17
7
In Linux I'm used to press Ctrl-Backspace to delete the last word but I don't know how to do it in Bash terminal.
In OS X I use Alt-Backspace to do the same thing.
Is there any way of making Bash recognize the Ctrl- or Alt-Backspace key combination to delete last word?
In Linux I use terminator as terminal emulator, in OSX I use iTerm2.
licorna
Posted 2011-06-13T16:43:04.270
Reputation: 471
31
You can always use Ctrl-W. It deletes the word before the cursor and works in every Bash.
See here for a list of Bash keyboard shortcuts.
slhck
Posted 2011-06-13T16:43:04.270
Reputation: 182 472
4This does not answer the question – Sel – 2017-01-18T07:56:16.677
1Wow this may have changed how I use the terminal forever. Thanks! – David – 2012-11-30T13:52:57.450
5
You just need to set Option as Meta key in iTerm's preferences (Profiles » Keys).
backward-kill-word is bound to Meta-Rubout (i.e. Opt-Backspace) by default.
The same option exists (albeit less flexible) in Apple's Terminal.app.
Daniel Beck
Posted 2011-06-13T16:43:04.270
Reputation: 98 421
2Actually, you have to use the "+Esc" setting. Only setting it to "acts as: Meta" results in ? being printed instead of the word getting deleted. – slhck – 2011-06-13T17:32:47.593
@slhck Not for me. But since the developers recommend it anyway, it can't be a bad thing. – Daniel Beck – 2011-06-13T17:34:15.267
2
You can create a file .inputrc in your home directory and add this content inside:
"\C-h": backward-kill-word
Sel
Posted 2011-06-13T16:43:04.270
Reputation: 203
1Note that this and C-w in the accepted answer differ by what is considered a "word". C-w will delete from the cursor position until it encounters non-space characters and then a space (i.e., "this is a/se=weird |test" where | marks the cursor position will yield "this is test"). In contrast, the C-h bind here (which can be bound using bind '"\C-h": backward-kill-word" in a .bashrc) would yield "this is a/se= test", as it basically delimits words on what a bash variable would, not just spaces. – jeremysprofile – 2018-07-16T19:07:54.123
2
In terminator you can use the following "plugin", along with
[keybindings]
kill_word = <Control>BackSpace
in your config file. This will map Ctrl-Backspace to ESC→DEL, another shorcut to delete last word.
OlivierBlanvillain
Posted 2011-06-13T16:43:04.270
Reputation: 71
Unfortunately this stopped working in terminator 1.9. Could you provide a fix by any chance? – Sel – 2017-04-18T08:38:15.447
1Sorry, stopped using terminator long time ago... – OlivierBlanvillain – 2017-04-19T14:14:51.523
0
You can just use Alt-DEL instead of the normal Strg-DEL.
Luca Steeb
Posted 2011-06-13T16:43:04.270
Reputation: 101
1Alt-⌫ a.k.a. Alt-← a.k.a. Alt-Backspace works perfectly fine for me. I'm using Terminator 0.93. – Teddy – 2011-06-14T09:49:12.043