Eshell is a shell implemented in Emacs with many commands implemented in Elisp which makes it cross platform and highly integrated to Emacs. The commands ls, pwd, cd and etc. works in the same way for Linux, Windows or OSX. In Windows OS it is a good alternative to cmd.exe.
Command to clear Eshell. It can be invoked with $ clear in eshell.
Features:
- Shell implemented in Emacs Lisp
- Integrated to Emacs
- Eshell can run elisp functions and can be extended in Elisp.
- It is Multiplatform, works on Linux, OSX and Windows.
Example:
file:images/eshell-example1.png
- Mastering Eshell / Mastering Emacs
Start eshell directly in a new Emacs sessions in the terminal wihout load init.el.
$ emacs -Q -q -nw --eval '(eshell)'Or
$ emacs -Q -q -nw -f eshell file:images/eshell_directly_in_terminal.png
Start eshell directly in a new Emacs Window
emacs -q -f eshell # Don't load init file. Or
emacs -q -f eshell # Load init file file:images/eshell_directly_gui.png
Eshell can run Elisp command - M-x <command> like ordinary Unix shell apps.
Open a file in the current window
$ find-file /etc/hosts.conf
Open a file in other window
$ find-file-other-window /etc/host.conf
Open a file in other frame
$ find-file-other-frame /etc/host.conf
Browser a directory in current window
$ dired /var/log
Browser a directory in another window
$ dired-other-window /var/log
Browser a directory in another frame
$ dired-other-frame /var/log
(defun eshell/clear ()
"clear the eshell buffer."
(interactive)
(let ((inhibit-read-only t))
(erase-buffer)))In eshell:
~ $ which eshell
eshell is an interactive compiled Lisp function in `eshell.el'
~ $ Before the command clear:
file:images/eshell_clear1.png
After the command clear:
file:images/eshell_clear2.png
(setq eshell-prompt-function (lambda () "eshell > "))file:images/eshell_prompt_setting1.png
Prompt with current directory
(setq eshell-prompt-function
(lambda nil
(concat
(propertize (eshell/pwd) 'face '(:foreground "#8787af"))
(propertize "❯" 'face '(:foreground "#f75f5f"))
(propertize "❯" 'face '(:foreground "#ffaf5f"))
(propertize "❯" 'face '(:foreground "#87af5f"))
(propertize " " 'face nil))))file:images/eshell_prompt_setting2.png
This command can be used in Menus or with helm.
(defun eshell-chdir (path)
(with-current-buffer "*eshell*"
(cd path)
(eshell-emit-prompt)))
(eshell-chdir "~/Downloads")Usage: M-x eshell-cwd
(defun eshell-cwd ()
"
Sets the eshell directory to the current buffer
Usage: M-x eshell-cwd
"
(interactive)
(let (
(path (file-name-directory (or (buffer-file-name) default-directory)))
)
(with-current-buffer "*eshell*"
(cd path)
(eshell-emit-prompt))))Source: mini-eshell.el
Usage: M-x open-mini-eshell
;; open up a mini-eshell
(defun quarter-window-vertically ()
"create a new window a quarter size of the current window"
(split-window-vertically)
(other-window 1)
(split-window-vertically)
(other-window -1)
(delete-window)
)
(defun open-mini-eshell ()
"open a mini-eshell in a small window at the bottom of the current window"
(interactive)
(quarter-window-vertically)
(other-window 1)
(eshell)
)Usage: M-x eshell-other-frame
(defun eshell-other-frame ()
"
Open eshell in another frame.
Usage: M-x eshell-other-frame
"
(interactive)
(with-selected-frame (make-frame)
(eshell)))Source: Emacs Wiki
This code allows to open files from $ ls command output by selecting
the file name and hitting return or by clicking with the middle mouse
button.
(eval-after-load "em-ls"
'(progn
(defun ted-eshell-ls-find-file-at-point (point)
"RET on Eshell's `ls' output to open files."
(interactive "d")
(find-file (buffer-substring-no-properties
(previous-single-property-change point 'help-echo)
(next-single-property-change point 'help-echo))))
(defun pat-eshell-ls-find-file-at-mouse-click (event)
"Middle click on Eshell's `ls' output to open files.
From Patrick Anderson via the wiki."
(interactive "e")
(ted-eshell-ls-find-file-at-point (posn-point (event-end event))))
(let ((map (make-sparse-keymap)))
(define-key map (kbd "RET") 'ted-eshell-ls-find-file-at-point)
(define-key map (kbd "<return>") 'ted-eshell-ls-find-file-at-point)
(define-key map (kbd "<mouse-2>") 'pat-eshell-ls-find-file-at-mouse-click)
(defvar ted-eshell-ls-keymap map))
(defadvice eshell-ls-decorated-name (after ted-electrify-ls activate)
"Eshell's `ls' now lets you click or RET on file names to open them."
(add-text-properties 0 (length ad-return-value)
(list 'help-echo "RET, mouse-2: visit this file"
'mouse-face 'highlight
'keymap ted-eshell-ls-keymap)
ad-return-value)
ad-return-value)))
(defun clipboard/set (astring)
"Copy a string to clipboard"
(with-temp-buffer
(insert astring)
(clipboard-kill-region (point-min) (point-max))))
;; Copy current directory to clipboard
;;
;; Usage: Enter $ copy-pwd in eshell
;;
(defun eshell/copy-pwd ()
(clipboard/set (eshell/pwd)))
;; Copy file name with full path to clipboard
;;
;; Usage: Enter $ copy-fpath <filename> in eshell.
;;
(defun eshell/copy-fpath (fname)
(let ((fpath (concat (eshell/pwd) "/" fname)))
(clipboard/set fpath)
(concat "Copied path: " fpath)))file:images/eshell_clipboard.png
(eshell/alias "ff" "find-file $1")
(eshell/alias "fw" "find-file-other-window $1")
(eshell/alias "fr" "find-file-other-frame $1")Example of usage:
file:images/emacs_eshell_alias.png