# Creating the /etc/inputrc File

The `/etc/inputrc` file deals with mapping the keyboard for specific situations. This file is the start-up file used by Readline — the input-related library — used by Bash and most other shells.

Most people do not need user-specific keyboard mappings so the command below creates a global `/etc/inputrc` used by everyone who logs in. If you later decide you need to override the defaults on a per-user basis, you can create a `.inputrc` file in the user's home directory with the modified mappings.

For more information on how to edit the `inputrc` file, see `info bash` under the Readline Init File section. `info readline` is also a good source of information.

Below is a generic global `inputrc` along with comments to explain what the various options do. Note that comments cannot be on the same line as commands. Create the file using the following command:

    cat > /etc/inputrc << "EOF"
    # Begin /etc/inputrc
    # Modified by Chris Lynn <roryo@roryo.dynup.net>

    # Allow the command prompt to wrap to the next line
    set horizontal-scroll-mode Off

    # Enable 8bit input
    set meta-flag On
    set input-meta On

    # Turns off 8th bit stripping
    set convert-meta Off

    # Keep the 8th bit for display
    set output-meta On

    # none, visible or audible
    set bell-style none

    # All of the following map the escape sequence of the
    # value contained inside the 1st argument to the
    # readline specific functions

    "\eOd": backward-word
    "\eOc": forward-word

    # for linux console
    "\e[1~": beginning-of-line
    "\e[4~": end-of-line
    "\e[5~": beginning-of-history
    "\e[6~": end-of-history
    "\e[3~": delete-char
    "\e[2~": quoted-insert

    # for xterm
    "\eOH": beginning-of-line
    "\eOF": end-of-line

    # for Konsole
    "\e[H": beginning-of-line
    "\e[F": end-of-line

    # End /etc/inputrc
    EOF