On 2021-03-01, Scott Bennett <sbennett1990@gmail.com> wrote:

> I use xterm(1), and I prefer my command-line editing mode to be emacs style
> and my screen editor to be vi(1). So I have the following environment
> variables set:
>
> 	$ echo $SHELL
> 	/bin/ksh
> 	$ echo $VISUAL
> 	emacs
> 	$ echo $EDITOR
> 	vi

I think you are abusing these variables.  Setting VISUAL=emacs means you
want to run emacs as your editor.  Which you're saying you don't want,
and probably don't even have installed.

OpenBSD's ksh(1) man page says:

    Note: traditionally, EDITOR was used to specify the name of an
    (old-style) line editor, such as ed(1), and VISUAL was used to
    specify a (new-style) screen editor, such as vi(1).  Hence if
    VISUAL is set, it overrides EDITOR.

To enable emacs-style command-line editing, use "set -o emacs".

-- 
Christian "naddy" Weisgerber                          naddy@mips.inka.de