(reverse-i-search) in bash

Question

I usually end up using CTRL+r for (reverse-i-search), however, sometimes I pass the command that I was looking for; if I do again a (reverse-i-search) it doesn't find it anymore. I assume that the current pointer to the command history is before the command I'm looking for.

Does anybody knows how to go back to the most current command in the history without having to click 1000 times the down arrow?

Thanks

Answer 1

There's a similar question on stackoverflow.com.

The best answer there is to use Ctrl+G to cancel the current search.

Answer 2

Actually, another answer to that question gives a better option.

In your ~/.bashrc add the following line:

stty -ixon

Then you can use Ctrl-s to step forward through the history in the same way as you would use Ctrl-r to step backward.

This will even work to start a new forward search (called i-search as opposed to reverse-i-search) while browsing through history. Suppose you do Ctrl-r and type some text of a command near your destination then press up arrow several times overshooting what you were really looking for (or you change your mind). Now press Ctrl-s and type a few characters from that line. Zoooom! Straight to it.