bash prior to version 4.2 doesn't allow any control over the output format of completions, unfortunately.
Bash 4.2+ allows switching to 1-suggestion-per-line output globally, as explained in Grisha Levit's helpful answer, which also links to a clever workaround to achieve a per-completion-function solution.
The following is a tricky workaround for a custom completion.
Solving this problem generically, for all defined completions, would be much harder (if there were a way to invoke readline functions directly, it might be easier, but I haven't found a way to do that).
To test the proof of concept below:
- Save to a file and source it (
. file) in your interactive shell - this will:
- define a command named
foo (a shell function)
- whose arguments complete based on matching filenames in the current directory.
- (When
foo is actually invoked, it simply prints its argument in diagnostic form.)
- Invoke as:
foo [fileNamePrefix], then press tab:
- If between 2 and 9 files in the current directory match, you'll see the desired line-by-line display.
- Otherwise (1 match or 10 or more matches), normal completion will occur.
Limitations:
- Completion only works properly when applied to the LAST argument on the command line being edited.
- When a completion is actually inserted in the command line (once the match is unambiguous), NO space is appended to it (this behavior is required for the workaround).
- Redrawing the prompt the first time after printing custom-formatted output may not work properly: Redrawing the command line including the prompt must be simulated and since there is no direct way to obtain an expanded version of the prompt-definition string stored in
$PS1, a workaround (inspired by https://mcmap.net/q/499244/-how-to-expand-ps1) is used, which should work in typical cases, but is not foolproof.
Approach:
- Defines and assigns a custom completion shell function to the command of interest.
- The custom function determines the matches and, if their count is in the desired range, bypasses the normal completion mechanism and creates custom-formatted output.
- The custom-formatted output (each match on its own line) is sent directly to the terminal
>/dev/tty, and then the prompt and command line are manually "redrawn" to mimic standard completion behavior.
- See the comments in the source code for implementation details.
# Define the command (function) for which to establish custom command completion.
# The command simply prints out all its arguments in diagnostic form.
foo() { local a i=0; for a; do echo "\$$((i+=1))=[$a]"; done; }
# Define the completion function that will generate the set of completions
# when <tab> is pressed.
# CAVEAT:
# Only works properly if <tab> is pressed at the END of the command line,
# i.e., if completion is applied to the LAST argument.
_complete_foo() {
local currToken="${COMP_WORDS[COMP_CWORD]}" matches matchCount
# Collect matches, providing the current command-line token as input.
IFS=$'\n' read -d '' -ra matches <<<"$(compgen -A file "$currToken")"
# Count matches.
matchCount=${#matches[@]}
# Output in custom format, depending on the number of matches.
if (( matchCount > 1 && matchCount < 10 )); then
# Output matches in CUSTOM format:
# print the matches line by line, directly to the terminal.
printf '\n%s' "${matches[@]}" >/dev/tty
# !! We actually *must* pass out the current token as the result,
# !! as it will otherwise be *removed* from the redrawn line,
# !! even though $COMP_LINE *includes* that token.
# !! Also, by passing out a nonempty result, we avoid the bell
# !! signal that normally indicates a failed completion.
# !! However, by passing out a single result, a *space* will
# !! be appended to the last token - unless the compspec
# !! (mapping established via `complete`) was defined with
# !! `-o nospace`.
COMPREPLY=( "$currToken" )
# Finally, simulate redrawing the command line.
# Obtain an *expanded version* of `$PS1` using a trick
# inspired by https://mcmap.net/q/499244/-how-to-expand-ps1.
# !! This is NOT foolproof, but hopefully works in most cases.
expandedPrompt=$(PS1="$PS1" debian_chroot="$debian_chroot" "$BASH" --norc -i </dev/null 2>&1 | sed -n '${s/^\(.*\)exit$/\1/p;}')
printf '\n%s%s' "$expandedPrompt" "$COMP_LINE" >/dev/tty
else # Just 1 match or 10 or more matches?
# Perform NORMAL completion: let bash handle it by
# reporting matches via array variable `$COMPREPLY`.
COMPREPLY=( "${matches[@]}" )
fi
}
# Map the completion function (`_complete_foo`) to the command (`foo`).
# `-o nospace` ensures that no space is appended after a completion,
# which is needed for our workaround.
complete -o nospace -F _complete_foo -- foo
