Parameters hints and auto completion in bash

usr345 · 10-18-2021, 09:19 AM

At work I have Ubuntu server with bash shell. I found out, that it can add tips and auto-completion for commands. For example:

Code:

$ git che<tab>
checkout      cherry        cherry-pick

$ git chec<tab> -> git checkout

On my Linux Slackware 14.2 there is no such feature. How does Ubuntu do it? Is it possible to enable it on another distro?

shruggy · 10-18-2021, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usr345

How does Ubuntu do it?

Code:

$ dpkg -L git|grep completion
/etc/bash_completion.d
/etc/bash_completion.d/git-prompt
/usr/share/bash-completion
/usr/share/bash-completion/completions
/usr/share/bash-completion/completions/git
/usr/share/bash-completion/completions/gitk

AFAICS, the git 2.33.1 package in -current installs it, too. For git 2.17.6 in 14.2, you'll probably have to symlink /usr/doc/git-2.17.6/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash yourself.

I suppose you have bash-completion installed.

usr345 · 10-19-2021, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shruggy

[code]$I suppose you have bash-completion installed.

I installed it. The directories "/usr/share/bash-completion/" and "/etc/bash_completion.d" did appear, but there are no completions for commands.

shruggy · 10-19-2021, 04:18 PM

As I said, the Bash completions for Git are in /usr/doc/git-2.17.6/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash. You'll have to symlink it yourself:

Code:

ln -s /usr/doc/git-2.17.6/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash /etc/bash_completion.d/