Bash auto complete

Bash auto complete does not work for me.
In terminal:
Type the first letters of a file name; enter Tab, gives not the expected filename.
How to switch on that feature of Bash?

Running F33 here, GNU bash is Version 5.0.17(1)-release (x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu).

Auto-completion using the key works fine. (Everything is default, no extra package or customization)

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ls 

TabTab

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If you want to extend the completion functionality for some additional commands, install

bash-completion

(If I am not wrong, it’s installed by default)

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I did file a bug. Because this problem is in F33 as well as in Rawhide. (two different desktops)

Can you clarify what completion this is? I’ve never known bash to complete filenames without a command. So:

ls <filename start><tab>

completes but

<filename><tab>

does not—is it expected to? (Have I not know of this feature for 10 years! :laughing:)

If this is the bug you’re referring to:

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1897118

pro <tab>  # notice the space after pro

works because bash thinks of pro as a command, cannot find a specialised completion, and so does the general file name completion—two tabs show all files, <some filename start><tab> will complete the file name.

try to open rpm file. like this rpm filename -U
when I do rpm “first letters of filename” Tab
bash gives nothing

It is that bug. and it is in two desktops, one a fresh install of Rawhide and the other has F33.

This is expected behaviour. For different options of rpm, there are different completions.

So, instead of rpm <file> -U, try:

rpm -U <first letters><tab>

That works just fine.

Similarly, if you use a different option, say -q, you can do:

rpm -q <tab><tab>

and it’ll show all the installed packages that this command can take as an argument.

Additionally, if you do:

rpm <tab>

it’ll add a - and if you press tab again, it’ll complete with the possible options that the rpm command can take:

rpm -<tab>
-e  -E  -F  -i  -q  -t  -U  -V 
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This is a very fine answer. I will unfile the bug… Thank you

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I also recommend using fzf to further enhance your experience:

It’s in the Fedora repositories:

sudo dnf install fzf

Also has a vim-plugin

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For executables, or for filenames that are needed as io following a valid command it should work as long as the portion already entered is unique. If not unique the second tab will give a list of files in the local directory (or executables in the path) that match that beginning.

I have also seen that when using rpm (or dnf) to install an rpm that is in the local directory it is often necessary to start the file name with ./file and it will then auto-complete.

Great, thank you for the lesson.

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