in the standard C format, for example `0xFF' instead of the usual `16#FF'. If the option OCTAL_ZEROES is also set (it is not by default), octal numbers will be treated similarly and hence appear as `077' instead of `8#77'. This option has no effect on the choice of the output base, nor on the output of bases other than hexadecimal and octal. Note that these formats will be understood on input irrespective of the setting of C_BASES.

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 `~' (see 13.7 Filename Expansion).

CHASE_DOTS

When changing to a directory containing a path segment `..' which would otherwise be treated as canceling the previous segment in the path (in other words, `foo/..' would be removed from the path, or if `..' is the first part of the path, the last part of $PWD would be deleted), instead resolve the path to the physical directory. This option is overridden by CHASE_LINKS.

For example, suppose /foo/bar is a link to the directory /alt/rod. Without this option set, `cd /foo/bar/..' changes to /foo; with it set, it changes to /alt. The same applies if the current directory is /foo/bar and `cd ..' is used. Note that all other symbolic links in the path will also be resolved.

CHASE_LINKS (-w)

Resolve symbolic links to their true values when changing directory. This also has the effect of CHASE_DOTS, i.e. a `..' path segment will be treated as referring to the physical parent, even if the preceding path segment is a symbolic link.

CHECK_JOBS <Z>

Report the status of background and suspended jobs before exiting a shell with job control; a second attempt to exit the shell will succeed. NO_CHECK_JOBS is best used only in combination with NO_HUP, else such jobs will be killed automatically.

The check is omitted if the commands run from the previous command line included a `jobs' command, since it is assumed the user is aware that there are background or suspended jobs. A `jobs' command run from the precmd function is not counted for this purpose.

CLOBBER (+C, ksh: +C) <D>

Allows `>' redirection to truncate existing files, and `>>' to create files. Otherwise `>!' or `>|' must be used to truncate a file, and `>>!' or `>>|' to create a file.

COMPLETE_ALIASES

Prevents aliases on the command line from being internally substituted before completion is attempted. The effect is to make the alias a distinct command for completion purposes.

COMPLETE_IN_WORD

If unset, the cursor is set to the end of the word if completion is started. Otherwise it stays there 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 <C>

A history reference without an event specifier will always refer to the previous command. Without this option, such a history reference refers to the same event as the previous history reference, defaulting to the previous command.

CSH_JUNKIE_LOOPS <C>

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

CSH_JUNKIE_QUOTES <C>

Changes the rules for single- and double-quoted text to match that of csh. These require that embedded newlines be preceded by a backslash; unescaped newlines will cause an error message. In double-quoted strings, it is made impossible to escape `$', ``' or `"' (and `\' itself no longer needs escaping). Command substitutions are only expanded once, and cannot be nested.

CSH_NULLCMD <C>

Do not use the values of NULLCMD and READNULLCMD when running redirections with no command. This make such redirections fail (see 6. Redirection).

CSH_NULL_GLOB <C>

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 NOMATCH.

DVORAK

Use the Dvorak keyboard instead of the standard qwerty keyboard as a basis for examining spelling mistakes for the CORRECT and CORRECT_ALL options and the spell-word editor command.

EQUALS <Z>

Perform = filename expansion. (See 13.7 Filename Expansion.)

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) <D>

Do execute commands. Without this option, commands are read and checked for syntax errors, but not executed. This option cannot be turned off in an interactive shell, except when `-n' is supplied to the shell at startup.

EXTENDED_GLOB

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

EXTENDED_HISTORY <C>

Save each command's beginning timestamp (in seconds since the epoch) and the duration (in seconds) to the history file. The format of this prefixed data is:

`:<beginning time>:<elapsed seconds>:<command>'.

FLOW_CONTROL <D>

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 <C> <Z>

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

GLOB (+F, ksh: +f) <D>

Perform filename generation (globbing). (See 13.8 Filename Generation.)

GLOBAL_EXPORT (<Z>)

If this option is set, passing the -x flag to the builtins declare, float, integer, readonly and typeset (but not local) will also set the -g flag; hence parameters exported to the environment will not be made local to the enclosing function, unless they were already or the flag +g is given explicitly. If the option is unset, exported parameters will be made local in just the same way as any other parameter.

This option is set by default for backward compatibility; it is not recommended that its behaviour be relied upon. Note that the builtin export always sets both the -x and -g flags, and hence its effect extends beyond the scope of the enclosing function; this is the most portable way to achieve this behaviour.

GLOBAL_RCS (-d) <D>

If this option is unset, the startup files /etc/zprofile, /etc/zshrc, /etc/zlogin and /etc/zlogout will not be run. It can be disabled and re-enabled at any time, including inside local startup files (.zshrc, etc.).

GLOB_ASSIGN <C>

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. `foo=*'). 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. `foo=(*)') 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 <C> <K> <S>

Treat any characters resulting from parameter expansion as being eligible for file expansion and filename generation, and any characters resulting from command substitution as being eligible for filename generation. Braces (and commas in between) do not become eligible for expansion.

HASH_CMDS <D>

Note the location of each command the first time it is executed. Subsequent invocations of the same command will use the saved location, avoiding a path search. If this option is unset, no path hashing is done at all. However, when CORRECT is set, commands whose names do not appear in the functions or aliases hash tables are hashed in order to avoid reporting them as spelling errors.

HASH_DIRS <D>

Whenever a command name is hashed, hash the directory containing it, as well as all directories that occur earlier in the path. Has no effect if neither HASH_CMDS nor CORRECT is set.

HASH_LIST_ALL <D>

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 <D>

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

HIST_EXPIRE_DUPS_FIRST

If the internal history needs to be trimmed to add the current command line, setting this option will cause the oldest history event that has a duplicate to be lost before losing a unique event from the list. You should be sure to set the value of HISTSIZE to a larger number than SAVEHIST in order to give you some room for the duplicated events, otherwise this option will behave just like HIST_IGNORE_ALL_DUPS once the history fills up with unique events.

HIST_FIND_NO_DUPS

When searching for history entries in the line editor, do not display duplicates of a line previously found, even if the duplicates are not contiguous.

HIST_IGNORE_ALL_DUPS

If a new command line being added to the history list duplicates an older one, the older command is removed from the list (even if it is not the previous event).

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)

Remove command lines from the history list when the first character on the line is a space, or when one of the expanded aliases contains a leading space. Note that the command lingers in the internal history until the next command is entered before it vanishes, allowing you to briefly reuse or edit the line. If you want to make it vanish right away without entering another command, type a space and press return.

HIST_NO_FUNCTIONS

Remove function definitions from the history list. Note that the function lingers in the internal history until the next command is entered before it vanishes, allowing you to briefly reuse or edit the definition.

HIST_NO_STORE

Remove the history (fc -l) command from the history list when invoked. Note that the command lingers in the internal history until the next command is entered before it vanishes, allowing you to briefly reuse or edit the line.

HIST_REDUCE_BLANKS

Remove superfluous blanks from each command line being added to the history list.

HIST_SAVE_NO_DUPS

When writing out the history file, older commands that duplicate newer ones are omitted.

HIST_VERIFY

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

HUP <Z>

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

IGNORE_BRACES (-I) <S>

Do not perform brace expansion.

IGNORE_EOF (-7)

Do not exit on end-of-file. Require the use of exit or logout instead. However, ten consecutive EOFs will cause the shell to exit anyway, to avoid the shell hanging if its tty goes away.

Also, if this option is set and the Zsh Line Editor is used, widgets implemented by shell functions can be bound to EOF (normally Control-D) without printing the normal warning message. This works only for normal widgets, not for completion widgets.

INC_APPEND_HISTORY

This options works like APPEND_HISTORY except that new history lines are added to the $HISTFILE incrementally (as soon as they are entered), rather than waiting until the shell is killed. The file is periodically trimmed to the number of lines specified by $SAVEHIST, but can exceed this value between trimmings.

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) <K> <S>

Allow comments even in interactive shells.

KSH_ARRAYS <K> <S>

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_AUTOLOAD <K> <S>

Emulate ksh function autoloading. This means that when a function is autoloaded, the corresponding file is merely executed, and must define the function itself. (By default, the function is defined to the contents of the file. However, the most common ksh-style case - of the file containing only a simple definition of the function - is always handled in the ksh-compatible manner.)

KSH_GLOB <K>

In pattern matching, the interpretation of parentheses is affected by a preceding `@', `*', `+', `?' or `!'. See 13.8 Filename Generation.

KSH_OPTION_PRINT <K>

Alters the way options settings are printed: instead of separate lists of set and unset options, all options are shown, marked `on' if they are in the non-default state, `off' otherwise.

KSH_TYPESET <K>

Alters the way arguments to the typeset family of commands, including declare, export, float, integer, local and readonly, are processed. Without this option, zsh will perform normal word splitting after command and parameter expansion in arguments of an assignment; with it, word splitting does not take place in those cases.

LIST_AMBIGUOUS <D>

This option works when AUTO_LIST or BASH_AUTO_LIST is also set. If there is an unambiguous prefix to insert on the command line, that is done without a completion list being displayed; in other words, auto-listing behaviour only takes place when nothing would be inserted. In the case of BASH_AUTO_LIST, this means that the list will be delayed to the third call of the function.

LIST_BEEP <D>

Beep on an ambiguous completion. More accurately, this forces the completion widgets to return status 1 on an ambiguous completion, which causes the shell to beep if the option BEEP is also set; this may be modified if completion is called from a user-defined widget.

LIST_PACKED

Try to make the completion list smaller (occupying less lines) by printing the matches in columns with different widths.

LIST_ROWS_FIRST

Lay out the matches in completion lists sorted horizontally, that is, the second match is to the right of the first one, not under it as usual.

LIST_TYPES (-X) <D>

When listing files that are possible completions, show the type of each file with a trailing identifying mark.

LOCAL_OPTIONS <K>

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. A shell function can also guarantee itself a known shell configuration with a formulation like `emulate -L zsh'; the -L activates LOCAL_OPTIONS.

LOCAL_TRAPS <K>

If this option is set when a signal trap is set inside a function, then the previous status of the trap for that signal will be restored when the function exits. Note that this option must be set prior to altering the trap behaviour in a function; unlike LOCAL_OPTIONS, the value on exit from the function is irrelevant. However, it does not need to be set before any global trap for that to be correctly restored by a function. For example,

unsetopt localtraps trap - INT fn() { setopt localtraps; trap '' INT; sleep 3; }

will restore normally handling of SIGINT after the function exits.

LOGIN (-l, ksh: -l)

This is a login shell. If this option is not explicitly set, the shell is a login shell if the first character of the argv[0] passed to the shell is a `-'.

LONG_LIST_JOBS (-R)

List jobs in the long format by default.

MAGIC_EQUAL_SUBST

All unquoted arguments of the form `anything=expression' appearing after the command name have filename 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; it is passed to the command as a single argument, and not used as an actual parameter assignment. For example, in echo foo=~/bar:~/rod, both occurrences of ~ would be replaced. Note that this happens anyway with typeset and similar statements.

This option respects the setting of the KSH_TYPESET option. In other words, if both options are in effect, arguments looking like assignments will not undergo wordsplitting.

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 <Z>

Perform implicit tees or cats when multiple redirections are attempted (see 6. Redirection).

NOMATCH (+3) <C> <Z>

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) <Z>

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.

OCTAL_ZEROES <S>

Interpret any integer constant beginning with a 0 as octal, per IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (ISO 9945-2:1993). This is not enabled by default as it causes problems with parsing of, for example, date and time strings with leading zeroes.

OVERSTRIKE

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 or she types `X11/xinit', the command `/usr/local/bin/X11/xinit' will be executed (assuming it exists). Commands explicitly beginning with `/', `./' or `../' are not subject to the path search. This also applies to the . builtin.

Note that subdirectories of the current directory are always searched for executables specified in this form. This takes place before any search indicated by this option, and regardless of whether `.' or the current directory appear in the command search path.

POSIX_BUILTINS <K> <S>

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 man page 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_BANG <K>

If set, `!' is treated specially in prompt expansion. See 12. Prompt Expansion.

PROMPT_CR (+V) <D>

Print a carriage return just before printing a prompt in the line editor. This is on by default as multi-line editing is only possible if the editor knows where the start of the line appears.

PROMPT_PERCENT <C> <Z>

If set, `%' is treated specially in prompt expansion. See 12. Prompt Expansion.

PROMPT_SUBST <K>

If set, parameter expansion, command substitution and arithmetic expansion are performed in prompts.

PUSHD_IGNORE_DUPS

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

PUSHD_MINUS

Exchanges the meanings of `+' and `-' when used with a number to specify a directory in the stack.

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. Note this does not apply in quoted strings using the format $'...', where a backslashed single quote can be used.

RCS (+f) <D>

After /etc/zshenv is sourced on startup, source the .zshenv, /etc/zprofile, .zprofile, /etc/zshrc, .zshrc, /etc/zlogin, .zlogin, and .zlogout files, as described in 4. Files. If this option is unset, the /etc/zshenv file is still sourced, but any of the others will not be; it can be set at any time to prevent the remaining startup files after the currently executing one from being sourced.

REC_EXACT (-S)

In completion, recognize exact matches even if they are ambiguous.

RESTRICTED (-r)

Enables restricted mode. This option cannot be changed using unsetopt, and setting it inside a function always changes it globally regardless of the LOCAL_OPTIONS option. See 3.3 Restricted Shell.

RM_STAR_SILENT (-H) <K> <S>

Do not query the user before executing `rm *' or `rm path/*'.

RM_STAR_WAIT

If querying the user before executing `rm *' or `rm path/*', first wait ten seconds and ignore anything typed in that time. This avoids the problem of reflexively answering `yes' to the query when one didn't really mean it. The wait and query can always be avoided by expanding the `*' in ZLE (with tab).

SHARE_HISTORY <K>

This option both imports new commands from the history file, and also causes your typed commands to be appended to the history file (the latter is like specifying INC_APPEND_HISTORY). The history lines are also output with timestamps ala EXTENDED_HISTORY (which makes it easier to find the spot where we left off reading the file after it gets re-written).

By default, history movement commands visit the imported lines as well as the local lines, but you can toggle this on and off with the set-local-history zle binding. It is also possible to create a zle widget that will make some commands ignore imported commands, and some include them.

If you find that you want more control over when commands get imported, you may wish to turn SHARE_HISTORY off, INC_APPEND_HISTORY on, and then manually import commands whenever you need them using `fc -RI'.

SH_FILE_EXPANSION <K> <S>

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 <K> <S>

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 by default 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 unsetting 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 on not commands are actually being read from standard input. The value of this option cannot be changed anywhere other than the command line.

SH_NULLCMD <K> <S>

Do not use the values of NULLCMD and READNULLCMD when doing redirections, use `:' instead (see 6. Redirection).

SH_OPTION_LETTERS <K> <S>

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 <C> <Z>

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

SH_WORD_SPLIT (-y) <K> <S>

Causes field splitting to be performed on unquoted parameter expansions. Note that this option has nothing to do with word splitting. (See 13.3 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) <K>

Use single-line command line editing instead of multi-line.

SUN_KEYBOARD_HACK (-L)

If a line ends with a backquote, and there are an odd number of backquotes on the line, ignore the trailing backquote. This is useful on some keyboards where the return key is too small, and the backquote key lies annoyingly close to it.

UNSET (+u, ksh: +u) <K> <S> <Z>

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. Set by default in interactive shells connected to a terminal.

15.3 Option Aliases

BRACE_EXPAND

NO_IGNORE_BRACES (ksh and bash compatibility)

DOT_GLOB

GLOB_DOTS (bash compatibility)

HASH_ALL

HASH_CMDS (bash compatibility)

HIST_APPEND

APPEND_HISTORY (bash compatibility)

HIST_EXPAND

BANG_HIST (bash compatibility)

LOG

NO_HIST_NO_FUNCTIONS (ksh compatibility)

MAIL_WARN

MAIL_WARNING (bash compatibility)

ONE_CMD

SINGLE_COMMAND (bash compatibility)

PHYSICAL

CHASE_LINKS (ksh and bash compatibility)

PROMPT_VARS

PROMPT_SUBST (bash compatibility)

STDIN

SHIN_STDIN (ksh compatibility)

TRACK_ALL

HASH_CMDS (ksh compatibility)

15.4 Single Letter Options

15.4.1 Default set

-0

CORRECT

-1

PRINT_EXIT_VALUE

-2

NO_BAD_PATTERN

-3

NO_NOMATCH

-4

GLOB_DOTS

-5

NOTIFY

-6

BG_NICE

-7

IGNORE_EOF

-8

MARK_DIRS

-9

AUTO_LIST

-B

NO_BEEP

-C

NO_CLOBBER

-D

PUSHD_TO_HOME

-E

PUSHD_SILENT

-F

NO_GLOB

-G

NULL_GLOB

-H

RM_STAR_SILENT

-I

IGNORE_BRACES

-J

AUTO_CD

-K

NO_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

NO_PROMPT_CR

-W

AUTO_RESUME

-X

LIST_TYPES

-Y

MENU_COMPLETE

-Z

ZLE

-a

ALL_EXPORT

-e

ERR_EXIT

-f

NO_RCS

-g

HIST_IGNORE_SPACE

-h

HIST_IGNORE_DUPS

-i

INTERACTIVE

-k

INTERACTIVE_COMMENTS

-l

LOGIN

-m

MONITOR

-n

NO_EXEC

-p

PRIVILEGED

-r

RESTRICTED

-s

SHIN_STDIN

-t

SINGLE_COMMAND

-u

NO_UNSET

-v

VERBOSE

-w

CHASE_LINKS

-x

XTRACE

-y

SH_WORD_SPLIT

15.4.2 sh/ksh emulation set

-C

NO_CLOBBER

-X

MARK_DIRS

-a

ALL_EXPORT

-b

NOTIFY

-e

ERR_EXIT

-f

NO_GLOB

-i

INTERACTIVE

-l

LOGIN

-m

MONITOR

-n

NO_EXEC

-p

PRIVILEGED

-r

RESTRICTED

-s

SHIN_STDIN

-t

SINGLE_COMMAND

-u

NO_UNSET

-v

VERBOSE

-x

XTRACE

15.4.3 Also note

-A

Used by set for setting arrays

-b

Used on the command line to specify end of option processing

-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

-s

Used by set to sort positional parameters