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Tips and Tricks for the CLI (Command Line Interface)

Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:37 pm
by intric8
A brief yet helpful list of commands I've come across that help one navigate the CLI.
  • You can pause the text scrolling in the CLI window, which comes in handy when you have a large list flying by after using the List, Dir or Type commands, or any other command or whatnot that shoots a ton of data out in a single burst. All you have to do is press any character key. This pauses the scroll so you can actually read, but doesn't "break" the command like the Escape key would. To continue the scroll, press BACKSPACE to delete the character you added to the screen. The easiest way to start and restart a scrolling disk directory is to press SPACE and BACKSPACE.
  • Pressing the left mouse button also stops text output. When you release the mouse button, the text will continue (I love this). This is super handy when text is scrolling past so fast that you can't quite read it, like the List, Dir, and Type commands mentioned above. This takes two hands to do properly, but the advantage of the mouse is you have a much shorter strike distance than you do a spring-loaded keyboard key. So, at least for me, this allows for more precision and less banging of my precious keyboard.
  • <CTRL><H> Deletes the last character entered (or BACKSPACE)
  • <CTRL><I> Moves the cursor to a tab position to the right or <Tab> (default 5 character)
  • <CTRL><J> Enters line feed without executing the entered command. This allows multiple command entry. Pressing the <Return> key executes all commands in sequence
  • <CTRL><L> Clears the screen
  • <CTRL><M> Ends the line and executes the entered or <Return> commands
  • <CTRL><X> Deletes the current line
Edit: A few more, in no particular order, but still confined to the CLI:

Dragging a directory from lister or an opened window and dropping it into Shell will make the command line go to that directory.

No need to type CD to go to directory... just type directory name.

Type the first letter and hit TAB, and Shell will display all commands that begins with that letter (if you want to really learn something, go start typing letters!)

In an empty Shell, hit TAB and it will open the classic lister to choose a directory with mouse, and a simple [Enter] will send you there. No need to type commands and go to directories.

Shut Down: Just turn off the power! Ever since Windows entered our lives, shutting down machines became a nail biter, until mobile OSes, perhaps. But at the time, the idea of shutting off a computer by killing the power would have made a Win 95 user's face turn red.

CTRL+SHIFT+LMButton will open COPY/PASTE text and part of the typed text in Shell.
amiga1cli.png
Amiga CLI commands from WB 1.0


Re: Tips and Tricks for the CLI (Command Line Interface)

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 1:04 am
by Shot97
The only thing I can think to add is that a great many of your previous entered commands are stored in memory and can be easily brought up again by pressing the up arrow which will start from your last entered command and go backward. Upon going through those commands you can press the down arrow to cycle the other way.

I have used this many times when copying .adf files to disk on the Amiga.

Re: Tips and Tricks for the CLI (Command Line Interface)

Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 3:22 pm
by TenLeftFingers
Yes. I'd love the command history to be saved across 'sessions' like on linux. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if KingCON or similar provided that functionality.

Re: Tips and Tricks for the CLI (Command Line Interface)

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2019 2:17 pm
by Tekk
Is KingCon still working with 3.1.4? I've installed it and do not have the feeling it's working. Are there alternatives. It's not been update for ages.

Re: Tips and Tricks for the CLI (Command Line Interface)

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2019 11:00 pm
by McTrinsic
KingCON does for sure work under 3.1.4.
maybe get the last update to 1.6 (or was it 1.8?).

You might want to consider VincED which seems the much more complete overall package.

From the same author as 3.1.4 ;) .

Re: Tips and Tricks for the CLI (Command Line Interface)

Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 3:42 pm
by Tekk
Thanks, I'll have a go :)

Re: Tips and Tricks for the CLI (Command Line Interface)

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2022 1:03 am
by Valter
Hi there! Great post. I learned a few things here.

I am using a fs-uae emulator on Linux and my Tab key doesn't work in the shell. Any ideas?

Also would love to know if there's a way of stopping the scroll similar to Linux 'more' or 'less' command when you type 'the dir' command on the amiga shell.

Thanks

Re: Tips and Tricks for the CLI (Command Line Interface)

Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 11:14 am
by Zippy Zapp
Valter wrote:
Tue Feb 15, 2022 1:03 am
Also would love to know if there's a way of stopping the scroll similar to Linux 'more' or 'less' command when you type 'the dir' command on the amiga shell.
Sure thing. As stated above, in AmigaDOS you can use spacebar to pause and backspace to resume. Comes in handy with long directories. You can use this in other commands too, such as TYPE.