GNU Interactive Tools - Using GNU Interactive Tools

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# Using GNU Interactive Tools

The `GIT` package contains three interactive programs and a few additional utilities. Here there is a description of each of them.

- git: A file system browser.
- gitps: A process viewer/killer.
- gitview: An ASCII/HEX file viewer.
- gitkeys: An utility for displaying key sequences.
- gitwipe: An utility for wiping files.
- gitmount: A script for mounting file systems.
- gitaction: A per file type action script.
- gitunpack: Unified archive unpacking.
- gitrgrep: A recursive grep script.

## The GIT file system browser

`git` is a file system browser with some shell like features designed to make your work much easier and much efficient. It displays one or two panels, each one containing a file system directory. You can browse the directory tree with the usual cursor keys, pressing `ENTER` when you want to enter or leave a directory and `TAB` when you want to change the panels.

Under the two panels there is a shell like input line which you can use to type normal shell commands. The input line can handle an unlimited number of characters and keeps a history of typed commands (using the GNU history library).

Under the input line there is a status bar. You can see there the status of the currently executed command, the warnings and errors and you will be prompted if a decision has to be taken.

- Conventions: Key binding conventions.
- Command line: The command line arguments.
- Modes: How panels can look like.
- Sorting: How files can be sorted in a panel.
- Moving: How to move the cursor in the panel.
- Selecting: How to select (mark) files in a panel.
- Isearch: How to search a file name in a panel.
- Input Line: How to use the input line. Basic editing.
- Files: How to copy/move/delete/compress/... files.
- Directories: How to operate with directories.
- Compiling: How to compile programs.
- Mail: How to send/receive ascii/binary mail.
- Shell: How to start a sub-shell.
- Grep: How to use grep/recursive grep.
- Locking: How to lock your console.
- Refreshing: How to refresh the screen contents.
- Reseting: How to reset your terminal.
- Mounting: How to mount/unmount a file system.
- Sysinfo: How to get some useful system information.
- Environment: How to look at the environment variables.
- Processes: How to view/kill processes.
- Sync: How to synchronize your file systems.
- Documentation: How to read documentation.
- Exit: How to exit GNU Interactive Tools.

### Key binding conventions

`git` now provides a new, easy to remember, scheme to bind commands on keys. This is only a convention, if you define new key bindings you may, or may not follow it.

All the file commands start with `^C`. This prefix can be followed by some modifiers, in order to affect the default behavior of the given command. These modifiers are `b` and `r`.

`b` - this modifier specifies that the command will run in background:

    	^CM = CHMOD; chmod %s{New mode of %i: ,%m} %i;;;;y

defines a command that changes the current selected files mode in foreground, while

    	^CbM = B-CHMOD; chmod %s{New mode of %i: ,%m} %i&;;;;y

defines a background command that does the same thing.

`r` - this modifier specifies that the command will be run recursively:

    	^CrM = R-CHMOD; chmod -R %s{New mode of %i: ,} %i;;;;y

defines a command that recursively changes the mode of the selected entries.

The `b` and `r` modifiers can be combined, the resulting command running recursively and in background:

    	^CbrM = B-R-CHMOD; chmod -R %s{New mode of %i: ,} %i&;;;;y

You should also note that for some commands (like `gzip`) there is no need for a non-recursive version. Running `gzip` recursively on files is harmless. If there is a directory between these files, `gzip` will recursively compress that directory, so you can use the same key binding for recursively and non-recursively compressing. In fact, it is a matter of selecting files or directories.

Unfortunately, we can't run `chmod` recursively trying to change the mode of all the files in a directory to 0644 because that directory might contain subdirectories and removing the execution permission from them is a bad idea. So, in this case, we need separate commands.

### Command line

This is a brief description of the command line arguments.

`-h` print this help message `-v` print the version number `-i` print the installation directory `-c` use ANSI colors `-b` don't use ANSI colors `-l` don't use the last screen character `-p` output final path at exit

The `-p` option can be used to make git force bash (assuming that you're using it as your shell) chdir to the last directory git was in before quitting. In order to do this, you need to invoke git using this function (put it into your .profile):

    function g
    {
        git -p $ 3> /tmp/git.p.$$

        if test -s /tmp/git.p.$$; then
            if test -d "`cat /tmp/git.p.$$`"; then
                cd "`cat /tmp/git.p.$$`"
            else
                cd
            fi
        fi

        rm -f /tmp/git.p.$$
    }

This will not work if you suspend git. Nothing bad will happen, just the chdir will not be performed.

### Panel modes

`git` has three major modes of displaying the panels. In the first (default) mode, two panels are displayed, each one using half of the screen. In the second mode, only one panel uses the entire screen. In the third mode, only the status bar and the input line are displayed, both panels being hidden.

Briefly, a panel can use the entire screen or just half of it. Even when a panel is hidden, it still exists.

Users can switch between these three major modes as needed:

`^X 0`

    Enlarges the other panel to use the entire screen.  It also changes the
    minor mode to `Enable all'. The current panel will become
    invisible (`enlarge-other-panel').

`^X 1`

    Enlarges the current panel to use the entire screen.  It also changes
    the minor mode to `Enable all'. The other panel will become
    invisible (`enlarge-panel').

`^X 2`

    Switches back to the two panel mode (`two-panel-mode').

`^O`, `ESC o`

    Switches to the tty mode (no panels on the screen) (`tty-mode').

Basically a panel displays the files and directories in a directory. You can optionally specify some additional information about each entry (file, directory, ...) to be displayed (a minor mode).

When using the full screen mode, all the minor modes here can be used. In half screen mode, the ``panel-enable-all'` mode is not available.

These are the panel minor modes:

`ESC d o`

    Display the entry owner and group (`panel-enable-owner-group').

`ESC d d`

    Display the entry date and time (`panel-enable-date-time').

`ESC d s`

    Display the entry size (`panel-enable-size').

`ESC d m`

    Display the entry mode (`panel-enable-mode').

`ESC d f`

    Display the entry full name (`panel-enable-full-name').

`ESC d a`

    Display the entire information about file (`panel-enable-all').
    This mode is only available if the panel has been enlarged to use the
    entire screen with `enlarge-panel' or `enlarge-other-panel'
    (`panel-enable-all').

There is also another way to change the panel minor modes:

`^]`, `^[]`

    Switches to the next panel minor mode (`panel-enable-next-mode').

### Sorting methods

Entries in a panel can be sorted in different ways. These are the available options:

`ESC s n`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their names
    (`panel-sort-by-name').

`ESC s e`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their extensions
    (`panel-sort-by-extension').

`ESC s s`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their sizes
    (`panel-sort-by-size').

`ESC s d`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their `last modified' stamps
    (`panel-sort-by-date').

`ESC s m`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their modes
    (`panel-sort-by-mode').

`ESC s o i`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their owner ids
    (`panel-sort-by-owner-id').

`ESC s g i`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their group ids
    (`panel-sort-by-group-id').

`ESC s o n`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their owner names
    (`panel-sort-by-owner-name').

`ESC s g n`

    Display the panel entries sorted by their group names
    (`panel-sort-by-group-name').

There is also another way to change the sort method:

`ESC s u`

    Switch to the next panel sort method (`panel-sort-next-method').

### Moving the cursor in the panel

Moving the cursor in the panel is very easy. If your keyboard has arrows, use them. If the arrow keys don't work (it might be due to a badly configured TERM environment variable), you can use the Emacs commands bindings as well.

`UP`, `^P`

    Move the cursor vertically up one entry (`previous-line').

`DOWN`, `^N`

    Move the cursor vertically down one entry (`next-line').

`HOME`, `ESC <`

    Move the cursor on the first entry in the panel
    (`beginning-of-panel').

`END`, `ESC >`

    Move the cursor on the last entry in the panel (`end-of-panel').

`PGUP`, `ESC v`

    Move the cursor vertically down one page (`scroll-down').

`PGDOWN`, `^V`

    Move the cursor vertically down one page (`scroll-up').

`ESC g`

    Scroll the panel entries to the left (`horizontal-scroll-left').

`ESC j`

    Scroll the panel entries to the right (`horizontal-scroll-right').

`^X P`

    In order to optimize the screen output, you can modify the scroll step
    (`set-scroll-step').  This is the number of lines to try scrolling
    a panel when the cursor moves out.  The `StartupScrollStep'
    specifies the initial scroll step, but using `set-scroll-step' you
    can dynamically change it.

`TAB`, `^I`, `^X o`

    Move the cursor in the other panel (`other-panel').

`^X P`

    Switch the two panels.  This command works even when git is not
    in the `two panels' mode (`switch-panels').

### Selecting files

`INS`, `^T`, `^X \`, `^\`

    Toggle the `selected' flag of the current entry
    (`select-entry').

`^C s`

    Select (marks) all the files matching at least one pattern from a
    space separated list of shell patterns.  Spaces and \s are allowed in
    the patterns but they have to be escaped with a \.
    (`select-files-matching-pattern').

`^C u`

    Unselect (unmarks) all the files matching a pattern
    (`select-files-matching-pattern').  The user will be prompted for a
    pattern to match against.

### Incremental searching files in a panel

Users sometime need to search a file in a panel, especially when the panel contains a big number of entries. For that reason `git` provides an incremental search feature. Using forward and backward incremental search, files can be very easy located. Wrapped incremental search is also provided.

`^S`, `^Xs`

    Incremental search forward a file name in the current panel
    (`isearch-forward').  Pressing ^S or ^Xs again will
    force git to go to the next entry that matches the current
    isearched string.  When the end of the panel is reached, the isearch is
    restarted from its beginning.

`^R`, `^Xr`

    Incremental search backward a file name in the current panel
    (`isearch-backward').  Pressing ^R or ^Xr again will
    force git to go to the next entry that matches the current
    isearched string.  When the beginning of the panel is reached, the
    isearch is restarted from its end.

### Using the input line

The input line is one of the main methods used by `git` to interact with the user. All the answers the user should give in order to perform some operation and all the shell like commands are built using it. So here is a description of all the basic editing operations that the ``input line'` provides. They are very much inspired from `Emacs`, so `Emacs` users should have no problem using them.

- Inserting Text: Inserting text by simply typing it.
- Moving Point: How to move the cursor to the place where you want to change something.
- Erasing: Deleting and killing text.
- Case Changes: Case conversion of words.
- History: Reusing recent input line arguments.
- Setting Mark: Commands to set the mark.
- Yanking: Reinserting recently killed text.

#### Inserting Text

Typing characters is the most usual way of inserting text into the input line. Key sequences starting with printable ascii characters are not allowed in `git` so typing `a` for example results in inserting `a` at the current point position. Of course, there are some other ways of inserting text into the command line and here there is a description of most of them.

`ESC RET`

    Copy the current entry name into the input line at the current point
    position (`entry-to-input-line').

`ESC ESC RET`

    Copy the other panel path into the input line at the current point
    position (`other-path-to-input-line').

`^X ^I`

    Copy the names of all the selected entries into the input line at the
    current point position (`selected-entries-to-input-line').

#### Moving Point

`^B`, `LEFT`

    Move the point backward one character (`backward-char').

`^F`, `RIGHT`

    Move the point forward one character (`forward-char').

`ESC b`

    Move the point one word backward (`backward-word').

`ESC f`

    Move the point one word forward (`forward-word').

`^A`

    Move the cursor at the beginning of the input line (`beginning-of-line').

`^E`

    Move the cursor at the end of the input line (`end-of-line').

#### Deleting and killing text

`DEL`, `^D`

    Delete the character under the cursor (`delete-char').

`^H`, `BKSPC`

    Delete the character before the cursor (`backward-delete-char').

`ESC BKSPC`

    Delete backward one word (`backward-kill-word').

`ESC d`

    Delete forward one word (`kill-word').

`ESC k`

    Delete the entire line (`kill-line').

`^U`

    Delete all the characters between the beginning of the input line and
    the point (`kill-to-beginning-of-line').

`^K`

    Delete all the characters between the point and the end of the input
    line (`kill-to-end-of-line').

`ESC SPC`

    Delete all the spaces around the point, leaving only one space
    (`just-one-space').

`ESC \`

    Delete all the spaces around the point
    (`delete-horizontal-space').

`^W`

    Save the region between the point and the mark into the kill "ring" and
    then kills it (`kill-region').  Note that there is no real
    kill-ring here.  The so-called kill-ring has only one entry.

`ESC w`

    Save the region between the point and the mark without killing it
    (`kill-ring-save').

#### Case conversion of words.

`ESC l`

    Convert the following word to lower case, moving over.
    (`downcase-word').

`ESC u`

    Convert the following word to upper case, moving over.
    (`upcase-word').

`ESC c`

    Capitalize the following word, moving over.
    (`capitalize-word').

#### Reusing recent input line arguments

A separate history is kept for both built-in and user-defined commands. If you call a command that you have used before, you can re-edit a previously entered string in order to minimize the amount of characters needed to be typed for the new one. There is no limit on the number of strings that can be kept in the history.

`ESC p`

    Walk backward through the history of previously entered strings
    (`previous-history-element').

`ESC n`

    Walk forward through the history of previously entered strings
    (`next-history-element').

#### Commands to set the mark

`^SPC`

    Set the mark at the current point position (`set-mark').

`^X ^X`

    Exchange the current point position with the mark one
    (`exchange-point-and-mark').

#### Reinserting recently killed text

`^Y`

    Reinsert a previously killed text at the current point position
    (`yank').

### File operations

- Copying Files: How to copy files.
- Moving Files: How to move files.
- Creating Files: How to create new files.
- Deleting Files: How to delete files.
- Linking Files: How to create hard and symbolic links.
- Renaming Files: How to rename files.
- Packing Files: How to pack files in the min. number of bins.
- Inode: How to change a file's mode, owner, group.
- Editing Files: How to edit and create files. Default editor.
- Viewing Files: How to view files. Default viewer.
- Compressing Files: How to compress and decompress files.
- Encoding Files: How to uuencode/uudecode, mpack/munpack a file.
- Encrypting Files: How to encrypt/decrypt files with pgp.
- Comparing Files: How to compare two files.
- Spelling Files: How to spell a file.
- Printing Files: How to print files.
- Wiping Files: How to wipe a file.
- Searching Files: How to search a file.
- Archive Files: How to manage tar based archive files.
- RPM Packages: How to install and uninstall RPM packages.
- File Types: How to figure out the file type.
- MSDOS Files: How to access msdos floppies.
- Actions: A different action for each file type.

#### Copying Files

`F5`, `ESC 5`, `^C C`

    Copy the currently selected entries to the user supplied path
    (`copy').

`^C b C`

    Copy the currently selected entries to the user supplied path.  The
    operation is performed in background (`B-COPY').

#### Moving Files

`F6`, `ESC 6`, `^C T`

    Move the currently selected entries to the user supplied path
    (`move').

`^C b T`

    Move the currently selected entries to the user supplied path.  The
    operation is performed in background (`B-MOVE').

#### Creating Files

The easiest way to create a new file is to start an editor passing the file name as an argument. Most editors will try to create the file if the file doesn't exist. See section Editing Files, for more information.

#### Deleting Files

`F8`, `ESC 8`, `^C D`

    Delete the currently selected entries (`delete').

`^C b D`

    Delete the currently selected entries.  The operation is performed in
    background (`B-DELETE').

#### Linking Files

`^C H`

    Create a hard link from the current files to a user supplied file
    name (`LINK').

`^C b H`

    Create a hard link from the current files to a user supplied file name
    (`B-LINK').  The action is performed in background.

`^C S`

    Create a symbolic link from the current files to a user supplied file
    name (`SYMLINK').

`^C b S`

    Create a symbolic link from the current files to a user supplied file
    name (`B-SYMLINK').  The action is performed in background.

#### Renaming Files

`^C R`

    Rename the current file or directory with the user supplied name
    (`RENAME').

`^C b R`

    Rename the current file or directory with the user supplied name.  The
    operation is performed in background (`B-RENAME').

`^C n d`

    Change the name of all the selected entries to lowercase.
    (`name-downcase').

`^C n u`

    Change the name of all the selected entries to uppercase.
    (`name-upcase').

#### Packing files into the minimum number of bins

`^C ~`

    Pack the files into the smallest number of bins.  This is in fact an
    approximation, since the problem is NP-complete and no known algorithm
    can guarantee a solution better than `(11/9) * OPTIMAL + 4'.

    To make things even worst, it is generally difficult to figure out the
    file system block size for the target bin.  Asking the user is not a
    good idea either.  `git' currently assumes a file system block size
    of 1Kb.  Also, for large file, there is no portable way to predict how
    many blocks the file system implementation will require for indirect
    blocks, directories, etc.

    Bin packing can be useful when you want to put a bunch of files on
    floppies and you want to optimize things a little bit
    (`bin-packing').

#### Changing a file's mode, owner and group

`^C M`

    Change the mode of the currently selected entries (`CHMOD').

`^C b M`

    Change the mode of the currently selected entries.  The operation is
    performed in background (`B-CHMOD').

`^C r M`

    Recursively change the modes of the selected entries if one of them is a
    directory (`R-CHMOD').

`^C b r M`

    Recursively change the modes of the selected entries if one of them is a
    directory.  The operation is performed in background (`B-R-CHMOD').

`^C O`

    Change the owner of the currently selected entries (`CHOWN').

`^C b O`

    Change the owner of the currently selected entries.  The operation is
    performed in background (`B-CHOWN').

`^C r O`

    Recursively change the owners of the selected entries if one of them is
    a directory (`R-CHOWN').

`^C b r O`

    Recursively change the owners of the selected entries if one of them is
    a directory.  The operation is performed in background
    (`B-R-CHOWN').

`^C G`

    Change the group of the currently selected entries (`CHGRP').

`^C b G`

    Change the group of the currently selected entries.  The operation is
    performed in background (`B-CHGRP').

`^C r G`

    Recursively change the groups of the selected entries if one of them is
    a directory (`R-CHGRP').

`^C b r G`

    Recursively change the groups of the selected entries if one of them is
    a directory.  The operation is performed in background
    (`B-R-CHGRP').

#### Editing Files

`F4`, `ESC 4`

    Call the default editor with the current file name as an argument
    (`EDIT').

`^X e`

    Call the default editor with the selected entry names as arguments
    (`MULTIPLE-EDIT').

`^X ^F`

    Create a new file by calling the default editor with the user supplied
    file name as an argument (`FILE-CREATE').

`^X 4 a`

    Call the default editor in order to edit the `ChangeLog' file
    (`CHANGE-LOG').

The default editor can be specified using the EDITOR or GIT_EDITOR environment variables. See section Environment Variables, for more information.

#### Viewing Files

`F3`, `ESC 3`

    Call the default viewer (gitview) with the current file name as
    argument (`VIEW').

`^X v`

    Call the default pager (more) with the currently selected entry
    names as arguments (`MULTIPLE-VIEW').

#### Compressing Files

`^C z`

    Compress the currently selected entries (`COMPRESS').

`^C b z`

    Compress the currently selected entries.  The operation is performed in
    background (`B-COMPRESS').

`^C Z`

    Uncompress the currently selected entries (`UNCOMPRESS').

`^C b Z`

    Uncompress the currently selected entries.  The operation is performed
    in background (`B-UNCOMPRESS').

`^C f Z`

    Uncompress the currently selected entries (`F-UNCOMPRESS').  Force
    uncompression of links.

`^C b f Z`

    Uncompress the currently selected entries.  Force uncompression of
    links.  The operation is performed in background (`BF-UNCOMPRESS').

#### Encoding Files

`^C e`

    Encode the currently selected file (`UUENCODE').

`^C b e`

    Encode the currently selected file.  The operation is performed in
    background (`B-UUENCODE').

`^C E`

    Decode the currently selected file (`UUDECODE').

`^C b E`

    Decode the currently selected file.  The operation is performed in
    background (`B-UUDECODE').

`^C k`

    Encode the currently selected file using mpack (`MIME-PACK').

`^C b k`

    Encode the currently selected file using mpack.  The operation is
    performed in background (`B-MIME-PACK').

`^C K`

    Decode the currently selected file using munpack (`MIME-UNPACK').

`^C b K`

    Decode the currently selected file using munpack.  The operation is
    performed in background (`B-MIME-UNPACK').

#### Encrypting Files

`^C p`

    Encrypt (using pgp) the current file (`ENCRYPT').

`^C P`

    Decrypt (using pgp) the current file (`DECRYPT').

#### Comparing Files

`^C =`

    Compare (using diff) the current ASCII file with the other
    panel's current file (`DIFF').  If both entries are directories, a
    recursive diff is performed.

`^C ESC =`

    Compare (using diff) the current ASCII file with its latest
    backup.  The latest backup is the file having the same name and a '~' at
    the end (`LAST-BACKUP-DIFF').

`^C B`

    Compare the current file with the other panel current file.  A binary
    comparison is performed (`compare').

#### Spelling Files

`^X I`

    Run the ispell command with the current file name as an
    argument.

#### Printing Files

`^C j`

    Print the selected files via lpr to the user specified printer or
    to the default one if no lpr options are given (`PRINT-JOB').

`^C J`

    Print the list of active printing jobs via lpq.  The default
    printer is queried if no lpq options are given
    (`PRINT-JOB-LIST').

#### Wiping Files

`^C W`

    Call gitwipe to wipe the selected files.  Asks for confirmation
    before actually wiping them in order to avoid errors (`WIPE').

See section The GIT wipe file utility, for more information.

#### Searching Files

`ESC %`

    Searche files on the file system, starting from the current directory
    (`FIND').

`ESC &`

    Use 'locate' to search files on the file system, starting from the
    current directory (`LOCATE').

`^X w`

    Locate the binary, source, and manual page files for a command
    (`WHEREIS').

`^X W`

    Locate a command; display its pathname or alias (`WHICH').

#### Managing tar based archive files

`^C a`

    Create a tar archive containing all the currently selected
    entries (`TAR').

`^C b a`

    Create a tar archive containing all the currently selected
    entries.  The operation is performed in background (`B-TAR').

`^C x`

    Create a compressed tar archive containing the current entry,
    provided it is a directory (`TAR-COMPRESS').

`^C b x`

    Create a compressed tar archive containing the current entry,
    provided it is directory.  The operation is performed in background
    (`B-TAR-COMPRESS').

`^C -`

    Create a bzip2 compressed tar archive containing the current
    entry, provided it is a directory (`TAR-BZIP2').

`^C b -`

    Create a bzip2 compressed tar archive containing the current
    entry, provided it is a directory.  The operation is performed in
    background (`B-TAR-BZIP2').

`^C X`

    Expand the selected archives into the current directory.  The utility
    used is selected based on the extension of the file
    (`GENERIC-UNPACK').

`^C b X`

    Expand the selected archives into the current directory.  The utility
    used is based on the extension of the file.  The operation is performed
    in background (`B-GENERIC-UNPACK').

`^C V`

    Expand the selected archives into an user supplied current directory.
    The utility used is selected based on the extension of the file
    (`GENERIC-UNPACK-INTO').

`^C b V`

    Expand the selected archives into an user supplied directory.  The
    utility used is based on the extension of the file.  The operation is
    performed in background (`B-GENERIC-UNPACK-INTO').

#### Installing and Uninstalling RPM packages

Red Hat Linux Distributions use a very powerful package manager called `rpm`. It is used whenever you need to install/remove/upgrade/etc a software package. The packages used by `rpm` use the extension ``.rpm'`. `git` provides default key bindings for some of the basic operations `rpm` can perform on packages: install, uninstall, upgrade and query.

`^C I`

    Install the rpm package pointed by the cursor
    (`RPM-INSTALL').

`^C b I`

    Install the rpm package pointed by the cursor
    (`B-RPM-INSTALL').  The operation is performed in background.

`^C i`

    Uninstall the rpm package pointed by the cursor
    (`RPM-UNINSTALL').

`^C b i`

    Uninstall the rpm package pointed by the cursor
    (`B-RPM-UNINSTALL').  The operation is performed in background.

`^C N`

    Upgrade the rpm package pointed by the cursor
    (`RPM-UPGRADE').

`^C b N`

    Upgrade the rpm package pointed by the cursor
    (`B-RPM-UPGRADE').  The operation is performed in background.

`^C q`

    Query the rpm package manager (`RPM-QUERY').  The default
    options used are `-qil'.  See the rpm manual page for
    more details on using rpm.

#### File Types

`^C t`

    Print the type of a file using the file utility
    (`FILE-TYPE').

#### Accessing MSDOS Files

`^C m d`, `^C m ^D`

    Change the current MSDOS directory to a given directory
    (`MTOOLS-CHDIR').

`^C m P`

    Put the currently selected files on a MSDOS floppy
    (`MTOOLS-PUT').

`^C b m P`

    Put the currently selected files on a MSDOS floppy
    (`B-MTOOLS-PUT').  The operation is performed in background.

`^C m G`

    Get some files from a MSDOS floppy and put them in a given
    directory (`MTOOLS-GET').

`^C b m G`

    Get some files from a MSDOS floppy and put them in a given
    directory (`B-MTOOLS-GET').  The operation is performed in
    background.

`^C m D`

    Delete files from a MSDOS floppy (`MTOOLS-DELETE').

`^C b m D`

    Delete files from a MSDOS floppy (`B-MTOOLS-DELETE').  The
    operation is performed in background.

`^C m L`

    List files and directories on a MSDOS floppy (`MTOOLS-DIR').

`^C m F`

    Format a MSDOS floppy (`MTOOLS-FORMAT').

`^C b m F`

    Format a MSDOS floppy (`B-MTOOLS-FORMAT').  The operation is
    performed in background.

`^C m M`

    Create a directory on a MSDOS floppy (`MTOOLS-MKDIR').

`^C b m M`

    Create a directory on a MSDOS floppy (`B-MTOOLS-MKDIR').
    The operation is performed in background.

`^C m K`

    Remove a directory from a MSDOS floppy (`MTOOLS-RMDIR').
    All the files and subdirectories in that directory are removed as well.

`^C b m K`

    Remove a directory from a MSDOS floppy (`B-MTOOLS-RMDIR').
    All the files and subdirectories in that directory are removed as well.
    The operation is performed in background.

`^C m R`

    Rename a file or directory on a MSDOS floppy
    (`MTOOLS-RENAME').

`^C b m R`

    Rename a file or directory on a MSDOS floppy
    (`B-MTOOLS-RENAME').  The operation is performed in background.

`^C m T`

    Display the contents of a file located on a MSDOS floppy
    (`MTOOLS-TYPE').

#### A different action for each file type

Many files on `UNIX` systems have one or more extensions specifying their types. For example, a file that ends in ``.c'` is a file containing a `C` program, while a file ending in ``.tar.gz'` is a `tar` archive compressed with the `gzip` utility. Having a default action for each file type, binded on the same key, seems to be a good idea because you can use that key to obtain type specific information about a file or to process it in some type specific way much easier. The `GIT` package contains a script called `gitaction` that is used to detect the current file type and perform a type specific action. See section The GIT per file type action script, for more information.

`F2`, `ESC 2`, `^X a`

    Perform an action on the current file, depending on its type
    (`FILE-ACTION').

### Directory operations

- Creating Dirs: How to create new directories.
- Copying Dirs: How to copy directories.
- Deleting Dirs: How to delete directories.
- Moving Dirs: How to move directories.
- Renaming Dirs: How to rename directories.
- Comparing Dirs: How to compare directories.
- Dirs Usage: Summarize directory usage.
- Changing Dirs: How to go to a new directory.
- Dirs History: How to use the directory history.
- Hot Keys: Hot keys for the most used directories.

#### Creating directories

`F7`, `ESC 7`, `^X M`

    Create a new subdirectory in the current directory with the user
    supplied name (`make-directory').

#### Copying directories

`F5 (for directories)`, `ESC 5 (for directories)`, `^C C (for directories)`

    Copy the currently selected entries to the user supplied path
    (`copy').

`^C b C (for directories)`

    Copy the currently selected entries to the user supplied path.  The
    operation is performed in background (`B-COPY').

#### Deleting directories

`F8 (for subdirectories)`, `ESC 8 (for directories)`, `^C D (for subdirectories)`

    Delete the currently selected entries (`delete').

`^C b D (for directories)`

    Delete the currently selected entries.  The operation is performed in
    background (`B-DELETE').

#### Moving directories

`F6 (for directories)`, `ESC 6 (for directories)`, `^C T (for directories)`

    Move the currently selected entries to the user supplied path
    (`move').

`^C b T (for directories)`

    Move the currently selected entries to the user supplied path.  The
    operation is performed in background (`B-MOVE').

#### Renaming directories

`^C R (for directories)`

    Rename the current file or directory with the user supplied name
    (`RENAME').

`^C b R (for directories)`

    Rename the current file or directory with the user supplied name.  The
    operation is performed in background (`B-RENAME').

#### Comparing Directories

`^C c q`

    Quickly compare the files in the left panel with the files in the right
    one.  Only the file names, sizes and time stamps are considered in the
    comparison.

`^C c t`

    Compare the files in the left panel with the files in the right one.
    The contents of each file in the current panel will be compared against
    the contents of its couterpart (if any) from the other panel.

`^C f d`

    Recursively compare (using diff -r -q) the current directory with
    the other panel's current directory (`FAST-DIFF').  Print on
    standard output the names of the files that differ.

`^C d`

    Compare (using diff) the current directory with the other panel
    current directory.  For successful operation, both panels should contain
    the same directory (`DIR-DIFF').

`^C b d`

    Compare (using diff) the current directory with the other panel
    current directory.  For successful operation, both panels should contain
    the same directory.  The operation is performed in background
    (`DIR-DIFF').

#### Summarize directory usage

`^C U`

    Display the output of the du -s command on the status line
    (`DIRECTORY-USAGE').

#### Changing directories

`^X d`, `^X ^D`

    Change the current working directory.  The user is asked for a new
    directory name and the new directory is added to the directory history
    (`change-directory').

See section Directory History, for more information.

`ESC a c`

    Change the current directory of the current panel to the directory of
    the other panel (`adapt-current-directory').

`ESC a o`

    Change the current directory of the other panel to the directory of the
    current panel (`adapt-other-directory').

#### Directory History

Users usually work on a limited set of subdirectories. Providing a fast method of switching between a number of intensively used directories is a good idea and `git` has a set of builtin commands for doing it.

Usually new directories are added to the directory history when the ``change-directory'` built-in command is used. `git` also adds the current directory to the history list when started, when the directory history is reseted and when a command having a non empty ``new-dir'` field successfully completes its execution. See section The new-dir field, for more information.

`^X ^N`

    Go to the next directory in the history (`next-directory').

`^X ^P`

    Go to the previous directory in the history
    (`previous-directory').

`^X ^R`

    Reset the entire directory history.  As explained above, the current
    directory becomes the only directory in the history
    (`reset-directory-history').

#### Hot Keys

`git` provides default key bindings for switching to a number of important directories as "/", "..", "$HOME", etc.

`ESC /`

    Go to the `/' directory (`ROOT-DIR').

`ESC .`

    Go to the `..' directory (`up-one-dir').

`ESC h`

    Go to the `~' ($HOME) directory (`HOME-DIR').

`ESC i`

    Go to the `/usr/include' directory (`INCLUDE-DIR').

`ESC ESC 1`

    Go to the `/mnt/fd0' directory (`FIRST-FLOPPY-DIR').

`ESC ESC 2`

    Go to the `/mnt/fd1' directory (`SECOND-FLOPPY-DIR').

### Compiling programs

`F9`, `ESC 9`, `^X m`

    Run the make command in the current directory.  Use -k as the
    default option (`MAKE').

`^X b m`

    Run the make command in background in the current directory
    (`B-MAKE').

See section The GIT per file type action script, for more information.

### Sending/receiving ascii/binary mail

`^C 2 a`

    Send the current current ascii file by mail to an user supplied email
    address (`ASCII-MAIL').

`^C b 2 a`

    The same as `ASCII-MAIL', the only difference being that the
    command runs in background (`B-ASCII-MAIL').

`^C 2 b`

    Send the current current binary file by mail to an user supplied list of
    email addresses.  The file is uuencoded first (`BINARY-MAIL').

`^C b 2 b`

    The same as `BINARY-MAIL', the only difference being that the
    command runs in background (`B-BINARY-MAIL').

`^C 2 m`

    Send the current current binary file by mail to an user supplied list of
    email addresses.  The file is encoded with mpack first
    (`MIME-MAIL').

`^C b 2 m`

    The same as `MIME-MAIL', the only difference being that the command
    runs in background (`B-MIME-MAIL').

`ESC x r m`

    Run the emacs -f rmail command.  This will start the Emacs's
    `rmail' function so that you can read your mail (`READ-MAIL').

### Starting a sub-shell

`^X z`

    Call a sub-shell as specified by the $GIT_SHELL environment
    variable (`SUB-SHELL').

See section Environment Variables, for more information.

### Using grep and recursive grep

`^X g`

    Search using grep all the selected files for a given pattern
    (`GREP').

`^X g`

    Search recursively using gitrgrep all the user specified files
    and directories for a given pattern (`RECURSIVE-GREP').

See section The GIT recursive grep script, for more information.

### Locking your console

Having a lock feature might be a good idea and, since not all the `UNIX` systems provide one, `git` tries to get around the problem ...

`^X p`

    Prompt the user for a password and locks the console until the same
    password is reinserted (`lock').

### Refreshing the screen contents

Sometimes your screen needs to be refreshed. Just think about what happens when somebody wants to talk with you and the talk daemon writes something like this

    Message from Talk_Daemon@galei.cs.vu.nl at 12:15 ...
    talk: connection requested by andrei@galei.cs.vu.nl.
    talk: respond with:  talk andrei@galei.cs.vu.nl

on your screen. And sometimes you might also want to re-read the current directories. `git` provides some built-in commands for refreshing the screen contents.

`^L`

    Re-read the directories contents and refresh the screen (`refresh').

### Reseting your terminal

`^X ^L`

    Call reset in order to reset the terminal to its default
    settings (`TTY-RESET').

### Mounting/unmounting file systems

People dealing with lots of files usually need to save/restore/copy files from/to other file systems. In order to be more efficient, `git` provides a set of key bindings for mounting and unmounting file systems. See section The GIT mount utility, for more information.

The default key bindings set has been designed to work under `Linux`, but it can be easily changed for other `UNIX` systems with different device names. Reading the configuration file ``.gitrc.common'` should be enough. See section Hot Keys, for more information.

As a convention, the ``/mnt'` directory is used to store an empty subdirectory for each mountable file system. Each file system is actually mounted in its counterpart ``/mnt'` subdirectory. Try to follow this convention since the `gitmount` script is heavily based on it. See section Customizing GNU Interactive Tools, for more information.

`ESC m a`

    Call mount(1) in order to mount the first floppy
    (`/dev/fd0') in the `/mnt/fd0' directory (`MOUNT-A').

`ESC m b`

    Call mount(1) in order to mount the second floppy
    (`/dev/fd1') in the `/mnt/fd1' directory (`MOUNT-B').

`ESC m c`

    Call mount(1) in order to mount the cdrom
    (`/dev/cdrom') in the `/mnt/cdrom' directory (`MOUNT-CDROM').

`ESC m z`

    Call mount(1) in order to mount the zip drive
    (`/dev/zip') in the `/mnt/zip' directory (`MOUNT-ZIP').

`ESC m j`

    Call mount(1) in order to mount the jaz drive
    (`/dev/jaz') in the `/mnt/jaz' directory (`MOUNT-JAZ').

`ESC m t`

    Call mount(1) in order to mount the file systems corresponding to
    the selected subdirectories.  For example, if you are in the `/mnt'
    directory and the `cdrom' and `zip' subdirectories are
    selected, the cdrom and the zip disk will be mounted (`MOUNT-THESE').

`ESC r a`

    Call umount(1) in order to remove (unmount) the first floppy
    (`/dev/fd0') (`UMOUNT-A').

`ESC r b`

    Call umount(1) in order to remove (unmount) the second floppy
    (`/dev/fd1') (`UMOUNT-B').

`ESC r c`

    Call umount(1) in order to remove (unmount) the cdrom
    (`/dev/cdrom') (`UMOUNT-CDROM').

findex UMOUNT-CDROM

`ESC r z`

    Call umount(1) in order to remove (unmount) the zip drive
    (`/dev/zip') (`UMOUNT-ZIP').

`ESC r j`

    Call umount(1) in order to remove (unmount) the jaz drive
    (`/dev/jaz') (`UMOUNT-JAZ').

`ESC r t`

    Call umount(1) in order to remove (unmount) the file systems
    mounted into the selected subdirectories. For example, if the current
    directory is `/mnt' and the `cdrom' and `zip'
    subdirectories are selected, the cdrom and the zip disk will be
    unmounted (`UMOUNT-THESE').

### Getting some useful system information

`^X T`

    Call date(1) in order to display the current time/date
    (`DATE').

`ESC S f`

    Call finger(1) in order to display information about local and
    remote users  (`FINGER').

`ESC S m`

    Call mount(1) in order to display a list of the currently
    mounted file systems (`MOUNTED-FILE-SYSTEMS').

`ESC S q`

    Call quota(1) in order to display a user file system disk quota
    and quota (`QUOTA').

`ESC S s`

    Call df(1) in order to get the status of the currently mounted
    file systems (`DISK-FREE-SPACE').

`ESC S u`

    Call users(1) in order to get the name of the currently logged in
    users (`USERS').

`ESC S v`

    Call $GIT_VMSTAT(1) in order to get the current virtual memory
    status.  This is very system dependent, Linux uses free,
    other systems use vmstat, so the $GIT_VMSTAT variable is
    used to deal with this (`VIRTUAL-MEMORY-STATUS').

See section Environment Variables, for more information.

`ESC S w`

    Call who(1) in order to find out who is on the system
    (`WHO').

### How to look at the environment variables

`^X E`

    Call env(1) in order to display the current environment
    (`ENV').

`^X H`

    Call xhost(1) in order to add/remove hosts names to the list
    allowed to make connection to the X server (`XHOST').

### Viewing/killing processes

There are at least two kinds of `ps`(1) utilities. One that accepts (more or less) combinations of the 'a', 'u', and 'x' flags and another that accepts combinations of 'e', 'f' and 'l' flags. Since is quite difficult to test which one works fine on a given `UNIX` system, `git` provides key bindings for both of them. Anyway, if your `ps`(1) fails to accept the predefined combinations, please take a look in its manual and then modify the ``.gitrc.TERM'` file as needed.

Since the number of possible combinations of flags in the `ps` command line is quite big and *very* system dependent, there is no real reason to display them all here. We are only interested in giving you a starting point in your search through the ``.gitrc.TERM'` file.

Note also that you can display a list of processes using `ps`(1) or browse through a list of them (killing as needed) using `gitps`. As a convention, we have used the same key sequence for a given set of `ps`(1) flags for both `ps`(1) and `gitps`, the only difference being that `ps`(1) keys end in an uppercase letter. See section The GIT process viewer/killer, for more information.

Under Linux it is possible to see a tree of processes using `pstree`(1).

Here there are the default key bindings for the 'e', 'f' and 'l' `ps`(1) flags combinations:

`ESC P b`, `ESC P c`, `ESC P e`

    Call gitps or ps(1) in order to browse through or display
    a list of currently running processes (`GITPS', `PS').

... and the default key bindings for the 'a', 'u' and 'x' `ps`(1) flags combinations:

`ESC P a`, `ESC P l`, `ESC P u` `ESC P x`, `ESC P y`

    Call gitps or ps(1) in order to browse through or display
    a list of currently running processes (`GITPS', `PS').

`ESC P T`

    Call pstree(1) in order to displat the tree of currently running
    processes (`PSTREE').

`^X k`

    Call kill(1) in order to kill a user specified process with a
    given signal (`KILL').

### Synchronizing the file systems

`^X S`

    Call sync(1) in order to synchronize all the file systems
    (`SYNC').

### Reading the documentation

`^X q`

    Read a manual page. The user is prompted for its name (`MAN').

`F1`, `ESC 1`, `^X i`

    Read an info documentation. The user is prompted for the documentation
    name (`INFO').

`^X h`

    Read the html documentation (`HTML').

### Exiting GNU Interactive Tools

`F10`, `ESC 0`, `^X ^C`, `^X c`

    Exit GNU Interactive Tools (`exit').

## The GIT process viewer/killer

`gitps` is an interactive process viewer/killer. It calls internally the `ps`(1) utility. This is a brief description of the command line arguments.

`-h` print this help message `-v` print the version number `-i` print the installation directory `-c` use ANSI colors `-b` don't use ANSI colors `-l` don't use the last screen character `-p` pass the remaining arguments to ps(1)

Running `gitps` it is self explanatory. Use the `arrows`, `PageUp`, `PageDown`, `Home`, `End`, `^N`, `^P`, `^V`, `ESC v` to move in the list, `^L` to refresh it and `F10` or `^X ^C` to leave.

You can change these keys, just read the GITPS-Setup, GITPS-Color, GITPS-Monochrome and GITPS-Keys sections in the configuration files ``.gitrc.TERM'`.

## The GIT ASCII/HEX file viewer

`gitview` is an ASCII/HEX file viewer. Use the `arrows`, `PageUp`, `PageDown`, `Home`, `End`, `^N`, `^P`, `^V`, `ESC v` to move in the file, `^L` to refresh the screen and `F10` or `^X ^C` to leave.

You can change these keys, just read the GITVIEW-Setup, GITVIEW-Color, GITVIEW-Monochrome and GITVIEW-Keys sections in the configuration files ``.gitrc.TERM'`.

Here is a brief description of the command line arguments:

`-h` print this help message `-v` print the version number `-i` print the installation directory `-c` use ANSI colors `-b` don't use ANSI colors `-l` don't use the last screen character

## The GIT key sequences display utility

`gitkeys` is a program that displays the key sequence sent by the pressed key. This is the key sequence received by `GIT` tools, so this program is useful when setting up the ``.gitrc.TERM'` configuration files.

## The GIT wipe file utility

`gitwipe` is an utility for wiping files. It overwrites the file contents with a random sequence of numbers and then calls ``sync'`().

Note that `gitwipe` does *not* delete the file since (under `Linux` at least) the ``sync'`() system call might return before actually writing the new file contents to disk. Deleting the file might be dangerous because some file systems can detect that the blocks in the file are no longer used and never write them back to disk in order to improve performance. It is up to you to delete the file(s) at a later moment.

## The GIT mount utility

`gitmount` is a script that allows you to mount a list of block devices (specified in the command line), without specifying the file system type. With a command like `gitmount fd0 cdrom' the first floppy will be mounted in ``/mnt/fd0'` and the cdrom will be mounted in ``/mnt/cdrom'`. Make sure your ``/etc/fstab'` settings are correct.

You don't need to know the file system type anymore. If you want to use `gitmount` with the block device ``/dev/xxx'` then the directory ``/mnt/xxx'` must exist. `gitmount` will attempt to create the necessary directories, but root permissions might be required.

## The GIT per file type action script

`gitaction` is a script that executes a different action for each file type specified. It is called by the `git` program when pressing `F2`, `ESC 2` or `^Xa`.

The first parameter is the current directory name and the second one is the file name to be matched against the default patterns. The matching is done using the shell 'case' statement.

If you press `F2`, `ESC 2` or `^Xa` on a ``*.c'` file, `git` will compile it, if you press `F2`, `ESC 2` or `^Xa` on a ``*.tar.gz'` file, `git` will list the tar archive contents, if you press the same keys on a ``*.gz'` file, `git` will display its uncompressed contents on the screen, etc ...

If you want to find out what the default action for each file type is (or if you want to modify it), just read/modify the `gitaction` script. If no pattern is found, the file is displayed using `more`.

If you press `F2`, `ESC 2` or `^Xa` on a ``*.gif'` file or ``*.jpg'` file and you have the `zgv` utility installed, you will be able to see it. If you want to change the gif/jpeg viewer, all you need to do is to change its name in the `gitaction` script.

Also, you can add a `.gitaction` shell script in your home directory and/or in any other directory. Before trying to match a file name, `gitaction` will attempt to execute `./.gitaction`. If that one fails to match the file name against its patterns, it backs up to `$HOME/.gitaction`. When this one fails too the patterns in `gitaction` are tried. For an example of how to write .gitaction scripts take a look at the `.gitaction` shell script provided as part of the distribution and installed in the ``$(prefix)/bin'` directory.

## Unified archive unpacking

`gitunpack` is a shell script that accepts a directory and a set of archives as its command line parameters, and then attempts to unpack those archives in the given directory, selecting the utility used to unpack the archives based on the archive extensions.

## The GIT recursive grep script

`gitrgrep` is a very small script that calls `grep` recursively. It accepts `grep` like options / parameters, the only difference being that file specifications should be quoted:

    	gitrgrep main '*.c'

    or

    	gitrgrep errno '*.c *.h'

`gitregrep` and `gitrfgrep` are recursive versions of the egrep and fgrep programs.

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