pg: View files one page at a time (pager)

pg: View files one page at a time

pg is a simple pager used to display a file or standard input one page at a time. It’s handy when you want to read long files without scrolling continuously.

Quick start

  • View a file:
pg {{path/to/file}}
  • Display help:
pg {{-h|--help}}
  • View a file from stdin (pipe data into pg):
echo "line 1\nline 2" | pg

  • Exit pg: press q

  • Scroll: use the Space bar to go forward a page, or Enter to go one line at a time

What happens under the hood

pg reads the file or input and displays it page by page. It’s similar to more or less but aims for a minimal, straightforward experience. If a file is very large, pg will load and render it in chunks as you navigate.

Common pitfalls

  • Not giving pg a file and piping nothing to it: pg will wait for input infinitely. If you meant to view a file, specify the path.
    • Example pitfall:
pg

Without input, pg sits idle. If you intended to read from a file, provide the path:

pg /var/log/syslog
  • Forgetting to exit: if you’re used to editors, you might try to quit with Ctrl+C. In pg, press q to quit.
  • Terminal width issues: very narrow terminals can wrap lines awkwardly. If a file has long lines, you may want to page less or adjust terminal size.

Practical examples

  • View a system log page by page:
pg /var/log/syslog
  • Read a large text file over SSH without transferring the whole file locally:
ssh user@host 'cat /path/to/largefile' | pg
  • Use with pipes to filter output and then page it:
grep -i 'error' /var/log/syslog | pg

Tips for better usage

  • Combine with less-like shortcuts: Space to page forward, b to page back (if pg supports it on your version), / to search (depends on build).
  • If you want better navigation features, consider using more, less, or a more capable pager, and set the PAGER environment variable accordingly:
export PAGER=less
  • Check which pager pg is invoking by inspecting environment variables or man page:
man pg

Troubleshooting

  • pg not found: install the package providing pg for your distro (often part of util-linux or a similar util package).
  • Behavior differs between systems: some builds of pg support different keybindings. Refer to the help output for your exact build:
pg -h
  • If a long file scrolls slowly, ensure your terminal supports the required features (modern terminals generally do). If not, try a more feature-rich pager like less.

Alternatives worth knowing

  • less: a more feature-rich pager with search, backward navigation, and many options.
  • more: a simpler alternative in many environments.

TL;DR recap

  • Use pg to view files page by page: pg path/to/file
  • Quit with q; navigate with Space (page) and Enter (line)
  • Use stderr/stdout piping to page dynamic output: command | pg

For most quick reads, pg does the job with straightforward keybindings and minimal setup. If you need advanced navigation, consider less or a similar pager.

See Also