Software :: Bash Hostname Completion Not Working?

According to the Bash man pages, Quote: HOSTFILE Contains the name of a file in the same format as /etc/hosts that should be read when the shell needs to complete a hostname. The list of possible hostname completions may be changed while the shell is running; the next time hostname completion is attempted after the value is changed, bash adds the contents of the new file to the existing list. If HOSTFILE is set, but has no value, bash attempts to read /etc/hosts to obtain the list of possible hostname completions. When HOSTFILE is unset, the hostname list is cleared.

Here's the line in my .bashrc where HOSTFILE is set:

Code:

export HOSTFILE="~/.hosts"

I opened a new bash session, created ~/.hosts, filled it with the names of servers that I wanted to expand using tab completion. then typed

Code:

ssh p<tab><tab>

expecting to get a lists of all of the hosts in ~/.hosts starting with 'p'. Bash simply beeped at me twice.

I tried

Code:

$ shopt hostcomplete
hostcomplete on

Code:

ssh bchittenden@p<tab><tab>

same results.

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