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I learning how to use git on a Mac and I'm trying to add a file in one of my branches by using the "cat > " command. The problem I'm having is that I want to end editing the file in the terminal but I do not know how to close it. I'm guessing that I need to change "modes" for lack of a better term. How do I proceed?

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cat is not a text editor! Are you trying to be a masochist? xkcd.com/378 – Lie Ryan Oct 11 '10 at 22:57
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2 Answers

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Press Control-D.

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up vote 6 down vote

Type Ctrl+D at the start of a new line. ^D is the "end of file" character when typed from a keyboard.

Note that the ^D character itself is not entered into the file. The file ends just before the point where you type ^D.

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The Enter shouldn't be pressed on Unix-based systems (though MacOS might be an exception?); this isn't DOS where you have to press Enter after ^Z. You may need to press ^D a second time if you aren't already at the start of the line, though. – Chris Jester-Young Oct 11 '10 at 22:53
Indeed. Why did I think you needed to press Enter? Fixed, thanks. – Greg Hewgill Oct 11 '10 at 22:56
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