How to show line numbering in nano when opening a file

Question

Is there a way to tell nano to automatically show line numbering each time I open a file?

Answer 1

The keyboard combination to display the current line number whilst you are using nano is CTRL+C.

Alternatively, to display the line & column number position you could just use the -c parameter when launching nano i.e:

nano -c [filename]

To make this permanent, nano uses a configuration in your home folder ~/.nanorc

Thus to display line numbers always when using nano...

nano ~/.nanorc

(don't worry if its empty - this file doesn't exist by default)

type set constantshow

N.B. the deprecated syntax set const is shown in the animation

Save

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Since you are using line numbers remember you can use ALT+G to jump to a specific line number.

Answer 2

Compile Nano from source:

git clone git://git.savannah.gnu.org/nano.git;cd nano;./autogen.sh;./configure;sudo make install 

Then add the following to your .nanorc file:

set linenumbers

You can use Meta+# to turn line numbers on and off from within Nano.

Answer 3

If nano -c filename does not work, use nano filename then Ctrl +_. It will ask you for the line number to go to.

Answer 4

Accidentally found nice shortcut: Alt + Shift + 3.

Answer 5

If you have already opened the file with nano you press

Ctrl+w+t

(not simultaneusly, press control and w, then without letting go control and letting go w, press t)

This command will require column and line, you enter them this way:

10,23 (enter)

and you will end up in line 10 character 23.

If you are at the top of the file and you only want to find the line:

Ctrl+w+t and then 10

If you are at a acertain line and you want to find the column:

Ctrl+w+t and then ,23

If you haven't opened the file yet, you can do this:

nano +10,23 file (enter)

and the file will open with cursor in the line 10, chanracter 23, so you can try also:

nano +10 file (enter)

nano +,23 file (enter) (Note that this will send you to the character 23 of the first line only)