See also man 1 zshmisc.

null command shorthands:

 "< file" is like "$READNULLCMD <file"
 "> file" is like "cat >file"
 ">> file" is like "cat >>file"

Append `exit 1' at the end of all *.sh - files:

 $ echo "exit 1" >> *.sh

Append /etc/services at the end of file `foo' and `bar':

 $ cat /etc/services >> foo >> bar

Pipe STDERR:

 $ echo An error >&2 2>&1 | sed -e 's/A/I/'

Requires setopt multios! Some examples:

Print output of 'ls' into files 'foo' and 'bar':

 $ ls >foo >bar

Send standard output of one process to standard input of several processes in the pipeline:

 $ process1 > >(process1) > >(process2)

Redirection to file as well as send on to pipe:

 $ make install > /tmp/logfile | grep -i error

Redirect stderr to a command like xless without redirecting stdout as well:

 $ foo 2>>(xless)
... but this executes the command asynchronously. To do it synchronously:
 $ { { foo 1>&3 } 2>&1 | xless } 3>&1

Redirect stderr two times:

 $ setopt multios ; program 2> file2 > file1 2>&1

More fun with stderr:

 $ ./my-script.sh 2> >(grep -v geek >error.log) | process-output > output.log
   echo "Thats STDOUT" >>(sed 's/stdout/another example/' > foobar)

Modifiers are a powerful mechanism that lets you modify the results returned by parameter, filename and history expansion. See zshexpn(1) for details. Remove a trailing pathname component, leaving the head. This works like `dirname':

  $ echo =ls(:h)
  /bin

  $ echo =ls(:t)
  ls

  $ echo $PWD
  /usr/src/linux
  $ echo $PWD:t
  linux

  $ foo=23.42
  $ echo $foo
  23.42
  $ echo $foo:e
  42

  $ echo =ls(:h)
  /bin
  $ !echo:p
  $ echo =ls(:h)

  $ bar="23'42"
  $ echo $bar
  23'42
  $ echo $bar:q
  23'42

  $ bar=FOOBAR
  $ echo $bar
  FOOBAR
  $ echo $bar:l
  foobar

  $ bar=foobar
  $ echo $bar
  foobar
  $ echo $bar:u
  FOOBAR

  sentence="beginning and some words of a sentence with end."

  words=${(s| |)sentence}
  print $words[1] -> "beginning"
  print $words[-1] ->"end."

  print "${(C)words[1]} $words[2,-1]"

  colonlist=${(j|,|)words} # (j|,|) joins with ",".

  print ${(t)colonlist} prints "scalar".
  print ${(t)words} prints "array".

  print ${(o)words} # lists the words-array sorted (forwards)
  print ${(O)words} # lists the words-array sorted (backwards)

See also man 1 zshcompctl zshcompsys zshcompwid. zshcompctl is the old style of zsh programmable completion, zshcompsys is the new completion system, zshcompwid are the zsh completion widgets. Some functions, like _apt and _dpkg, are very slow. You can use a cache in order to proxy the list of results (like the list of available debian packages) Use a cache:

 zstyle ':completion:*' use-cache on
 zstyle ':completion:*' cache-path ~/.zsh/cache

 zstyle ':completion:*:(all-|)files' ignored-patterns '(|*/)CVS'
 zstyle ':completion:*:cd:*' ignored-patterns '(*/)#CVS'

Fuzzy matching of completions for when you mistype them:

 zstyle ':completion:*' completer _complete _match _approximate
 zstyle ':completion:*:match:*' original only
 zstyle ':completion:*:approximate:*' max-errors 1 numeric

And if you want the number of errors allowed by _approximate to increase with the length of what you have typed so far:

 zstyle -e ':completion:*:approximate:*' max-errors 'reply=( $(( ($#PREFIX+$#SUFFIX)/3 )) numeric )'

Ignore completion functions for commands you don't have:

 zstyle ':completion:*:functions' ignored-patterns '_*'

With helper functions like:

 xdvi() { command xdvi ${*:-*.dvi(om[1])} }

 zstyle ':completion:*:*:xdvi:*' menu yes select
 zstyle ':completion:*:*:xdvi:*' file-sort time

Completing process IDs with menu selection:

 zstyle ':completion:*:*:kill:*' menu yes select
 zstyle ':completion:*:kill:*'   force-list always

If you end up using a directory as argument, this will remove the trailing slash (usefull in ln)

 zstyle ':completion:*' squeeze-slashes true

cd will never select the parent directory (e.g.: cd ../<TAB>):

 zstyle ':completion:*:cd:*' ignore-parents parent pwd

See man zshexpn | less -p 'Glob Qualifiers'

List file 'foobar' via recursiv search in directories:

 $ ls **/foobar

List files file20, file30, file100, etc:

 $ ls file<20->

List files with suffix c and pro (e.g. foo.c, bar.pro):

 $ ls *.(c|pro)

List files which are word-readable:

 $ ls *(R)

List all .c-files except 'lex.c':

 $ ls *.c~lex.c

List all `README' - files case-insensitive with max. one typo (e.g. RADME, REEME, RAEDME):

 $ ls (#a1)README

List files named README but accept one spelling error including case-insensitive (e.g. RADME, REEME, RAEDME):

 $ ls (#ia1)README

List executable files, directories and symlinks:

 $ ls *(*@)

List dangling symlinks:

 $ ls **/*(-@)

List all zero-length-files which are not group- or world-writable:

 $ ls *(L0f.go-w.)

List all .c-files for which there doesn't exist a .o file:

 $ c=(*.c) o=(*.o(N)) eval 'ls ${${c:#(${~${(j:|:)${o:r}}}).c}:?done}'

Find (and print) all symbolic links without a target within the current dirtree:

 $ file **/*(D@) | fgrep broken
 $ for i in **/*(D@); [[ -f $i || -d $i ]] || echo $i
 $ echo **/*(@-^./=%p)
 $ print -l **/*(-@)

Rename all MP3-files from name with spaces.mp3 to Name With Spaces.mp3:

 $ for i in *.mp3; do
          mv $i ${${(C)i}:s/Mp3/mp3/}
   done

Rename all PDF-files from name.mp3 to Name.mp3 (lowercase to uppercase of first letter) without touching the rest of the filename:

 $ zmv '([a-z])(*).pdf' '${(C)1}$2.pdf'

Substitutions in strings can be done by string-indexes:

 $ a="doh.";a[1]='d';a[-1]='. (Bart Simpson)'
 $ echo $a
 doh. (Bart Simpson)

Associative arrays:

 $ typeset -A ass_array; ass_array=(one 1 two 2 three 3 four 4)
 $ print ${(k)ass_array} # prints keys
 one four two three
 $ print ${(v)ass_array} # prints values
 1 4 2 3
 $ print $ass_array[one]
 1

Extract parts of a string. Print first word of output of 'date':

 $ print ${$( date )[1]}

Extract parts of a string. Print ip-address of loopback device:

 $ print ${${$( LC_ALL=C /sbin/ifconfig lo )[6]}#addr:}

Print specific line of a file. E.g. print line 5 of file:

 $ print -l ${"$( < file )"[(f)5]}

Print line containing string 'root' of file /etc/passwd:

 $ print ${"$( < /etc/passwd )"[(fr)*root*]}

Print words two to four of output of 'date':

 $ print ${$( date )[2,4]}

Use of two-dimensional indizes. Print time via date but without seconds:

 $ print ${$(date)[4][1,5]}

Calculate floating point numbers:

 $ printf "%.0fn" $[ 2.8*15 ]

Convert images from foo.gif to foo.png:

 $ for i in **/*.gif; convert $i $i:r.png

Download files created with LaTeX2HTML (e.g. the ZSH-Guide):

 $ for f in http://zsh.sunsite.dk/Guide/zshguide{,{01..08}}.html; do
     lynx -source $f >${f:t}
   done

Make with dpkg a master-list of everyfile that it has installed:

 $ diff <(find / | sort) <(cat /var/lib/dpkg/info/*.list | sort)

Replace this color escape-sequences:

 $ autoload colors ; colors
 $ print "$bg[cyan]$fg[blue]Welcome to man zsh-lovers" >> $TTY

Get ASCII value of a character:

 $ char=N ; print $((#char))

Filename suffix. Note: (N) activates setopt nullglob only for this loop.

 $ for i in *.o(N); do
          rm $i
   done

Rename files: 'FOO' to 'foo':

 $ for i in *(.); mv $i ${i:l}

Rename files: 'bar' to 'BAR':

 $ for i in *(.); mv $i ${i:u}

Show all suid-files in $PATH:

 $ ls -latg ${(s.:.)PATH} | grep '^...s'

Requires 'autoload zmv'. Some examples:

Move serially all files (foo.foo > 1.foo, fnord.foo > 2.foo, ..).

 $ ls *
 1.c  asd.foo  bla.foo  fnord.foo  foo.fnord  foo.foo
 $ c=1 zmv '*.foo' '$((c++)).foo'
 $ ls *
 1.c  1.foo  2.foo  3.foo  4.foo  foo.fnord

See above, but now only files with a filename >= 30 chars.

 $ c=1 zmv "${(l:30-4::?:)}*.foo" '$((c++)).foo'

Replace spaces in filenames with a underline.

 $ zmv '* *' '$f:gs/ /_'

Change the suffix from *.sh to *.pl.

 $ zmv -W '*.sh' '*.pl'

Lowercase/uppercase all files and directories.

 $ zmv '(*)' '${(L)1}' for lowercase
 $ zmv '(*)' '${(U)1}' for uppercase

Remove the suffix *.c from all c-files.

 $ zmv '(*).c' '$1'

Uppercase only the first letter of all *.mp3 - files.

 $ zmv '([a-z])(*).mp3' '${(C)1}$2.mp3'

Copy the target `README' in same directory as each `Makefile'.

 $ zmv -C '(**/)Makefile' '${1}README'

Rename pic1.jpg, pic2.jpg,.. to pic0001.jpg, pic0002.jpg,...

 $ zmv 'pic(*).jpg' 'pic${(l:4::0:)1}.jpg'
 $ zmv '(**/)pic(*).jpg' '$1/pic${(l:4::0:)2}.jpg' # recursive

See also man zshmodules. Don't forget to run zmodload -i MODULENAME before using a module. Example: zmodload -i zsh/datetime.

zsh/cap

Builtins for manipulating POSIX.1e (POSIX.6) capability (privilege) sets.

zsh/clone

A builtin that can clone a running shell onto another terminal. Creates a forked instance of the current shell ($! is set to zero) and execute ``command'' on /dev/tty8 (for this example):

 $ zmodload zsh/clone
 $ clone /dev/tty8 && (($! == 0)) && exec command

zsh/compctl

The compctl builtin for controlling completion.

zsh/complete

The basic completion code.

zsh/complist

Completion listing extensions.

zsh/computil

A module with utility builtins needed for the shell function based completion system.

zsh/datetime

Some date/time commands and parameters. Do not have GNU date? Let's replace it:

 $ alias datereplacement='strftime "%Y-%m-%d" $EPOCHSECONDS'
 $ export DATE=`datereplacement`
 $ echo $DATE

zsh/deltochar

A ZLE function duplicating EMACS' zap-to-char.

zsh/example

An example of how to write a module.

zsh/files

Some basic file manipulation commands as builtins.

# search a directory for files containing a certain string then copy those files to another directory.
  $ IFS=$'0'
  $ cp $(grep -lZr foobar .) otherdirectory

zsh/mapfile

Access to external files via a special associative array.

# grepping for two patterns
  $ pattern1="foo"
  $ pattern2="bar foo"
  $ print -l ./**/*(DN.e{'z=$mapfile[$REPLY] &&
  [[ $z = *$pattern1* && $z = *$pattern2* ]]'})
# or a solution in combination with zsh/pcre
  $ zmodload -i zsh/mapfile zsh/pcre
  $ pattern1="foo"
  $ pattern2="bar foo"
  $ pcre_compile "(?s)(?=.*?$pattern1).*?$pattern2"
  $ pcre_study
  $ print -l ./**/*(DN.e{'pcre_match $mapfile[$REPLY]'})

# equivalent for ``less /etc/passwd | grep -v root'' $ IFS=$'nn' $ print -rl -- ${${=mapfile[/etc/passwd]}:#*root*} # or - for case insensitive $ setopt extendedglob $ print -rl -- ${${=mapfile[/etc/passwd]}:#*(#i)root*}

# If a XML-file contains stuff like ``<TAGA/>'' and ``<TAGB/>'', number this empty tags # (ones ending in '/>') so if encountered in the same order, the preceeding tags would become # ``<TAGA/>1</TAGA>'' and ``<TAGB/>2</TAGB>'' $ cnt=0 $ apfile[data.xml.new]=${(S)mapfile[data.xml]// > (#im)<TAGA>*</TAGA>/<TAGA>$((++cnt))</TAGA>}

# removing all files in users Maildir/new that contain ``filename="gone.src'' $ zmodload zsh/{files,mapfile} $ rm -f /u1/??/*/Maildir/new/100*(.e{'[[ $mapfile[$REPLY] == *filename=

# Grep out the Title from a postscript file and append that value to the end of # the filename $ autoload -U zmv $ zmv '(*).ps' '$1-${${${mapfile[$f]##*%%Title: }%% *}//[^a-zA-Z0-9_]/}.ps'

zsh/mathfunc

Standard scientific functions for use in mathematical evaluations.

$ echo $(( sin(1/4.0)**2 + cos(1/4.0)**2 - 1 ))
  -1.1102230246251565e-16
$ echo $(( pi = 4.0 * atan(1.0) ))
  3.1415926535897931
$ echo $(( f = sin(0.3) ))
  0.29552020666133955
$ print $(( rand48(seed) ))
  0.01043488334700271

zsh/parameter

Access to internal hash tables via special associative arrays.

zsh/pcre

Interface to the PCRE library. Important: requires zsh compiled with pcre-support. Check whether your version supports pcre via `ldd =zsh | grep pcre`. PCRE provides support for Perl's regular expressions (regex). You have to compile a regex and can match it afterwards using error codes:

 $ zmodload zsh/pcre
 $ pcre_compile '\s\d.\d{3}.\d{3} Euro'  &&\
   pcre_match ' 1.000.000 Euro' &&\
   echo "matches" || echo "does not match"

Note: if you are using complex regular expressions you can improve speed via pcre_study.

zsh/sched

A builtin that provides a timed execution facility within the shell.

zsh/net/socket

Manipulation of Unix domain sockets $ zmodload zsh/net/socket $ zsocket -l -d 3 # ``-l'': open a socket listening on filename # ``-d'': argument will be taken as the target file descriptor for the # connection # ``3'' : file descriptor. See ``A User's Guide to the Z-Shell'' # (3.7.2: File descriptors) $ zsocket -a -d 4 3 # ``-a'': accept an incoming connection to the socket $ zsocket -a -d 5 3 # accept a connection $ echo foobar >&4 $ echo barfoo >&5 $ 4>&- 5>&- 3>&- In one shell:

 $ zmodload zsh/net/socket
 $ zsocket -l -d 3 /tmp/mysocket # open listening socket
 $ zsocket -a -d 4 3             # accept a connection
 $ zsocket -a -d 5 3             # accept a connection
 $ echo Hi there >&4
 $ echo Hi there also >&5
 $ exec 4>&- 5>&- 3>&-

In another shell:

 $ zmodload zsh/net/socket
 $ zsocket -d 3 /tmp/mysocket # connect to /tmp/socket
 $ zsocket -d 4 /tmp/mysocket # connect to /tmp/socket
 $ read msg <&3; echo got: "$msg on fd 3"
 $ read msg <&4; echo got: "$msg on fd 4"
 $ exec 3>&- 4>&-

zsh/stat

A builtin command interface to the stat system call. Get size of a file in bytes:

 $ zmodload -i zsh/stat
 $ stat -L +size file

Equal to GNU's:

 $ stat -c %s file

Comparing file dates:

  $ file1=foo
  $ file2=bar
  $ touch bar & sleep 5 & touch foo
  $ echo $file1 is $(( $(stat +mtime $file2) - $(stat +mtime $file1) )) seconds older than $file2.
  bar is 5 seconds older than foo

List the files of a disk smaller than some other file:

  $ stat -A max +size some-other-file
  $ print -rl ./**/*(D.L-$max)

List the top 100 biggest files in a disk:

  $ ls -fld ./**/*(d`stat +device .`OL[1,100])

Get only the user name and the file names from (like ls -l * | awk '{print $3" " $8}'):

  $ for file; do
  >   stat -sA user +uid -- "$file" &&
  >     print -r -- "$user" "$file"
  > done

Get the difference between actual bytes of file and allocated bytes of file:

  $ print $(($(stat +block -- file) * 512 - $(stat +size -- file)))

Find largest file:

  $ stat +size ./*(DOL[1])
  # ``D''  : to include dot files (d lowercase is for device)
  # ``O''  : reverse Ordered (o lowercase for non-reverse order)
  # ``L''  : by file Length (l is for number of links)
  # ``[1]'': return only first one

Delete files in a directory that hasn't been accessed in the last ten days and send ONE mail to the owner of the files informing him/her of the files' deletion:

  $ zmodload zsh/stat zsh/files
  $ typeset -A f; f=()
  $ rm -f /path/**/*(.a+10e{'stat -sA u +uidr $REPLY; f[$u]="$f[$u]$REPLY"'})
  $ for user (${(k)f}) {print -rn $f[$user]|mailx -s "..." $user}

Get a "ls -l" on all the files in the tree that are younger than a specified age:

  $ for d (. ./**/*(N/m-2))
  >   print -r -- $'n'$d: && cd $d && {
  >      for f (*(Nm-2om))
  >   stat -F '%b %d %H:%M' -LsAs -- $f &&
  >   print -r -- $s[3] ${(l:4:)s[4]} ${(l:8:)s[5]} \
  >   ${(l:8:)s[6]} ${(l:8:)s[8]} $s[10] $f ${s[14]:+-> $s[14]}
  >   cd ~-
  > }

Get file creation date:

  $ stat -F '%d %m %Y' +mtime ~/.zshrc
  30 06 2004
  $ stat -F '%D' +mtime ~/.zshrc
  06/30/04

zsh/system

A builtin interface to various low-level system features.

zsh/net/tcp

Manipulation of TCP sockets

zsh/termcap

Interface to the termcap database.

 $ zmodload -ab zsh/termcap echotc
 $ GREEN=`echotc AF 2`
 $ YELLOW=`echotc AF 3`
 $ RED=`echotc AF 1`
 $ BRIGHTRED=`echotc md ; echotc AF 1`
 $ print -l ${GREEN}green ${YELLOW}yellow ${RED}red ${BRIGHTRED}brightred

zsh/terminfo

Interface to the terminfo database.

zsh/zftp

A builtin FTP client. Write ftp scripts as though shell:

 $ init
 $ autoload -U zfinit && zfinit
 $ zfparams www.example.invalid myuserid mypassword
 $ zfopen
 $ zfcd tips
 $ zfls -l zsh-lovers.html
 $ zfput zsh-lovers.html
 $ zfls -l zsh-lovers.html

Automatically transfer files using FTP with error checking:

  $ zftp open host.name.invalid user passwd || exit
  $ zftp get /remote/file > /local/file; r=$?
  $ zftp close && exit r

Compress and ftp on the fly:

  $ zftp open host.name.invalid user password
  $ zftp get $file | bzip2 > ${file}.bz2
  $ zftp close

Long list of files on a ftp:

  $ autoload -U zfinit
  $ zfinit
  $ zfopen some-host
  $ zfcd /some/remote/Dir
  $ cd /some/local/Dir

If the list.txt is located on the remote host, change to $ zfget ${(f)"$(zftp get /path/to/remote/list.txt)"} $ zfget ${(f)"$(cat list.txt)"} $ zfclose

zsh/zle

The Zsh Line Editor, including the bindkey and vared builtins.

zsh/zleparameter

Access to internals of the Zsh Line Editor via parameters.

zsh/zprof

A module allowing profiling for shell functions.

zsh/zpty

A builtin for starting a command in a pseudo-terminal.

 $ zmodload -i zsh/zpty
 $ zpty PW passwd $1
 # ``-r'': read the output of the command name.
 # ``z'' : Parameter
 $ zpty -r PW z '*password:'
 # send the to command name the given strings as input
 $ zpty -w PW $2
 $ zpty -r PW z '*password:'
 $ zpty -w PW $2
 # | The second form, with the -d option, is used to delete commands
 # | previously started, by supplying a list of their names. If no names
 # | are given, all commands are deleted. Deleting a command causes the HUP
 # | signal to be sent to the corresponding process.
 $ zpty -d PW

zsh/zselect

Block and return when file descriptors are ready.

# It's simular to
 ,----
 | $ sg=$(stty -g)
 | $ stty -icanon min 0 time 50
 | $ read yesno
 | $ stty "$sg"
 | $ case "$yesno" in
 | >  yes) command1;;
 | >  *) command2;;
 | > esac
 `----
$ if zselect -t 500 -r 0 && read yesno && [ yes = "$yesno" ]; then
>    command1
> else
>    command1
> fi

zsh/zutil

Some utility builtins, e.g. the one for supporting configuration via styles.

Path substitution:

 $ ls -l =zsh  # is like: 'ls -l /path/to/zsh' or 'ls -l `which zsh`'

Process substitution:

 $ (vi =(cmd)) # edit output of 'cmd' (called process substitution).

Substitution of variables:

 $ var1=42
 $ tmp=var1
 $ echo $((tmp))
 42
 $

$ var=foo $ tmp=var $ echo ${(P)tmp} foo

Suffix aliases are supported in zsh since version 4.2.0. Some examples:

 alias -s tex=vim
 alias -s html=w3m
 alias -s org=w3m

Now pressing return-key after entering 'foobar.vim' starts vim with foobar.vim. Calling a html-file runs browser w3m. 'www.zsh.org' and pressing enter starts w3m with argument www.zsh.org.

Global aliases can be used anywhere in the command line. Example:

 $ alias -g C='| wc -l'
 $ grep alias ~/.zsh/* C
 443

Some more or less useful global aliases (choose whether they are useful or not for you on your own):

 alias -g ...='../..'
 alias -g ....='../../..'
 alias -g .....='../../../..'
 alias -g CA="2>&1 | cat -A"
 alias -g C='| wc -l'
 alias -g D="DISPLAY=:0.0"
 alias -g DN=/dev/null
 alias -g ED="export DISPLAY=:0.0"
 alias -g EG='|& egrep'
 alias -g EH='|& head'
 alias -g EL='|& less'
 alias -g ELS='|& less -S'
 alias -g ETL='|& tail -20'
 alias -g ET='|& tail'
 alias -g F=' | fmt -'
 alias -g G='| egrep'
 alias -g H='| head'
 alias -g HL='|& head -20'
 alias -g §k="*~(*.bz2|*.gz|*.tgz|*.zip|*.z)"
 alias -g LL="2>&1 | less"
 alias -g L="| less"
 alias -g LS='| less -S'
 alias -g MM='| most'
 alias -g M='| more'
 alias -g NE="2> /dev/null"
 alias -g NS='| sort -n'
 alias -g NUL="> /dev/null 2>&1"
 alias -g PIPE='|'
 alias -g R=' > /c/aaa/tee.txt '
 alias -g RNS='| sort -nr'
 alias -g S='| sort'
 alias -g TL='| tail -20'
 alias -g T='| tail'
 alias -g US='| sort -u'
 alias -g VM=/var/log/messages
 alias -g X0G='| xargs -0 egrep'
 alias -g X0='| xargs -0'
 alias -g XG='| xargs egrep'
 alias -g X='| xargs'

Array parameters [array_name=(value1 value2 ... valueN)].

 $ stupid=emacs
 $ echo $stupid[3]
 a
 $

This section provides some examples for often needed shellscript-stuff. Notice that you should not use otherwise most examples won't work. Parse options in shellscripts. Example taken from ZWS by Adam Chodorowski (http://www.chodorowski.com/projects/zws/):

parse_options()
{
    o_port=(-p 9999)
    o_root=(-r WWW)
    o_log=(-d ZWS.log)

zparseopts -K -- p:=o_port r:=o_root h=o_help if [[ $? != 0 || "$o_help" != "" ]]; then echo Usage: $(basename "$0") "[-p PORT] [-r DIRECTORY]" exit 1 fi

port=$o_port[2] root=$o_root[2] log=$o_log[2]

if [[ $root[1] != '/' ]]; then root="$PWD/$root"; fi } # now use the function: parse_options $*

Hint: A list of valid glob Qualifiers can be found in zshexpn(1). See ``man 1 zshexpn | less -p'' Qualifiers for details. Load all available modules at startup

 $ typeset -U m
 $ m=()
 $ for md ($module_path) m=($m $md/**/*(*e:'REPLY=${REPLY#$md/}'::r))
 $ zmodload -i $m

 $ for i in *.mp3; do
 >     mv $i ${${(C)i}:s/Mp3/mp3/}
 > done

 $ for f in http://zsh.sunsite.dk/Guide/zshguide{,{01..08}}.html; do
 >     lynx -source $f >${f:t}
 > done

 $ autoload colors ; colors
 $ print "$bg[cyan]$fg[blue]You are an zsh user" >> /dev/pts/3

 $ for i in *.o(N); do
 >     rm $i
 > done

 $ for f in ./**/*(-@); do
 >     stat +link -A l $f
 >     (cd $f:h & [[ -e $l.gz ]]) & ln -sf $l.gz $f
 > done

  $ c=(*.c) o=(*.o(N)) eval 'ls ${${c:#(${~${(j:|:)${o:r}}}).c}:?done}'

  $ typeset -U m
  $ m=()
  $ for md ($module_path) m=($m $md/**/*(*e:'REPLY=${REPLY#$md/}'::r))
  $ zmodload -i $m

  $ i=1; for j in *; do mv $j $i.$j; ((i++)); done
  $ i=1; for f in *; do mv $f $(echo $i| awk '{ printf("%03d", $0)}').$f; ((i++)); done
  $ integer i=0; for f in *; do mv $f $[i+=1].$f; done

  $ $ file **/*(D@) | fgrep broken
  $ for i in **/*(D@); [[ -f $i || -d $i ]] || echo $i
  $ echo **/*(@-^./=%p)
  $ print -l **/*(-@)

  $ ls **/*~*(${~${(j/|/)fignore}})(.)
  # see above, but now omit executables
  $ ls **/*~*(${~${(j/|/)fignore}})(.^*)

  $ printf '%sn' ^?*.*

  $ print -rl -- *(On)
  or
  $ print -rl -- *(^on)

  $ print -l /proc/*/cwd(:h:t:s/self//)

  $ pid2 () {
  >   local i
  >   for i in /proc/<->/stat
  > do
  >   [[ "$(< $i)" = *\((${(j:|:)~@})\)* ]] && echo $i:h:t
  > done
  > }

  $ for (( i = 36#n; i <= 36#y; i++ )); do
  >   print ${$(([##36]i)):l}
  > done
# or in combination with ``dc''
  $ print {$((##n))..$((##y))}P 10P | dc
# or with ``eval''
  $ eval print '${$(([##36]'{$((36#n))..$((36#y))}')):l}'

  $ for f (*) print -r -- $f

  $ dirs=(**/*(/))
  $ cd -- $dest_root
  $ mkdir -p -- $dirs
# or without zsh
  $ find . -type d -exec env d="$dest_root" sh -c ' exec mkdir -p -- "$d/$1"' '{}' '{}' ;

  $ foo=23
  $ print ${(r:10::0:)foo}

  print -rl $HOME/${(l:20::?:)~:-}*

  $ print -r -- ${(qq)m} > $nameoffile      # save it
  $ eval "m=($(cat -- $nameoffile)"            # or use
  $ m=("${(@Q)${(z)"$(cat -- $nameoffile)"}}") # to restore it

  $ ls -tld **/*(m-2)

  $ for d (. ./**/*(/)) {
  >   print -r -- $'n'${d}:
  >   cd $d && {
  >       l=(*(Nm-2))
  >       (($#l)) && ls -ltd -- $l
  >       cd ~-
  >   }
  > }

  $ for d (. ./**/*(/)) {
  >   print -r -- $'n'${d}:
  >   cd $d && {
  >      l=(*(N/,m-2))
  >      (($#l)) && ls -ltd -- $l
  >      cd ~-
  >   }
  > }

  $ for d (. ./**/*(N/m-2)) {
  >   print -r -- $'n'${d}:
  >   cd $d && {
  >      l=(*(Nm-2))
  >      (($#l)) && ls -ltd -- $l
  >      cd ~-
  >   }
  > }

  $ echo ${(l:42::-:)}
# or use ``$COLUMS''
  $ echo ${(l:$COLUMNS::-:)}
# and now with colors (require autoload colors ;colors)
  $ echo "$bg[red]$fg[black]${(l:42::-:)}"

  $ foo 2>>(xless)
# but this executes the command asynchronously. To do it synchronously:
  $ { { foo 1>&3 } 2>&1 | xless } 3>&1

  $ for i in *.mp3; do
  >     mv $i ${${(C)i}:s/Mp3/mp3/}
  > done

  $ ls -l [0-9]##.xml
  $ ls -l <0->.xml

  $ rm ./^*.txt

  $ mv -- *([1,200]) /another/Dir

  $ for i in **/*.gif; convert $i $i:r.png

  $ for i (./*.mp3){mpg321 --w - $i > ${i:r}.wav}

  $ for f in http://zsh.sunsite.dk/Guide/zshguide{,{01..08}}.html; do
  >     lynx -source $f >${f:t}
  > done

  $ mv dir[12]/**/*.cr(-.e{'((`wc -l < $REPLY` > 10))'}) /more10

  $ diff <(find / | sort) <(cat /var/lib/dpkg/info/*.list | sort)

  $ autoload colors ; colors
  $ print "$bg[cyan]$fg[blue]You are an zsh user" >> /dev/pts/3

  $ char=N ; print $((#char))

  $ for i in *.o(N); do
  >     rm $i
  > done

  $ for i in *(.); mv $i ${i:l} # `FOO' to `foo'
  $ for i in *(.); mv $i ${i:u} # `bar to `BAR'

  $ ls -latg ${(s.:.)PATH} | grep '^...s'
# or more complex ;)
  $ print -l ${^path}/*(Ns,S)
# or show only executables with a user given pattern
  $ print -l ${^path}/*vim*(*N)

  $ gzip ${(ps:0:)"$(grep -lZ foobar ./*.txt(.))"}

  $ IFS=$'nn'; print -rl -- ${(Oau)${(Oa)$(cat file;echo .)[1,-2]}}

  $ print -l ${^path}/*(-*N)

  $ ls **/*.c~(*/)#SCCS/*

  $ ls **/*(#ia2)readme

 $ print $ZSH_VERSION

Get hostspecific information:

 $ echo $MACHTYPE $VENDOR $OSTYPE

Fast change of directories:

 alias ...='cd ../..'
 alias ....='cd ../../..'
 alias .....='cd ../../../..'
 alias ......='cd ../../../../..'
 alias .......='cd ../../../../../..'

Mailpath: simple multiple mailpath:

  mailpath=($HOME/Mail/mbox'?new mail in mbox'
            $HOME/Mail/tux.u-strasbg'?new mail in tux'
            $HOME/Mail/lilo'?new mail in lilo'
            $HOME/Mail/ldap-fr'?new mail in ldap-fr')

Mailpath: dynamic mailpath:

  typeset -a mailpath
  for i in ~/Mail/Lists/*(.); do
     mailpath[$#mailpath+1]="${i}?You have new mail in ${i:t}."
  done

Avoid globbing on special commands:

for com in alias expr find mattrib mcopy mdir mdel which;
alias $com="noglob $com"

For migrating your bashprompt to zsh use the script bash2zshprompt located in the zsh source distribution under 'Misc'.

For migration from (t)csh to zsh use the c2z tool that converts csh aliases and environment and shell variables to zsh. It does this by running csh, and having csh report on aliases and variables. The script then converts these to zsh startup files. It has some issues and usage information that are documented at the top of this script.

Here are functions to set the title and hardstatus of an XTerm or of GNU Screen to 'zsh' and the current directory, respectively, when the prompt is displayed, and to the command name and rest of the command line, respectively, when a command is executed:

  function title {
      if [[ $TERM == "screen" ]]; then
        # Use these two for GNU Screen:
        print -nR $'033k'$1$'033'\
        print -nR $'033]0;'$2$'a'
      elif [[ $TERM == "xterm" || $TERM == "rxvt" ]]; then
        # Use this one instead for XTerms:
        print -nR $'033]0;'$*$'a'
      fi
  }

function precmd { title zsh "$PWD" }

function preexec { emulate -L zsh local -a cmd; cmd=(${(z)1}) title $cmd[1]:t "$cmd[2,-1]" } Put the following line into your ~/.screenrc to see this fancy hardstatus:

  caption always "%3n %t%? (%u)%?%?: %h%?"

Special variables which are assigned or you can assign:

 $ echo $LINENO $RANDOM $SECONDS $COLUMNS $HISTCHARS
 $ echo $UID $EUID $GID $EGID $USERNAME
 $ echo $fignore $mailpath $cdpath

Show me all the .c files for which there doesn't exist a .o file:

 $ c=(*.c) o=(*.o(N)) eval 'ls ${${c:#(${~${(j:|:)${o:r}}}).c}:?done}'

Find (and print) all symbolic links without a target within the current dirtree:

 $ file **/*(D@) | fgrep broken
 $ for i in **/*(D@); [[ -f $i || -d $i ]] || echo $i
 $ echo **/*(@-^./=%p)
 $ print -l **/*(-@)

Rename files; i. e. FOO to foo and bar to BAR:

 $ for i in *(.); mv $i ${i:l} # `FOO' to `foo'
 $ for i in *(.); mv $i ${i:u} # `bar to `BAR'

 $ ls -latg ${(s.:.)PATH} | grep '^...s'

 $ ls **/*(#ia2)readme

Search for `README' in all Subdirectories

 $ print -l **/README

 $ chmod 700 **/(.) # Only files
 $ chmod 700 **/(/) # Only directories

 $ ls -l foo<23->

 $ for a in ./**/*\ *(Dod); do mv $a ${a:h}/${a:t:gs/ /_}; done

 $ ls -l *.(c|h)

 $ ls *.c~foo.c

 $ ls -l *(R)

 # deletes all regular file in /Dir that are older than 3 hours
   $ rm -f /Dir/**/*(.mh+3)
 # # deletes all symlinks in /Dir that are older than 3 minutes
   $ rm -f /Dir/**/*(@mm+3)
 # deletes all non dirs in /Dir that are older than 30 seconds
   $ rm -f /Dir/**/*(ms+30^/)
 # deletes all files more than 6 hours old
   $ rm -f **/*(mh+6)
 # deletes all folders, sub-folders and files older than one hour
   $ rm ./**/*(.Dmh+1,.DL0)
 # removes all files but the ten newer ones (delete all but last 10 files in a directory)
  $ rm ./*(Om[1,-11])

Note: If you get a arg list too long, you use the builtin rm. For example: $ zmodload zsh/files ; rm -f **/*(mh+6) or use the zargs function: $ autoload zargs ; zargs **/*(mh+6) -- rm -f Explanation:

   ./: to avoid problem with files starting with "-"
  **/: recursively descend
   *.: any file
(...): qualifiers:
	   (<a>,<b>): files of <a> type or <b> type
	    <a>:
	        .: regular files
	        D: including dot files
	     mh+1: whose [m]odification time, is more (+) than [1]
	           [h]our in the past.
	    <b>:
	       .: regular files
	       D: including dot files
	       L0: of 0 [L]ength.

 # ``/'' matches only directories and ``od'' sorted in depth order (so
 # that dir/subdir is removed before directory).
 $ rmdir ./**/*(/od) 2> /dev/null

 $ zmodload zsh/files ; rm -f **/*(mh+6)

 $ autoload zargs ; zargs **/*(mh+6) -- rm -f

 $ rm ./*filename*(Om[1])

 $ ls -fld *(OL)

 $ setopt dotglob ; print directory/**/*(om[1])

 $ zmodload -i zsh/stat ; ls -fld ./**/*(d`stat +device .`OL[1,100])

 $ ls *(L0f.go-w.)

 $ chmod someuser /**/*(D^u:${(j.:u:.)${(f)"$(</etc/passwd)"}%%:*}:)

 $ ls -l *(G[users])

Note: ``autoload zmv'' needed! See ``man zshcontrib | less -p zmv'' for more details. Serially all files (foo.foo > 1.foo, fnord.foo > 2.foo, ..):

 $ ls *
 1.c  asd.foo  bla.foo  fnord.foo  foo.fnord  foo.foo
 $ c=1 zmv '*.foo' '$((c++)).foo'
 $ ls *
 1.c  1.foo  2.foo  3.foo  4.foo  foo.fnord

 $ c=1 zmv "${(l:30-4::?:)}*.foo" '$((c++)).foo'

 $ zmv '* *' '$f:gs/ /_'

 $ zmv -W '*.sh' '*.pl'

 # lowercase
   $ zmv '(*)' '${(L)1}'
 # uppercase
   zmv '(*)' '${(U)1}'

 $ zmv '(*).c' '$1'

 $ zmv '([a-z])(*).mp3' '${(C)1}$2.mp3'

 $ zmv -C '(**/)Makefile' '${1}README'

$ zmv -Q "(**/)(*'*)(D)" "\$1\${2//'/}"

$ zmv -Q "(**/)(* *)(D)" "\$1\${2// /_}"

 # Not recursively
   $ zmv 'pic(*).jpg' 'pic${(l:4::0:)1}.jpg'
 # Recursively
   $ zmv '(**/)pic(*).jpg' '$1/pic${(l:4::0:)2}.jpg'

!! # last command !$ # last argument !$:h (last argument, strip one level) !?echo vi !* (all parameters) vi !$ (last parameters) !42 history ^fred^joe # edit previous command replace fred by joe !42:p also use control-R

cmdy !?cmd1?:*<TAB> #get parameters of a previous command

!:0 is the previous command name !^, !:2, !:3, ?, !$ are the arguments !* is all the arguments !-2, !-3, ? are earlier commands !-2^, !-2:2, !-2$, !-2*

cd !$:h (remove file name) cat !!:t (only file name) print ${param:&} (last substitute)

# globbing modifiers # :r removes the suffix from the result, # :t takes away the directory part # . means must be regular files not directories etc # *(om[1]) picks most recently modified file # (.N) no warning message if any file absent print *(om[1]) # print the most recent file print *(.om[1]) # print the most recent file (not directory) ls -l *(Om[1]) # oldest file print *(om[1,5]) # print the 5 most recent files vi *(.om[1]^D) # vi newest file ^D means switch off GLOB_DOTS ls -l *(m4) # list files modified exactly 4 days ago ls -ltd *(mw3) # list files 3 weeks old echo *(m-1) # files modified today echo *(m0) # files modified today rm *.{aux,dvi,log,toc}(.N) # rm latex temp files N means no error msg is any file absent

print *(n:t) # order by name strip directory print **/*(On:t) # recursive reverse order by name, strip directory print *.c(:r) # strip suffix ls **/*(.) # only files no directories -ld *(/) # list only directories FOO = (#i)foo ]] # case insensitive matching #oddities fred=$((6**2 + 6)) # can do maths print ${#path} # length of "path" array print ${#path[1]} # length of first element in path array ls fred{joe,sid}.pl ls fred{09..13}.pl

# arrays array=(~/.zshenv ~/.zshrc ~/.zlogout) % print ${array:t} .zshenv .zshrc .zlogout

x="bu&^*ck" # variable with mucky characters print ${x//[^[:alnum:]]/_} # replace all non-alphanumerics with _

cp file ~1 # where 1 is first entry in pushd stack #zsh completion startfilename<tab> # will complete matching files anywhere in $PATH startfilename<C-D> # will list matching files anywhere in $PATH #directory sizes du -sk *(/)

ls * | grep foo | less #to ls * G foo L #

#magic equals vim =some_file # edits file anywhere in $PATH ls =some_file # lists file anywhere in $PATH #magic ** (recursion) vim **/some_file # edits file under under current dir # modifying more than one file (multios) # writes ls results to file1 & file2 appends to filec ls > file1 > file2 >> file3 | wc

Find file containing string 'printf' in /usr/include.

 $ zargs /usr/include/**/*.h -- grep printf /dev/null

A solution without zsh could look like:

 $ find /usr/include -name \*.h -exec grep printf /dev/null {} ;

Create a directory structure based on an existing one.

 $ dirs=(**/*(/))
 $ cd -- $dest_root
 $ mkdir -p -- $dirs

A solution without zsh could look like:

 $ src=/usr/local
 $ dst=/opt
 $ cd "$src"
 $ find . -type d | cpio -pdmv "$dst"

Uncompress file and read it

less <(gzip -cd foo.gz)

A solution without zsh could look like:

 $ gzip -cd foo.gz && less foo

Print two files and sort them

 $ sort <f{oo,ubar}

A solution without zsh could look like:

 $ cat foo fubar | sort

Find files up from current directory and change permissions to '700'.

 $ chmod 700 **/*(.)

A solution without zsh could look like:

 $ find . -type f -exec chmod 700 {} \;

List details of the executable 'foobar'.

 $ ls -l =foobar

A solution without zsh could look like:

 $ ls -l `which foobar`

Small examples

'cd old new' replaces 'old' with 'new' in directory-names.
'which -a cmd' lists all occurences of 'cmd' in $PATH.