Open System Services Shell and Utilities Reference Manual (G06.25+, H06.03+)

User Commands (k - l) ksh(1)
# Sends the line after inserting a # (number sign) in front of the line. Useful for causing
the current line to be inserted in the history without being executed.
= Lists the filenames that match the current word if an * (asterisk) is appended to it.
@@@@letter
Searches the alias list for an alias by the name _letter . If an alias of this name is
defined, its value is inserted in the input queue for processing.
Special sh Commands
Shell built-in commands are executed by the OSS shell and run entirely within the shell process.
A subshell process is not created for shell built-in commands as it is for a command that is not a
shell built-in command.
The following shell built-in commands also have counterparts that are regular OSS commands
having the same names:
echo.1
kill.1
pwd.1
read.1
The shell built-in command is the default. To run the regular version of a command (instead of
the shell built-in version) specify the command as follows:
/bin/command_name
To make the regular version the default, create an alias to the regular version.
The shell built-in version and the regular version of a command may not behave the same way or
have the same flags.
The shell commands described below are executed in the shell process. Input/output redirection
is permitted.
DESCRIPTION
:[argument ...]
The command only expands arguments. It is used when a command is needed, as in
the then condition of an if command, but nothing is to be done by the command.
Parameter assignment lists that precede the command remain in effect when the com-
mand completes.
I/O redirections are processed after parameter assignments.
Errors cause a script that contains the commands so marked to abort.
. file [argument ...]
Reads the complete file and executes the commands. The commands are executed in
the current shell environment. The search path specified by PATH is used to find the
directory containing file. Unlike normal command search, however, the file searched
for by the . command need not be executable. If any arguments are specified, they
become the positional parameters. Otherwise, the positional parameters are
unchanged. If no readable file is found, a noninteractive shell aborts; an interactive
shell writes a diagnostic message to standard error, but this condition is not considered
a syntax error. The exit status is the exit status of the last command executed, or a 0
(zero) if no command is executed.
Parameter assignment lists that precede the command remain in effect when the com-
mand completes.
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