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If I have in current directory a file with a long name starting with "build" I can write in console "build", press Tab and autocomplete type full filename for me. However if I have multiple files starting with build the autocomplete doesn't work - it simply gives me a list of files starting with build.

In contrary in Windows pressing Tab key immediately gives to me full file name of the first file and if I press Tab key second time it gives me second file name.

How to autocomplete filenames in Linux like in Windows? PS: Its really terrible if I have several long filenames that differ by extension only.

chicks
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Roman Kolesnikov
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3 Answers3

5

Something that is a life-saver for me is to have bash cycle through the possibilities instead of showing a dumb list.

As bash is using readline for its auto-completion, add the following lines to ~/.inputrc

Once you're satisfied and have thoroughly tested below solution for a few days/weeks, cut and paste (don't copy!) the same settings from ~/.inputrc to /etc/inputrc which contains the system-wide settings, making this available to all users on your system.

The codez:

# mappings to have up and down arrow searching through history:
"\e[A": history-search-backward
"\e[B": history-search-forward
# mappings to have left and right arrow go left and right: 
"\e[C": forward-char
"\e[D": backward-char

# mapping to have [Tab] and [Shift]+[Tab] to cycle through all the possible completions:
"\t": menu-complete
"\e[Z": menu-complete-backward

then exit your terminal (or remote terminal like putty) and open it again...

Examples:

  1. When you have 3 files: file1, file2 and file3 and you type:

    e fTabTabTab

    it'll cycle forwards through:

    e file1
e file2
e file3

    and when you want to cycle backwards, just hit Shift+Tab

  2. When you type:

    very-complicated-command with lots of command line parameters

    and next time you need the same command, you just type:

    very↑

    and it'll type for you:

    very-complicated-command with lots of command line parameters

This will save you a ton of time in bash! ;-)

Source

Fabby
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If they differ by extension only the autocomplete will autofill all untill there are multiple options. When tabbing yields a list of names, type the next character and hit tab again to resume auto completing.

As I'm linux minded I really have fights with the way windows autocomplete works, guess it's what you're used to ;)

sPENKMAN
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You have 2 options:

1) You can type one more letter in and tab again

2) Use a shell with better completions. I use zsh, but fish has amazing (somewhat better) completions as well

For zsh, check out oh-my-zsh

EDIT: At least on the default zsh Config, you need to tab twice before it starts cycling through the options