can't use '~' in zsh autocompletion - autocomplete

Question

I use zsh and I want to use a function I wrote to replace cd.
This function gives you the ability to move to a parent directory:
$ pwd
/a/b/c/d
$ cl b
$ pwd
/a/b
You can also move into a subdirectory of a parent directory:
$ pwd
/a/b/c/d
$ cl b/e
$ pwd
/a/b/e
If the first part of the path is not a parent directory, it will just function as normal cd would. I hope that makes sense.
In summary, when in /a/b/c/d, I want to be able to move to /a, /a/b, /a/b/c, all subdirectories of /a/b/c/d and any absolute path starting with /, ~/ or ../ (or ./).
I hope that makes sense.
This is the function I wrote:
cl () {
local first=$( echo $1 | cut -d/ -f1 )
if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
# cl without any arguments moves back to the previous directory
cd - > /dev/null
elif [ -d $first ]; then
# If the first argument is an existing normal directory, move there
cd $1
else
# Otherwise, move to a parent directory
cd ${PWD%/$first/*}/$1
fi
}
There is probably a better way to this (tips are welcome), but I haven't had any problems with this so far.
Now I want to add autocompletion. This is what I have so far:
_cl() {
pth=${words[2]}
opts=""
new=${pth##*/}
[[ "$pth" != *"/"*"/"* ]] && middle="" || middle="${${pth%/*}#*/}/"
if [[ "$pth" != *"/"* ]]; then
# If this is the start of the path
# In this case we should also show the parent directories
opts+=" "
first=""
d="${${PWD#/}%/*}/"
opts+="${d//\/// }"
dir=$PWD
else
first=${pth%%/*}
if [[ "$first" == "" ]]; then
# path starts with "/"
dir="/$middle"
elif [[ "$first" == "~" ]]; then
# path starts with "~/"
dir="$HOME/$middle"
elif [ -d $first ]; then
# path starts with a directory in the current directory
dir="$PWD/$first/$middle"
else
# path starts with parent directory
dir=${PWD%/$first/*}/$first/$middle
fi
first=$first/
fi
# List al sub directories of the $dir directory
if [ -d "$dir" ]; then
for d in $(ls -a $dir); do
if [ -d $dir/$d ] && [[ "$d" != "." ]] && [[ "$d" != ".." ]]; then
opts+="$first$middle$d/ "
fi
done
fi
_multi_parts / "(${opts})"
return 0
}
compdef _cl cl
Again, probably not the best way to do this, but it works... kinda.
One of the problems is that what I type cl ~/, it replaces it with cl ~/ and does not suggest any directories in my home folder. Is there a way to get this to work?
EDIT
cl () {
local first=$( echo $1 | cut -d/ -f1 )
if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
# cl without any arguments moves back to the previous directory
local pwd_bu=$PWD
[[ $(dirs) == "~" ]] && return 1
while [[ $PWD == $pwd_bu ]]; do
popd >/dev/null
done
local pwd_nw=$PWD
[[ $(dirs) != "~" ]] && popd >/dev/null
pushd $pwd_bu >/dev/null
pushd $pwd_nw >/dev/null
elif [ -d $first ]; then
pushd $1 >/dev/null # If the first argument is an existing normal directory, move there
else
pushd ${PWD%/$first/*}/$1 >/dev/null # Otherwise, move to a parent directory or a child of that parent directory
fi
}
_cl() {
_cd
pth=${words[2]}
opts=""
new=${pth##*/}
local expl
# Generate the visual formatting and store it in `$expl`
_description -V ancestor-directories expl 'ancestor directories'
[[ "$pth" != *"/"*"/"* ]] && middle="" || middle="${${pth%/*}#*/}/"
if [[ "$pth" != *"/"* ]]; then
# If this is the start of the path
# In this case we should also show the parent directories
local ancestor=$PWD:h
while (( $#ancestor > 1 )); do
# -f: Treat this as a file (incl. dirs), so you get proper highlighting.
# -Q: Don't quote (escape) any of the characters.
# -W: Specify the parent of the dir we're adding.
# ${ancestor:h}: The parent ("head") of $ancestor.
# ${ancestor:t}: The short name ("tail") of $ancestor.
compadd "$expl[#]" -fQ -W "${ancestor:h}/" - "${ancestor:t}"
# Move on to the next parent.
ancestor=$ancestor:h
done
else
# $first is the first part of the path the user typed in.
# it it is part of the current direoctory, we know the user is trying to go back to a directory
first=${pth%%/*}
# $middle is the rest of the provided path
if [ ! -d $first ]; then
# path starts with parent directory
dir=${PWD%/$first/*}/$first
first=$first/
# List all sub directories of the $dir/$middle directory
if [ -d "$dir/$middle" ]; then
for d in $(ls -a $dir/$middle); do
if [ -d $dir/$middle/$d ] && [[ "$d" != "." ]] && [[ "$d" != ".." ]]; then
compadd "$expl[#]" -fQ -W $dir/ - $first$middle$d
fi
done
fi
fi
fi
}
compdef _cl cl
This is as far as I got on my own. It does works (kinda) but has a couple of problems:
When going back to a parent directory, completion mostly works. But when you go to a child of the paretn directory, the suggestions are wrong (they display the full path you have typed, not just the child directory). The result does work
I use syntax-hightlighting, but the path I type is just white (when using going to a parent directory. the normal cd functions are colored)
In my zshrc, I have the line:
zstyle ':completion:*' matcher-list 'm:{a-z}={A-Za-z}' '+l:|=* r:|=*'
Whith cd this means I can type "load" and it will complete to "Downloads". With cl, this does not work. Not event when using the normal cd functionality.
Is there a way to fix (some of these) problems?
I hope you guys understand my questions. I find it hard to explain the problem.
Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

This should do it:
_cl() {
# Store the number of matches generated so far.
local -i nmatches=$compstate[nmatches]
# Call the built-in completion for `cd`. No need to reinvent the wheel.
_cd
# ${PWD:h}: The parent ("head") of the present working dir.
local ancestor=$PWD:h expl
# Generate the visual formatting and store it in `$expl`
# -V: Don't sort these items; show them in the order we add them.
_description -V ancestor-directories expl 'ancestor directories'
while (( $#ancestor > 1 )); do
# -f: Treat this as a file (incl. dirs), so you get proper highlighting.
# -W: Specify the parent of the dir we're adding.
# ${ancestor:h}: The parent ("head") of $ancestor.
# ${ancestor:t}: The short name ("tail") of $ancestor.
compadd "$expl[#]" -f -W ${ancestor:h}/ - $ancestor:t
# Move on to the next parent.
ancestor=$ancestor:h
done
# Return true if we've added any matches.
(( compstate[nmatches] > nmatches ))
}
# Define the function above as generating completions for `cl`.
compdef _cl cl
# Alternatively, instead of the line above:
# 1. Create a file `_cl` inside a dir that's in your `$fpath`.
# 2. Paste the _contents_ of the function `_cl` into this file.
# 3. Add `#compdef cl` add the top of the file.
# `_cl` will now get loaded automatically when you run `compinit`.
Also, I would rewrite your cl function like this, so it no longer depends on cut or other external commands:
cl() {
if (( $# == 0 )); then
# `cl` without any arguments moves back to the previous directory.
cd -
elif [[ -d $1 || -d $PWD/$1 ]]; then
# If the argument is an existing absolute path or direct child, move there.
cd $1
else
# Get the longest prefix that ends with the argument.
local ancestor=${(M)${PWD:h}##*$1}
if [[ -d $ancestor ]]; then
# Move there, if it's an existing dir.
cd $ancestor
else
# Otherwise, print to stderr and return false.
print -u2 "$0: no such ancestor '$1'"
return 1
fi
fi
}
Alternative Solution
There is an easier way to do all of this, without the need to write a cd replacement or any completion code:
cdpath() {
# `$PWD` is always equal to the present working directory.
local dir=$PWD
# In addition to searching all children of `$PWD`, `cd` will also search all
# children of all of the dirs in the array `$cdpath`.
cdpath=()
# Add all ancestors of `$PWD` to `$cdpath`.
while (( $#dir > 1 )); do
# `:h` is the direct parent.
dir=$dir:h
cdpath+=( $dir )
done
}
# Run the function above whenever we change directory.
add-zsh-hook chpwd cdpath
Zsh's completion code for cd automatically takes $cdpath into account. No need to even configure that. :)
As an example of how this works, let's say you're in /Users/marlon/.zsh/prezto/modules/history-substring-search/external/.
You can now type cd pre and press Tab, and Zsh will complete it to cd prezto. After that, pressing Enter will take you directly to /Users/marlon/.zsh/prezto/.
Or let's say that there also exists /Users/marlon/.zsh/prezto/modules/prompt/external/agnoster/. When you're in the former dir, you can do cd prompt/external/agnoster to go directly to the latter, and Zsh will complete this path for you every step of the way.