set Options

Table 2.6 lists the options that can be turned on with the set - arg command. All are initially off except where noted. Full Names, where listed, are arguments to set that can be used with set -o. The Full Names braceexpand, histexpand, history, keyword, and onecmd are not available in versions of bash prior to 2.0. Also, in those versions, hashing is switched with -d.

Table B-6. Options to set

Option Full Name Meaning
-a allexport

Export all subsequently defined or modified variables.

-B braceexpand

The shell performs brace expansion. This is on by default.

-b notify

Report the status of terminating background jobs immediately.

-C noclobber

Don’t allow redirection to overwrite existing files.

-e errexit

Exit the shell when a simple command exits with non-zero status. A simple command is a command not part of a while, until, or if; or part of a && or || list; or a command whose return value is inverted by !.

emacs

Use emacs-style command-line editing.

-f noglob Disable pathname expansion.
-H histexpand

Enable ! style history substitution. On by default in an interactive shell.

history

Enable command history. On by default in interactive shells.

-h hashall Disable the hashing of commands.
ignoreeof

Disallow CTRL-D to exit the shell.

-k keyword

Place keyword arguments in the environment for a command.

-m monitor

Enable job control (on by default in interactive shells).

-n noexec

Read commands and check syntax but do not ...

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