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diff --git a/winsup/doc/setup-files.xml b/winsup/doc/setup-files.xml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..3fc4d0ccb --- /dev/null +++ b/winsup/doc/setup-files.xml @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding='UTF-8'?> +<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V4.5//EN" + "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.5/docbookx.dtd"> + +<sect1 id="setup-files"><title>Customizing bash</title> + +<para> +To set up bash so that cut and paste work properly, click on the +"Properties" button of the window, then on the "Misc" tab. Make sure +that "QuickEdit mode" and "Insert mode" are checked. These settings +will be remembered next time you run bash from that shortcut. Similarly +you can set the working directory inside the "Program" tab. The entry +"%HOME%" is valid, but requires that you set <envar>HOME</envar> in +the Windows environment. +</para> + +<para> +Your home directory should contain three initialization files +that control the behavior of bash. They are +<filename>.profile</filename>, <filename>.bashrc</filename> and +<filename>.inputrc</filename>. The Cygwin base installation creates +stub files when you start bash for the first time.</para> + +<para> +<filename>.profile</filename> (other names are also valid, see the bash man +page) contains bash commands. It is executed when bash is started as login +shell, e.g. from the command <command>bash --login</command>. +This is a useful place to define and +export environment variables and bash functions that will be used by bash +and the programs invoked by bash. It is a good place to redefine +<envar>PATH</envar> if needed. We recommend adding a ":." to the end of +<envar>PATH</envar> to also search the current working directory (contrary +to DOS, the local directory is not searched by default). Also to avoid +delays you should either <command>unset</command> <envar>MAILCHECK</envar> +or define <envar>MAILPATH</envar> to point to your existing mail inbox. +</para> + +<para> +<filename>.bashrc</filename> is similar to +<filename>.profile</filename> but is executed each time an interactive +bash shell is launched. It serves to define elements that are not +inherited through the environment, such as aliases. If you do not use +login shells, you may want to put the contents of +<filename>.profile</filename> as discussed above in this file +instead. +</para> + +<para> +<screen> +shopt -s nocaseglob +</screen> +will allow bash to glob filenames in a case-insensitive manner. +Note that <filename>.bashrc</filename> is not called automatically for login +shells. You can source it from <filename>.profile</filename>. +</para> + +<para> +<filename>.inputrc</filename> controls how programs using the readline +library (including <command>bash</command>) behave. It is loaded +automatically. For full details see the <literal>Function and Variable +Index</literal> section of the GNU <systemitem>readline</systemitem> manual. +Consider the following settings: +<screen> +# Ignore case while completing +set completion-ignore-case on +# Make Bash 8bit clean +set meta-flag on +set convert-meta off +set output-meta on +</screen> +The first command makes filename completion case insensitive, which can +be convenient in a Windows environment. The next three commands allow +<command>bash</command> to display 8-bit characters, useful for +languages with accented characters. Note that tools that do not use +<systemitem>readline</systemitem> for display, such as +<command>less</command> and <command>ls</command>, require additional +settings, which could be put in your <filename>.bashrc</filename>: +<screen> +alias less='/bin/less -r' +alias ls='/bin/ls -F --color=tty --show-control-chars' +</screen> +</para> + +</sect1> + |