Less view mode output at bottom at first.

[lowerbound123]

Hardware: Macbook pro M1 max
OS: macOS 15.3
version: ghostty 1.1.0

When I use less or other CLI tools use less to display something too long, less will display at bottom at first.

When I use ← or → to switch pages, it will return to the top.

Is any way to make it display at top at first? I tried the iterm2, it will display at top.

[00-kat]

Surprised you don't have this in iTerm2. I have this same behaviour in every single terminal emulator I've ever used less on (though I use Linux so I've never tried iTerm2). I.E.: 99% certain this is a less issue, I'll check if it has a config option related to this in a minute (also try echo $LESS from inside iTerm2, in case it configures less by default) (edit: found nothing relevant).

[lowerbound123]

I tried the built-in terminal and Terminator on Mac, and I didn’t encounter this issue.

Interestingly, I tested three terminals on Ubuntu: Hyper, the build-in terminal, and Terminator. Hyper had the same issue, but the default terminal and Terminator initially displayed at the top. However, if I repeatedly use less, their initial position gradually moves lower.

I think this is indeed a less issue, but it’s strange that iTerm2 and the Mac built-in terminal don’t have this problem. And I will keep the discussion open for more time. Maybe someone have solutions to solve it.

Below is another terminal emulator on Mac

[00-kat]

My guess is that something those terminal emulators support or don't support, or some variable or something else that they set, is resulting in less not exhibiting this on those terminal emulators.

[taylrfnt]

FWIW, I can reproduce this behavior in both in Terminal.app and Ghostty on tip, shell is zsh, if that matters at all.

I did some searching and found a similar issue mentioned in tealdeer. If you use less -R +g, it should always align your text to the top of the surface (at least it does in my testing).

[taylrfnt]

from the less manpage:

       +      If  a command line option begins with +, the remainder of that option is taken to be an initial command to less.  For example, +G tells less to start
              at the end of the file rather than the beginning, and +/xyz tells it to start at the first occurrence of "xyz" in  the  file.   As  a  special  case,
              +<number>  acts  like  +<number>g; that is, it starts the display at the specified line number (however, see the caveat under the "g" command above).
              If the option starts with ++, the initial command applies to every file being viewed, not just the first one.  The + command described previously may
              also be used to set (or change) an initial command for every file.

I did notice any time I resize the terminal surface (in either emulator), the text would snap to the top of the surface. I suspect the +g option effectively executes whatever it is that triggers less to repaint with the text snapped to the top of the surface.

[lowerbound123]

Fantastic, It really solve the problem! Thank you.

[00-kat]

less -R +g

-R is irrelevant here.

I suspect the +g option effectively executes whatever it is that triggers less to repaint with the text snapped to the top of the surface.

+g => pressing g => keybinding for "go to top", which appears to result in a redraw.