fish/doc_src/bind.txt

\section bind bind - handle fish key bindings

\subsection bind-synopsis Synopsis
<tt>bind [OPTIONS] SEQUENCE COMMAND</tt>

\subsection bind-description Description

The <tt>bind</tt> builtin causes fish to add a key binding from the specified sequence.

SEQUENCE is the character sequence to bind to. Usually, one would use
fish escape sequences to express them. For example, because pressing
the Alt key and another character sends that character prefixed with
an escape character, Alt-based key bindings can be written using the
\c \\e escape. For example, Alt-w can be written as
<tt>\\ew</tt>. Control character can be written in much the same way
using the \c \\c escape, for example Control-x can be written as
<tt>\\cx</tt>. Note that Alt-based key bindings are case sensitive and
Control base key bindings are not. This is not a design choice in
fish, it is simply how terminals work.

If SEQUENCE is the empty string, i.e. an empty set of quotes, this is
interpreted as the default keybinding. It will be used whenever no
other binding matches. For most key bindings, it makes sense to use
the \c self-insert function (i.e. <tt>bind '' self-insert</tt> as the
default keybining. This will insert any keystrokes not specifically
bound to into the editor. Non-printable characters are ignored by the
editor, so this will not result in e.g. control sequences being
printable.

If the -k switch is used, the name of the key (such as down, up or
backspace) is used instead of a sequence. The names used are the same
as the corresponding curses variables, but without the 'key_'
prefix. (See man 5 terminfo for more information, or use <tt>bind
--key-names</tt> for a list of all available named keys)

COMMAND can be any fish command, but it can also be one of a set of
special input functions. These include functions for moving the
cursor, operating on the kill-ring, performing tab completion,
etc. Use 'bind --function-names' for a complete list of these input
functions.

When COMMAND is a shellscript command, it is a good practice to put
the actual code into a <a href="#function">function</a> and simply
bind to the function name. This way it becomes significantly easier to
test the function while editing, and the result is usually more
readable as well.

- <tt>-a</tt> or <tt>--all</tt> If --key-names is specified, show all key names, not only the ones that actually are defined for the current terminal. If erase mode is specified, this switch will cause all current bindings to be erased.
- <tt>-e</tt> or <tt>--erase</tt> Erase mode. All non-switch arguments are interpreted as character sequences and any commands associated with those sequences are erased.
- <tt>-h</tt> or <tt>--help</tt> Display help and exit
- <tt>-k</tt> or <tt>--key</tt> Specify a key name, such as 'left' or 'backspace' instead of a character sequence
- <tt>-K</tt> or <tt>--key-names</tt> Display a list of available key names
- <tt>-f</tt> or <tt>--function-names</tt> Display a list of available input functions

\subsection bind-example Example

<tt>bind \\cd 'exit'</tt> causes fish to exit on Control-d

<tt>bind -k ppage history-search-backward</tt> Causes fish to perform a history search when the page up key is pressed