zsh/Completion/README

The subdirectories contain code for the new function-based completion
system.  Broadly speaking, this uses shell functions defined for each
command to determine how the arguments of a command should be completed.

You should copy all the files you need or want to a directory of your own,
which should be included in your autoload path as defined by $fpath.  Then
in your .zshrc you should source the file which appears here in
Core/compinit.  It is recommnded that you use the -d option, which outputs
a file containing the necessary variables, bindkeys etc., making later
loading much faster.  For example,
  [[ -f ~/completion/compinit ]] && . ~/completion/compinit -d
This will rebind any keys which do completion to use the new system.
For more detailed instructions, including how to add new completions, see
the top of Core/compinit .

The subdirectories contain:

Core:
  The basic functions and files to be sourced.  You will certainly need
  these, and will most likely not feel like altering them (or, in some
  cases, even reading them, unless you are a shell wizard).  The files are:
  compinit
    As already described, this is not a function, but is sourced once
    (with the `source' or `.' commands) to set up the completion system.
  compdump
    This dumps the completions status for faster initialisation.  The
    easiest way of doing this is to use the -d option to compinit rather
    than calling compdump directly.
  _comp_parts
    Utility used for completing words with multiple separate parts, such as
    `<user>@<host>'
  _compalso
    Utility for calling a function to add additional completions to an
    already existing set.
  _files
    A frontend to _path_files which will default to any old file if the
    specified file was not found.
  _main_complete
    The main entry point called by the key bindings which compinit sets
    up (the main `completion widget' in zsh jargon).
  _normal
    The function called by _main_complete to handle the most common
    cases, such as completing a command name or its arguments.  This
    function dispatches to the various other functions for individual
    commands.  (Actually, the system is fairly context-sensitive, so
    it is wider than just command+argument.)
  _path_files
    The function usually called to complete filenames and directories.  It
    replaces the standard -f and -/ options for the basic completion
    commands:  it can do various extra tricks, such as expanding a whole
    path at once, e.g. F/C/C/_p<TAB> -> Functions/Completion/Core/_path_files
Base:
  You will almost certainly want these files, too, which handle standard
  tasks like completing files.  However, you may want to edit them for
  your own particular setup.  Files are:
  _command_names
    This handles completion of the command word, i.e. the first thing
    on the command line.  You may want to alter this, for example,
    to complete parameters to assign to.
  _condition
    This handles completing inside [[ ... ]] .
  _default
    This handles completion of command arguments when no special function
    exists.  Usually this means completing files, but you can modify this
    as you wish.
  _match_pattern
  _match_test
    These are used by Base/_path_files (and hence also Base/_files) for
    file completion with control over matching (whether to complete
    case-insensitively, or to allow insertion before `.', etc.)  See
    _match_test for instructions.  Note _path_files expects these files
    to be present.
  _precommand
    Allows completion when the first word on the line has to be ignored,
    for example `noglob ...' should ignore the noglob and just complete
    as if it wasn't there.  Add other such commands to the top line.
  _redirect
    Completes after `<' or `<': this version calls _files.
  _subscript
    For completion in subscripts of parameters, e.g $foo[...].
  _vars
    Completion for commands which need variables (so this could also be in
    the Builtins directory), but also in math environments such as ((...)).
Builtins:
  Define completions for various shell builtins.  The top line of each file
  says which builtins they apply to; in many cases you can guess from the
  name.  Note in particular that _zftp defines completions for all commands
  beginning `zf', not just for the module command zftp.  This is only
  really useful if you use zftp with the zf* function suite (zfopen, zfget,
  ...).
User:
  This contains a pot pourri of completions for various external commands.
  Not all will work unmodified on your system.
Commands:
  These functions define separate completion commands which do not use
  the usual context information, and hence have to be bound separately
  to keys.  As they appear, they have bindings which you can change or
  delete by altering the top line of the file.  To bind a function
  (strictly speaking, the corresponding completion widget) yourself
  after completion is loaded, use `bindkey '<key-string>' <_function_name>'.
  The files are:
  _correct_filename, bound to \C-xc
    Correct the word under the cursor as a filename.  This is significantly
    more powerful than the standard \e$ (spell-word) binding.
  _most_recent_file, bound to \C-xm
    Insert the name of the most recent file matching the pattern
    so far on the command line.