Moving the Cursor on the Command Line
Table 2 shows the key combinations or sequences you can use to move the cursor on the command line to make corrections or changes. Ctrl indicates the Control key, which must be pressed simultaneously with its associated letter key. Esc indicates the Escape key, which must be pressed first, followed by its associated letter key. Keys are not case sensitive. Many letters used for CLI navigation and editing were chosen to provide an easy way of remembering their functions. In
Table 2characters are bolded in the "Function Summary" column to indicate the relation between the letter used and the function.
Table 2 Key Combinations Used to Move the Cursor
Keystrokes | Function Summary | Function Details |
|---|
Left Arrow orCtrl-B | Back character | Moves the cursor one character to the left.
When you enter a command that extends beyond a single line, you can press the Left Arrow or Ctrl-B keys repeatedly to scroll back toward the system prompt and verify the beginning of the command entry, or you can press the Ctrl-A key combination. |
Right Arrowor Ctrl-F | Forward character | Moves the cursor one character to the right. |
Esc, B | Back word | Moves the cursor back one word. |
Esc, F | Forward word | Moves the cursor forward one word. |
Ctrl-A | Beginning of line | Moves the cursor to the beginning of the line. |
Ctrl-E | End of line | Moves the cursor to the end of the command line. |