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Vi Command

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vi -- Linux/Unix/Mac OS X Basic Text Editor

Contents

Introduction

You can use vi to edit files via SHELL. It is very helpful when are you are managing a system remotely.

Usage

usage: vim [arguments] [file ..]       edit specified file(s)
   or: vim [arguments] -               read text from stdin
   or: vim [arguments] -t tag          edit file where tag is defined
   or: vim [arguments] -q [errorfile]  edit file with first error

General Startup

To use vi: vi filename To exit vi and save changes: ZZ or  :wq To exit vi without saving changes: :q! To enter vi command mode: [esc]

Counts

A number preceding any vi command tells vi to repeat that command that many times.

Cursor Movement

h - move left (backspace)

j - move down

k - move up

l - move right (spacebar)

[return] - move to the beginning of the next line

$ - last column on the current line

0 - move cursor to the first column on the current line

^ - move cursor to first nonblank column on the current line

w - move to the beginning of the next word or punctuation mark

W - move past the next space

b - move to the beginning of the previous word or punctuation mark

B - move to the beginning of the previous word, ignores punctuation

e - end of next word or punctuation mark

E - end of next word, ignoring punctuation

H - move cursor to the top of the screen

M - move cursor to the middle of the screen

L - move cursor to the bottom of the screen

Screen Movement

G - move to the last line in the file

xG - move to line x

z+ - move current line to top of screen

z - move current line to the middle of screen

z- - move current line to the bottom of screen

^F - move forward one screen

^B - move backward one line

^D - move forward one half screen

^U - move backward one half screen

^R - redraw screen ( does not work with VT100 type terminals )

^L - redraw screen ( does not work with Televideo terminals )

Inserting

r - replace character under cursor with next character typed

R - keep replacing character until [esc] is hit

i - insert before cursor

a - append after cursor

A - append at end of line

O - open line above cursor and enter append mode

Deleting

x - delete character under cursor

dd - delete line under cursor

dw - delete word under cursor

db - delete word before cursor

Copying Code

yy - (yank)'copies' line which may then be put by the p(put) command. Precede with a count for multiple lines.

Put Command

Brings back previous deletion or yank of lines, words, or characters

P - bring back before cursor

p - bring back after cursor

Find Commands

? - finds a word going backwards

/ - finds a word going forwards

f - finds a character on the line under the cursor going forward

F - finds a character on the line under the cursor going backwards

t - find a character on the current line going forward and stop one character before it

T - find a character on the current line going backward and stop one character before it

; - repeat last f, F, t, T

Miscellaneous Commands

. - repeat last command

u - undoes last command issued

U - undoes all commands on one line

xp - deletes first character and inserts after second (swap)

J - join current line with the next line

^G - display current line number

% - if at one parenthesis, will jump to its mate

mx - mark current line with character x

'x - find line marked with character x

NOTE: Marks are internal and not written to the file.

Line Editor Mode

Any commands form the line editor ex can be issued upon entering line mode.

To enter: type ':'

To exit: press[return] or [esc]

ex Commands For a complete list consult the UNIX Programmer's Manual

READING FILES

Copies (reads) filename after cursor in file currently editing

:r filename

WRITE FILE

saves the current file without quitting

:w

MOVING

move to line #

:#

move to last line of file

:$

SHELL ESCAPE

Executes 'cmd' as a shell command.

:!'cmd'

Arguments

--                   Only file names after this
-v                   Vi mode (like "vi")
-e                   Ex mode (like "ex")
-s                   Silent (batch) mode (only for "ex")
-d                   Diff mode (like "vimdiff")
-y                   Easy mode (like "evim", modeless)
-R                   Readonly mode (like "view")
-Z                   Restricted mode (like "rvim")
-m                   Modifications (writing files) not allowed
-M                   Modifications in text not allowed
-b                   Binary mode
-l                   Lisp mode
-C                   Compatible with Vi: 'compatible'
-N                   Not fully Vi compatible: 'nocompatible'
-V[N]                Verbose level
-D                   Debugging mode
-n                   No swap file, use memory only
-r                   List swap files and exit
-r (with file name)  Recover crashed session
-L                   Same as -r
-T <terminal>        Set terminal type to <terminal>
-u <vimrc>           Use <vimrc> instead of any .vimrc
--noplugin           Don't load plugin scripts
-o[N]                Open N windows (default: one for each file)
-O[N]                Like -o but split vertically
   +                    Start at end of file
   +<lnum>              Start at line <lnum>
--cmd <command>      Execute <command> before loading any vimrc file
-c <command>         Execute <command> after loading the first file
-S <session>         Source file <session> after loading the first file
-s <scriptin>        Read Normal mode commands from file <scriptin>
-w <scriptout>       Append all typed commands to file <scriptout>
-W <scriptout>       Write all typed commands to file <scriptout>
-x                   Edit encrypted files
-i <viminfo>         Use <viminfo> instead of .viminfo
-h  or  --help       Print Help (this message) and exit
--version            Print version information and exit

Examples

Show Line Numbers

While editing a document (and not inserting text), type the following to turn on line numbers:

:set number

If you tire of the line numbers, enter the following command to turn them off:

:set nonumber

Sources

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