Options

Specifying Options

Options are primarily referred to by name. These names are case insensitive and underscores are ignored. For example, `allexport' is equivalent to `A__lleXP_ort'.

The sense of an option name may be inverted by preceding it with `no', so `setopt No_Beep' is equivalent to `unsetopt beep'. This inversion can only be done once, so `nonobeep' is not a synonym for `beep'. Similarly, `tify' is not a synonym for `nonotify' (the inversion of `notify').

Some options also have one or more single letter names. There are two sets of single letter options: one used by default, and another used to emulate sh/ksh (used when the SH_OPTION_LETTERS option is set). The single letter options can be used on the shell command line, or with the set, setopt and unsetopt builtins, as normal Unix options preceded by `-'.

The sense of the single letter options may be inverted by using `+' instead of `-'. Some of the single letter option names refer to an option being off, in which case the inversion of that name refers to the option being on. For example, `+n' is the short name of `exec', and `-n' is the short name of its inversion, `noexec'.

Description of Options

ALL_EXPORT (-a, ksh: -a)

All parameters subsequently defined are automatically exported.

ALWAYS_LAST_PROMPT

If unset, key functions that list completions try to return to the last prompt if given a numeric argument. If set these functions try to return to the last prompt if given no numeric argument.

ALWAYS_TO_END

If a completion is performed with the cursor within a word, and a full completion is inserted, the cursor is moved to the end of the word. That is, the cursor is moved to the end of the word if either a single match is inserted or menu completion is performed.

APPEND_HISTORY

If this is set, zsh sessions will append their history list to the history file, rather than overwrite it. Thus, multiple parallel zsh sessions will all have their history lists added to the history file, in the order they are killed.

AUTO_CD (-J)

If a command is issued that can't be executed as a normal command, and the command is the name of a directory, perform the cd command to that directory.

AUTO_LIST (-9)

Automatically list choices on an ambiguous completion.

AUTO_MENU

Automatically use menu completion after the second consecutive request for completion, for example by pressing the tab key repeatedly. This option is overridden by MENU_COMPLETE.

AUTO_NAME_DIRS

Any parameter that is set to the absolute name of a directory immediately becomes a name for that directory, that will be used by the `%~' and related prompt sequences, and will be available when completion is performed on a word starting with `~'. (Otherwise, the parameter must be used in the form `~param' first.)

AUTO_PARAM_KEYS

If a parameter name was completed and a following character (normally a space) automatically inserted, and the next character typed is one of those that have to come directly after the name (like `}', `:', etc.), the automatically added character is deleted, so that the character typed comes immediately after the parameter name. Completion in a brace expansion is affected similarly: the added character is a `,', which will be removed if `}' is typed next.

AUTO_PARAM_SLASH

If a parameter is completed whose content is the name of a directory, then add a trailing slash instead of a space.

AUTO_PUSHD (-N)

Make cd push the old directory onto the directory stack.

AUTO_REMOVE_SLASH

When the last character resulting from a completion is a slash and the next character typed is a word delimiter or a slash, remove the slash.

AUTO_RESUME (-W)

Treat single word simple commands without redirection as candidates for resumption of an existing job.

BAD_PATTERN (+2)

If a pattern for filename generation is badly formed, print an error message. (If this option is unset, the pattern will be left unchanged.)

BANG_HIST (+K)

Perform textual history substitution, csh-style, treating the character `!' specially.

BARE_GLOB_QUAL

In a glob pattern, treat a trailing set of parentheses as a qualifier list, if it contains no `|', `(' or (if special) `~' characters. See section Filename Generation.

BEEP (+B)

Beep on error in ZLE.

BG_NICE (-6)

Run all background jobs at a lower priority. This option is set by default.

BRACE_CCL

Expand expressions in braces which would not otherwise undergo brace expansion to a lexically ordered list of all the characters. See section Brace Expansion.

BSD_ECHO

Make the echo builtin compatible with the BSD man page echo(1) command. This disables backslashed escape sequences in echo strings unless the -e option is specified.

CDABLE_VARS (-T)

If the argument to a cd command (or an implied cd with the AUTO_CD option set) is not a directory, and does not begin with a slash, try to expand the expression as if it were preceded by a `~' (see section Filename Expansion).

CHASE_LINKS (-w)

Resolve symbolic links to their true values when changing directory.

CLOBBER (+C, ksh: +C)

Allows `>' redirection to truncate existing files, and `>>' to create files. Otherwise `>!' or `>|' must be used to truncate a file, and `>>!' or `>>|' to create a file.

COMPLETE_ALIASES

Prevents aliases on the command line from being internally substituted before completion is attempted. The effect is to make the alias a distinct command for completion purposes.

COMPLETE_IN_WORD

If unset, the cursor is set to the end of the word if completion is started. Otherwise it stays there and completion is done from both ends.

CORRECT (-0)

Try to correct the spelling of commands.

CORRECT_ALL (-O)

Try to correct the spelling of all arguments in a line.

CSH_JUNKIE_HISTORY

A history reference without an event specifier will always refer to the previous command. Without this option, such a history reference refers to the same event as the previous history reference, defaulting to the previous command.

CSH_JUNKIE_LOOPS

Allow loop bodies to take the form `list; end' instead of `do list; done'.

CSH_JUNKIE_QUOTES

Changes the rules for single- and double-quoted text to match that of csh. These require that embedded newlines be preceded by a backslash; unescaped newlines will cause an error message. In double-quoted strings, it is made impossible to escape `$', ``' or `"' (and `\' itself no longer needs escaping). Command substitutions are only expanded once, and cannot be nested.

CSH_NULL_GLOB

If a pattern for filename generation has no matches, delete the pattern from the argument list; do not report an error unless all the patterns in a command have no matches. Overrides NULL_GLOB.

EQUALS

Perform = filename substitution. (See section Filename Expansion.)

ERR_EXIT (-e, ksh: -e)

If a command has a non-zero exit status, execute the ZERR trap, if set, and exit. This is disabled while running initialization scripts.

EXEC (+n, ksh: +n)

Do execute commands. Without this option, commands are read and checked for syntax errors, but not executed.

EXTENDED_GLOB

Treat the `#', `~' and `^' characters as part of patterns for filename generation, etc. (An initial unquoted `~' always produces named directory expansion.)

EXTENDED_HISTORY

Save beginning and ending timestamps to the history file. The format of these timestamps is `:<beginning time>:<ending time>:<command>'.

FLOW_CONTROL

If this option is unset, output flow control via start/stop characters (usually assigned to ^S/^Q) is disabled in the shell's editor.

FUNCTION_ARGZERO

When executing a shell function or sourcing a script, set $0 temporarily to the name of the function/script.

GLOB (+F, ksh: +f)

Perform filename generation (globbing). (See section Filename Generation.)

GLOB_ASSIGN

If this option is set, filename generation (globbing) is performed on the right hand side of scalar parameter assignments of the form `name=pattern (e.g. `foo=*'). If the result has more than one word the parameter will become an array with those words as arguments. This option is provided for backwards compatibility only: globbing is always performed on the right hand side of array assignments of the form `name=(value)' (e.g. `foo=(*)') and this form is recommended for clarity; with this option set, it is not possible to predict whether the result will be an array or a scalar.

GLOB_COMPLETE

When the current word has a glob pattern, do not insert all the words resulting from the expansion but cycle through them like MENU_COMPLETE. If no matches are found, a `*' is added to the end of the word or inserted at the cursor if COMPLETE_IN_WORD is set, and expansion is attempted again. Using patterns works not only for files but for all completions, such as options, user names, etc.

GLOB_DOTS (-4)

Do not require a leading `.' in a filename to be matched explicitly.

GLOB_SUBST

Treat any characters resulting from parameter substitution as being eligible for file expansion and filename generation, and any characters resulting from command substitution as being eligible for filename generation.

HASH_CMDS

Note the location of each command the first time it is executed. Subsequent invocations of the same command will use the saved location, avoiding a path search. If this option is unset, no path hashing will be done at all.

HASH_DIRS

Whenever a command is executed, hash the directory containing it, as well as all directories that occur earlier in the path. Has no effect if HASH_CMDS is unset.

HASH_LIST_ALL

Whenever a command completion is attempted, make sure the entire command path is hashed first. This makes the first completion slower.

HIST_ALLOW_CLOBBER

Add `|' to output redirections in the history. This allows history references to clobber files even when CLOBBER is unset.

HIST_BEEP

Beep when an attempt is made to access a history entry which isn't there.

HIST_IGNORE_DUPS (-h)

Do not enter command lines into the history list if they are duplicates of the previous event.

HIST_IGNORE_SPACE (-g)

Do not enter command lines into the history list if any command on the line begins with a blank.

HIST_NO_FUNCTIONS

Do not store function definitions in the history list.

HIST_NO_STORE

Remove the history (fc -l) command from the history when invoked.

HIST_REDUCE_BLANKS

Remove superfluous blanks from each command line being added to the history list.

HIST_VERIFY

Whenever the user enters a line with history substitution, don't execute the line directly; instead, perform history substitution and reload the line into the editing buffer.

HUP

Send the HUP signal to running jobs when the shell exits.

IGNORE_BRACES (-I)

Do not perform brace expansion.

IGNORE_EOF (-7)

Do not exit on end-of-file. Require the use of exit or logout instead. However, ten consecutive EOFs will cause the shell to exit anyway, to avoid the shell hanging if its tty goes away.

INTERACTIVE (-i, ksh: -i)

This is an interactive shell. This option is set upon initialisation if the standard input is a tty and commands are being read from standard input. (See the discussion of SHIN_STDIN.) This heuristic may be overridden by specifying a state for this option on the command line. The value of this option cannot be changed anywhere other than the command line.

INTERACTIVE_COMMENTS (-k)

Allow comments even in interactive shells.

KSH_ARRAYS

Emulate ksh array handling as closely as possible. If this option is set, array elements are numbered from zero, an array parameter without subscript refers to the first element instead of the whole array, and braces are required to delimit a subscript (`${path[2]}' rather than just `$path[2]').

KSH_AUTOLOAD

Emulate ksh function autoloading. This means that when a function is autoloaded, the corresponding file is merely executed, and must define the function itself. (By default, the function is defined to the contents of the file. However, the most common ksh-style case - of the file containing only a simple definition of the function - is always handled in the ksh-compatible manner.)

KSH_GLOB

In pattern matching, the interpretation of parentheses is affected by a preceding `@', `*', `+', `?' or `!'. See section Filename Generation.

KSH_OPTION_PRINT

Alters the way options settings are printed.

LIST_AMBIGUOUS

If this option is set, completions are shown only if the completions don't have a unambiguous prefix or suffix that could be inserted in the command line.

LIST_BEEP

Beep on an ambiguous completion.

LIST_TYPES (-X)

When listing files that are possible completions, show the type of each file with a trailing identifying mark.

LOCAL_OPTIONS

If this option is set at the point of return from a shell function, all the options (including this one) which were in force upon entry to the function are restored. Otherwise, only this option and the XTRACE and PRINT_EXIT_VALUE options are restored. Hence if this is explicitly unset by a shell function the other options in force at the point of return will remain so. A shell function can also guarantee itself a known shell configuration with a formulation like `emulate zsh; setopt localoptions'.

LOGIN (-l, ksh: -l)

This is a login shell. If this option is not explicitly set, the shell is a login shell if the first character of the argv[0] passed to the shell is a `-'.

LONG_LIST_JOBS (-R)

List jobs in the long format by default.

MAGIC_EQUAL_SUBST

All unquoted arguments of the form `identifier=expression' appearing after the command name have filename expansion (that is, where expression has a leading `~' or `=') performed on expression as if it were a parameter assignment. The argument is not otherwise treated specially; it is passed to the command as a single argument, and not used as an actual parameter assignment.

MAIL_WARNING (-U)

Print a warning message if a mail file has been accessed since the shell last checked.

MARK_DIRS (-8, ksh: -X)

Append a trailing `/' to all directory names resulting from filename generation (globbing).

MENU_COMPLETE (-Y)

On an ambiguous completion, instead of listing possibilities or beeping, insert the first match immediately. Then when completion is requested again, remove the first match and insert the second match, etc. When there are no more matches, go back to the first one again. reverse-menu-complete may be used to loop through the list in the other direction. This option overrides AUTO_MENU.

MONITOR (-m, ksh: -m)

Allow job control. Set by default in interactive shells.

MULTIOS

Perform implicit tees or cats when multiple redirections are attempted (see section Redirection).

NOMATCH (+3)

If a pattern for filename generation has no matches, print an error, instead of leaving it unchanged in the argument list. This also applies to file expansion of an initial `~' or `='.

NOTIFY (-5, ksh: -b)

Report the status of background jobs immediately, rather than waiting until just before printing a prompt.

NULL_GLOB (-G)

If a pattern for filename generation has no matches, delete the pattern from the argument list instead of reporting an error. Overrides NOMATCH.

NUMERIC_GLOB_SORT

If numeric filenames are matched by a filename generation pattern, sort the filenames numerically rather than lexicographically.

OVERSTRIKE

Start up the line editor in overstrike mode.

PATH_DIRS (-Q)

Perform a path search even on command names with slashes in them. Thus if `/usr/local/bin' is in the user's path, and he types `X11/xinit', the command `/usr/local/bin/X11/xinit' will be executed (assuming it exists). Commands explicitly beginning with `/', `./' or `../' are not subject to the path search. This also applies to the . builtin, and searches for modules performed by the zmodload builtin.

POSIX_BUILTINS

When this option is set the command builtin can be used to execute shell builtin commands. Parameter assignments specified before shell functions and special builtins are kept after the command completes unless the special builtin is prefixed with the command builtin. Special builtins are ., :, break, continue, declare, eval, exit, export, integer, local, readonly, return, set, shift, source, times, trap and unset.

PRINT_EIGHT_BIT

Print eight bit characters literally in completion lists, etc. This option is not necessary if your system correctly returns the printability of eight bit characters (see man page ctype(3)).

PRINT_EXIT_VALUE (-1)

Print the exit value of programs with non-zero exit status.

PRIVILEGED (-p, ksh: -p)

Turn on privileged mode. This is enabled automatically on startup if the effective user (group) ID is not equal to the real user (group) ID. Turning this option off causes the effective user and group IDs to be set to the real user and group IDs. This option disables sourcing user startup files. If zsh is invoked as `sh' or `ksh' with this option set, /etc/suid_profile is sourced (after /etc/profile on interactive shells). Sourcing ~/.profile is disabled and the contents of the ENV variable is ignored. This option cannot be changed using the -m option of setopt and unsetopt, and changing it inside a function always changes it globally regardless of the LOCAL_OPTIONS option.

PROMPT_BANG

If set, `!' is treated specially in prompt expansion. See section Prompt Expansion.

PROMPT_CR (+V)

Print a carriage return just before printing a prompt in the line editor.

PROMPT_PERCENT

If set, `%' is treated specially in prompt expansion. See section Prompt Expansion.

PROMPT_SUBST

If set, parameter expansion, command substitution and arithmetic expansion are performed in prompts.

PUSHD_IGNORE_DUPS

Don't push multiple copies of the same directory onto the directory stack.

PUSHD_MINUS

Exchanges the meanings of `+' and `-' when used with a number to specify a directory in the stack.

PUSHD_SILENT (-E)

Do not print the directory stack after pushd or popd.

PUSHD_TO_HOME (-D)

Have pushd with no arguments act like `pushd $HOME'.

RC_EXPAND_PARAM (-P)

Array expansions of the form `foo${xx}bar', where the parameter xx is set to (a b c), are substituted with `fooabar foobbar foocbar' instead of the default `fooa b cbar'.

RC_QUOTES

Allow the character sequence `''' to signify a single quote within singly quoted strings.

RCS (+f)

After /etc/zshenv is sourced on startup, source the .zshenv, /etc/zprofile, .zprofile, /etc/zshrc, .zshrc, /etc/zlogin, .zlogin, and .zlogout files, as described in section Files. If this option is unset, only the /etc/zshenv file is sourced.

REC_EXACT (-S)

In completion, recognize exact matches even if they are ambiguous.

RESTRICTED (-r)

Enables restricted mode. This option cannot be changed using unsetopt, and setting it inside a function always changes it globally regardless of the LOCAL_OPTIONS option. See section Restricted Shell.

RM_STAR_SILENT (-H)

Do not query the user before executing `rm *' or `rm path/*'.

RM_STAR_WAIT

If querying the user before executing `rm *' or `rm path/*', first wait ten seconds and ignore anything typed in that time. This avoids the problem of reflexively answering `yes' to the query when one didn't really mean it. The wait and query can always be avoided by expanding the `*' in ZLE (with tab).

SH_FILE_EXPANSION

Perform filename expansion (e.g., ~ expansion) before parameter expansion, command substitution, arithmetic expansion and brace expansion. If this option is unset, it is performed after brace expansion, so things like `~$USERNAME' and `~{pfalstad,rc}' will work.

SH_GLOB

Disables the special meaning of `(', `|', `)' and '<' for globbing the result of parameter and command substitutions, and in some other places where the shell accepts patterns. This option is set by default if zsh is invoked as sh or ksh.

SHIN_STDIN (-s, ksh: -s)

Commands are being read from the standard input. Commands are read from standard input if no command is specified with -c and no file of commands is specified. If SHIN_STDIN is set explicitly on the command line, any argument that would otherwise have been taken as a file to run will instead be treated as a normal positional parameter. Note that setting or unsetting this option on the command line does not necessarily affect the state the option will have while the shell is running - that is purely an indicator of whether on not commands are actually being read from standard input. The value of this option cannot be changed anywhere other than the command line.

SH_OPTION_LETTERS

If this option is set the shell tries to interpret single letter options (which are used with set and setopt) like ksh does. This also affects the value of the - special parameter.

SHORT_LOOPS

Allow the short forms of for, select, if, and function constructs.

SH_WORD_SPLIT (-y)

Causes field splitting to be performed on unquoted parameter expansions. Note that this option has nothing to do with word splitting. (See section Parameter Expansion.)

SINGLE_COMMAND (-t, ksh: -t)

If the shell is reading from standard input, it exits after a single command has been executed. This also makes the shell non-interactive, unless the INTERACTIVE option is explicitly set on the command line. The value of this option cannot be changed anywhere other than the command line.

SINGLE_LINE_ZLE (-M)

Use single-line command line editing instead of multi-line.

SUN_KEYBOARD_HACK (-L)

If a line ends with a backquote, and there are an odd number of backquotes on the line, ignore the trailing backquote. This is useful on some keyboards where the return key is too small, and the backquote key lies annoyingly close to it.

UNSET (+u, ksh: +u)

Treat unset parameters as if they were empty when substituting. Otherwise they are treated as an error.

VERBOSE (-v, ksh: -v)

Print shell input lines as they are read.

XTRACE (-x, ksh: -x)

Print commands and their arguments as they are executed.

ZLE (-Z)

Use the zsh line editor.

Option Aliases

Some options have alternative names. These aliases are never used for output, but can be used just like normal option names when specifying options to the shell.

BRACE_EXPAND

NO_IGNORE_BRACES (ksh and bash compatibility)

DOT_GLOB

GLOB_DOTS (bash compatibility)

HASH_ALL

HASH_CMDS (bash compatibility)

HIST_APPEND

APPEND_HISTORY (bash compatibility)

HIST_EXPAND

BANG_HIST (bash compatibility)

LOG

NO_HIST_NO_FUNCTIONS (ksh compatibility)

MAIL_WARN

MAIL_WARNING (bash compatibility)

ONE_CMD

SINGLE_COMMAND (bash compatibility)

PHYSICAL

CHASE_LINKS (ksh and bash compatibility)

PROMPT_VARS

PROMPT_SUBST (bash compatibility)

STDIN

SHIN_STDIN (ksh compatibility)

TRACK_ALL

HASH_CMDS (ksh compatibility)

Single Letter Options

Default set

-0

CORRECT

-1

PRINT_EXIT_VALUE

-2

NO_BAD_PATTERN

-3

NO_NOMATCH

-4

GLOB_DOTS

-5

NOTIFY

-6

BG_NICE

-7

IGNORE_EOF

-8

MARK_DIRS

-9

AUTO_LIST

-B

NO_BEEP

-C

NO_CLOBBER

-D

PUSHD_TO_HOME

-E

PUSHD_SILENT

-F

NO_GLOB

-G

NULL_GLOB

-H

RM_STAR_SILENT

-I

IGNORE_BRACES

-J

AUTO_CD

-K

NO_BANG_HIST

-L

SUN_KEYBOARD_HACK

-M

SINGLE_LINE_ZLE

-N

AUTO_PUSHD

-O

CORRECT_ALL

-P

RC_EXPAND_PARAM

-Q

PATH_DIRS

-R

LONG_LIST_JOBS

-S

REC_EXACT

-T

CDABLE_VARS

-U

MAIL_WARNING

-V

NO_PROMPT_CR

-W

AUTO_RESUME

-X

LIST_TYPES

-Y

MENU_COMPLETE

-Z

ZLE

-a

ALL_EXPORT

-e

ERR_EXIT

-f

NO_RCS

-g

HIST_IGNORE_SPACE

-h

HIST_IGNORE_DUPS

-i

INTERACTIVE

-k

INTERACTIVE_COMMENTS

-l

LOGIN

-m

MONITOR

-n

NO_EXEC

-p

PRIVILEGED

-r

RESTRICTED

-s

SHIN_STDIN

-t

SINGLE_COMMAND

-u

NO_UNSET

-v

VERBOSE

-w

CHASE_LINKS

-x

XTRACE

-y

SH_WORD_SPLIT

sh/ksh emulation set

-C

NO_CLOBBER

-X

MARK_DIRS

-a

ALL_EXPORT

-b

NOTIFY

-e

ERR_EXIT

-f

NO_GLOB

-i

INTERACTIVE

-l

LOGIN

-m

MONITOR

-n

NO_EXEC

-p

PRIVILEGED

-r

RESTRICTED

-s

SHIN_STDIN

-t

SINGLE_COMMAND

-u

NO_UNSET

-v

VERBOSE

-x

XTRACE

Also note

-A

Used by set for setting arrays

-c

Used on the command line to specify a single command

-m

Used by setopt for pattern-matching option setting

-o

Used in all places to allow use of long option names

-s

Used by set to sort positional parameters

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