Terminal autocomplete doesn't work properly

Question

If I start typing a command like apt-g after hitting tab, the shell completes the command to apt-get, but for the second part of the command like install, if I enter some characters like insta, hitting tab, doesn't complete it to install.

Another example: after I enter sudo hitting tab doesn't complete anything. for example: sudo apt-ge [tab] and nothing.

I installed Ubuntu using mini iso (40MB network installer), so maybe there is a config that I missed!

I've added this code to my .bashrc but still it does not works:

if ! shopt -oq posix; then
  if [ -f /usr/share/bash-completion/bash_completion ]; then
    . /usr/share/bash-completion/bash_completion
  elif [ -f /etc/bash_completion ]; then
    . /etc/bash_completion
  fi
fi

I have also checked the permission of .bashrc and it's -rw-r--r--.

I also source the .bashrc after changes using source .bashrc to apply the changes to the new environment but still no effects.

I use xfce4-terminal so I thought it might be the terminal and not the bash.

But editing:

~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts.xml

And changing:

<property name="&lt;Super&gt;Tab" type="string" value="switch_window_key"/>

to:

<property name="&lt;Super&gt;Tab" type="string" value="empty"/>

Doesn't makes any difference too.

Answer 1

bash-completion is a set of bash scripts which enables customized completion for specific commands.

This is not just for files and directories, but also e.g. for the commands. So you type partial of commands and by hitting Tab we get a auto completion of commands.

Installation

Step 1: Install bash-completion

$ sudo apt-get install bash-completion

And some times it works if we re-installed it by the follwing command:

$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall bash-completion

Step 2: Enable bash-completion in your .bashrc file

Open your gedit ~/.bashrc and if these content doesn't exist there, add them at the end of it and save it.

# enable bash completion in interactive shells
if ! shopt -oq posix; then
  if [ -f /usr/share/bash-completion/bash_completion ]; then
    . /usr/share/bash-completion/bash_completion
  elif [ -f /etc/bash_completion ]; then
    . /etc/bash_completion
  fi
fi

Important: After changing the file you need to source your ~/.bashrc with source ~/.bashrc or reopen your Terminal. It should be fixed now.

Answer 2

If your case is terminal tab not working under Xfce, the solution is as follows:

1. Open Application Menu > Settings > Window Manager.
2. Click on 'Keyboard' tab.
3. Clear the 'Switch window for same application' setting.

I've found the solution here.

Answer 3

You may also be in a shell that doesn't support auto complete (ex: Bourne Shell | SH). If you want BASH auto complete you need to switch shells, say to BASH (Bourne Again SHell) instead with the command

chsh -s /bin/bash

Source: Ubuntu Wiki - Changing Shells

Answer 4

In my case, I was trying to execute a script ./myScript.sh, and typing ./my[tab] would not auto-complete.

I had to add execute permissions to the file and auto-completion worked.