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28 lines
1.1 KiB
Markdown
28 lines
1.1 KiB
Markdown
# Display Line Numbers While Using Less
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Including line numbers while viewing files with `less` can provide useful
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context for understanding where you are within the file. This is especially true
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if you've used `&` to filter down to lines that match a pattern.
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You can start `less` with line numbers with the `-N` flag (or `--LINE-NUMBERS`
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if you really want to spell it out).
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```bash
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$ less -N log/development.log
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```
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If you've already started up `less` and wish you had included line numbers,
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there is no reason to restart it with the flag. Instead, toggle the line numbers
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option on within the `less` process. To do this, type `-N`. It will prompt you
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with `Constantly display line numbers (press RETURN)`. Hit enter and line
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numbers will appear to the left of each line in the file.
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Similarly, to toggle line numbers back off within `less`, hit `-n` (lower-case
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`n`), accept the prompt, and back off they go.
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Both of these (`-N`/`-n`) are options being set (toggled) via the `-` command.
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There are many other options like these that can be configured within a `less`
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session in the same way.
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See `man less` and find the `-` command and the available `OPTIONS`.
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