Enabling termcap initialization when using bat as a pager

[rickyson96]

One of less option is that it can disable sending the termcap initialization and deinitialization using -X option (less -X somefile.txt). This option prints less output even after quitting. Right now, bat display output in this behavior even when displaying output with pager. Is there any way for bat to enable the termcap initialization when displaying output, so that I could have the less behavior without -X option?

PS: I know that this is a cat clone, not less clone, and this is a feature of less. But I personally think that bat is more than both, and can be used as replacement for both utility. CMIIW and feel free to close this issue if it is not applicable.

[sharkdp]

One of less option is that it can disable sending the termcap initialization and deinitialization using -X option (less -X somefile.txt). This option prints less output even after quitting. Right now, bat display output in this behavior even when displaying output with pager.

Yes. bat actually uses less behind the scenes and it calls less with the -X option by default, unless you instruct it to do otherwise.

Is there any way for bat to enable the termcap initialization when displaying output, so that I could have the less behavior without -X option?

Yes, please see the corresponding section in the README: https://github.com/sharkdp/bat#using-a-different-pager

[sharkdp]

Actually, there seems to be a problem with bats --pager option in the current release, as I have just found out. But you should be able to use:

export BAT_PAGER="less -FR"

[rickyson96]

isee @sharkdp
thank you for looking into this issue and fix it. 🎉