//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// / VI REFERENCE (by maart@cs.vu.nl) / //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Warning: some vi versions don't support the more esoteric features described in this document. You can edit/redistribute this document freely, as long as you don't make false claims on original authorship. default values : 1 ^X : <ctrl>x [*] : `*' is optional <*> : `*' must not be taken literally <sp> : space <cr> : carriage return <lf> : linefeed <ht> : horizontal tab <esc> : escape <erase> : your erase character <kill> : your kill character <intr> : your interrupt character <a-z> : an element in the range N : number (`*' = allowed, `-' = not appropriate) CHAR : char unequal to <ht>|<sp> WORD : word followed by <ht>|<sp>|<lf>  ///////////////// / move commands / ///////////////// N | Command | Meaning ---+--------------------+----------------------------------------------- * | h | ^H | <erase> | <*> chars to the left. * | j | <lf> | ^N | <*> lines downward. * | l | <sp> | <*> chars to the right. * | k | ^P | <*> lines upward. * | $ | To the end of line <*> from the cursor. - | ^ | To the first CHAR of the line. * | _ | To the first CHAR <*> - 1 lines lower. * | - | To the first CHAR <*> lines higher. * | + | <cr> | To the first CHAR <*> lines lower. - | 0 | To the first char of the line. * | | | To column <*> (<ht>: only to the endpoint). * | f<char> | <*> <char>s to the right (find). * | t<char> | Till before <*> <char>s to the right. * | F<char> | <*> <char>s to the left. * | T<char> | Till after <*> <char>s to the left. * | ; | Repeat latest `f'|`t'|`F'|`T' <*> times. * | , | Idem in opposite direction. * | w | <*> words forward. * | W | <*> WORDS forward. * | b | <*> words backward. * | B | <*> WORDS backward. * | e | To the end of word <*> forward. * | E | To the end of WORD <*> forward. * | G | Go to line <*> (default EOF). * | H | To line <*> from top of the screen (home). * | L | To line <*> from bottom of the screen (last). - | M | To the middle line of the screen. * | ) | <*> sentences forward. * | ( | <*> sentences backward. * | } | <*> paragraphs forward. * | { | <*> paragraphs backward. - | ]] | To the next section (default EOF). - | [[ | To the previous section (default begin of file). - | `<a-z> | To the mark. - | '<a-z> | To the first CHAR of the line with the mark. - | `` | To the cursor position before the latest absolute | jump (of which are examples `/' and `G'). - | '' | To the first CHAR of the line on which the cursor | was placed before the latest absolute jump. - | /<string> | To the next occurrence of <string>. - | ?<string> | To the previous occurrence of <string>. - | n | Repeat latest `/'|`?' (next). - | N | Idem in opposite direction. - | % | Find the next bracket and go to its match | (also with `{'|`}' and `['|`]').  ///////////////////////// / searching (see above) / ///////////////////////// :ta <name> | Search in the tags file where <name> is | defined (file, line), and go to it. ^] | Use the name under the cursor in a `:ta' command. :[x,y]g/<string>/<cmd> | Search globally [from line x to y] for <string> | and execute the `ex' <cmd> on each occurrence. :[x,y]v/<string>/<cmd> | Execute <cmd> on the lines that don't match. /////////////////// / undoing changes / /////////////////// u | Undo the latest change. U | Undo all changes on a line, while not having | moved off it (unfortunately). :q! | Quit vi without writing. :e! | Re-edit a messed-up file. /////////////////////////////////// / appending text (end with <esc>) / /////////////////////////////////// * | a | <*> times after the cursor. * | A | <*> times at the end of line. * | i | <*> times before the cursor (insert). * | I | <*> times before the first CHAR of the line * | o | On a new line below the current (open). | The count is only useful on a slow terminal. * | O | On a new line above the current. | The count is only useful on a slow terminal. * | ><move> | Shift the lines described by <*><move> one | shiftwidth to the right (layout!). * | >> | Shift <*> lines one shiftwidth to the right. * | ["<a-z1-9>]p | Put the contents of the (default undo) buffer | <*> times after the cursor. | A buffer containing lines is put only once, | below the current line. * | ["<a-z1-9>]P | Put the contents of the (default undo) buffer | <*> times before the cursor. | A buffer containing lines is put only once, | above the current line. * | . | Repeat previous command <*> times. | If the last command before a `.' command | references a numbered buffer, the buffer number | is incremented first (and the count is ignored): | | "1pu.u.u.u.u - `walk through' buffers 1 | through 5 | "1P.... - restore them  ///////////////// / deleting text / ///////////////// Everything deleted can be stored into a buffer. This is achieved by putting a `"' and a letter <a-z> before the delete command. The deleted text will be in the buffer with the used letter. If <A-Z> is used as buffer name, the adjugate buffer <a-z> will be augmented instead of overwritten with the text. The undo buffer always contains the latest change. Buffers <1-9> contain the latest 9 LINE deletions (`"1' is most recent). * | x | Delete <*> chars under and after the cursor. * | X | <*> chars before the cursor. * | d<move> | From begin to endpoint of <*><move>. * | dd | <*> lines. - | D | The rest of the line. * | <<move> | Shift the lines described by <*><move> one | shiftwidth to the left (layout!). * | << | Shift <*> lines one shiftwidth to the left. * | . | Repeat latest command <*> times. ////////////////////////////////// / changing text (end with <esc>) / ////////////////////////////////// * | r<char> | Replace <*> chars by <char> - no <esc>. * | R | Overwrite the rest of the line, | appending change <*> - 1 times. * | s | Substitute <*> chars. * | S | <*> lines. * | c<move> | Change from begin to endpoint of <*><move>. * | cc | <*> lines. * | C | The rest of the line and <*> - 1 next lines. * | =<move> | If the option `lisp' is set, this command | will realign the lines described by <*><move> | as though they had been typed with the option | `ai' set too. - | ~ | Switch lower and upper cases. * | J | Join <*> lines (default 2). * | . | Repeat latest command <*> times (`J' only once). - | & | Repeat latest `ex' substitute command, e.g. | `:s/wrong/good'. - | :[x,y]s/<p>/<r>/<f>| Substitute (on lines x through y) the pattern | <p> (default the last pattern) with <r>. Useful | flags <f> are `g' for `global' (i.e. change every | non-overlapping occurrence of <p>) and `c' for | `confirm' (type `y' to confirm a particular | substitution, else <cr>). Instead of `/' any | punctuation CHAR unequal to <lf> can be used as | delimiter.  /////////////////////////////////// / substitute replacement patterns / /////////////////////////////////// The basic meta-characters for the replacement pattern are `&' and `~'; these are given as `\&' and `\~' when nomagic is set. Each instance of `&' is replaced by the characters which the regular expression matched. The meta-character `~' stands, in the replacement pattern, for the defining text of the previous replacement pattern. Other meta-sequences possible in the replacement pattern are always introduced by the escaping character `\'. The sequence `\n' (with `n' in [1-9]) is replaced by the text matched by the n-th regular subexpression enclosed between `\(' and `\)'. The sequences `\u' and `\l' cause the immediately following character in the replacement to be converted to upper- or lower-case respectively if this character is a letter. The sequences `\U' and `\L' turn such conversion on, either until `\E' or `\e' is encountered, or until the end of the replacement pattern. ////////////////////////////// / remembering text (yanking) / ////////////////////////////// With yank commands you can put `"<a-z>' before the command, just as with delete commands. Otherwise you only copy to the undo buffer. The use of buffers <a-z> is THE way of copying text to another file; see the `:e <file>' command. * | y<move> | Yank from begin to endpoint of <*><move>. * | yy | <*> lines. * | Y | Idem (should be equivalent to `y$' though). - | m<a-z> | Mark the cursor position with a letter. //////////////////////////////////////// / commands while in append|change mode / //////////////////////////////////////// ^@ | If typed as the first character of the | insertion, it is replaced with the previous | text inserted (max. 128 chars), after which | the insertion is terminated. ^V | Deprive the next char of its special meaning | (e.g. <esc>). ^D | One shiftwidth to the left. 0^D | Remove all indentation on the current line | (there must be no other chars on the line). ^^D | Idem, but it is restored on the next line. ^T | one shiftwidth to the right ^H | <erase> | One char back. ^W | One word back. <kill> | Back to the begin of the change on the | current line. <intr> | like <esc>.  ///////////////////////////////////////////////// / writing, editing other files, and quitting vi / ///////////////////////////////////////////////// In `:' `ex' commands `%' denotes the current file, `#' is a synonym for the alternate file (which normally is the previous file). Marks can be used for line numbers too: '<a-z>. In the `:w'|`:f'|`:cd'|`:e'|`:n' commands shell meta-characters can be used. :q | Quit vi, unless the buffer has been changed. :q! | Quit vi without writing. ^Z | Suspend vi. :w | Write the file. :w <name> | Write to the file <name>. :w >> <name> | Append the buffer to the file <name>. :w! <name> | Overwrite the file <name>. :x,y w <name> | Write lines x through y to the file <name>. :wq | Write the file and quit vi; some versions quit | even if the write was unsuccessful! | Use `ZZ' instead. ZZ | Write if the buffer has been changed, and | quit vi. If you have invoked vi with the `-r' | option, you'd better write the file | explicitly (`w' or `w!'), or quit the | editor explicitly (`q!') if you don't want | to overwrite the file - some versions of vi | don't handle the `recover' option very well. :x [<file>] | Idem [but write to <file>]. :x! [<file>] | `:w![<file>]' and `:q'. :pre | Preserve the file - the buffer is saved as if | the system had just crashed; for emergencies, | when a `:w' command has failed and you don't | know how to save your work (see `vi -r'). :f <name> | Set the current filename to <name>. :cd [<dir>] | Set the working directory to <dir> | (default home directory). :cd! [<dir>] | Idem, but don't save changes. :e [+<cmd>] <file> | Edit another file without quitting vi - the | buffers are not changed (except the undo | buffer), so text can be copied from one file to | another this way. [Execute the `ex' command | <cmd> (default `$') when the new file has been | read into the buffer.] <cmd> must contain no | <sp> or <ht>. See `vi startup'. :e! [+<cmd>] <file> | Idem, without writing the current buffer. ^^ | Edit the alternate (normally the previous) file. :rew | Rewind the argument list, edit the first file. :rew! | Idem, without writing the current buffer. :n [+<cmd>] [<files>] | Edit next file or specify a new argument list. :n! [+<cmd>] [<files>] | Idem, without writing the current buffer. :args | Give the argument list, with the current file | between `[' and `]'.  //////////////////// / display commands / //////////////////// ^G | Give file name, status, current line number | and relative position. ^L | Refresh the screen (sometimes `^P' or `^R'). ^R | Sometimes vi replaces a deleted line by a `@', | to be deleted by `^R' (see option `redraw'). [*]^E | Expose <*> more lines at bottom, cursor | stays put (if possible). [*]^Y | Expose <*> more lines at top, cursor | stays put (if possible). [*]^D | Scroll <*> lines downward | (default the number of the previous scroll; | initialization: half a page). [*]^U | Scroll <*> lines upward | (default the number of the previous scroll; | initialization: half a page). [*]^F | <*> pages forward. [*]^B | <*> pages backward (in older versions `^B' only | works without count). If in the next commands the field <wi> is present, the windowsize will change to <wi>. The window will always be displayed at the bottom of the screen. [*]z[wi]<cr> | Put line <*> at the top of the window | (default the current line). [*]z[wi]+ | Put line <*> at the top of the window | (default the first line of the next page). [*]z[wi]- | Put line <*> at the bottom of the window | (default the current line). [*]z[wi]. | Put line <*> in the centre of the window | (default the current line).  //////////////////////////// / mapping and abbreviation / //////////////////////////// When mapping take a look at the options `to' and `remap' (below). :map <string> <seq> | <string> is interpreted as <seq>, e.g. | `:map ^C :!cc %^V<cr>' to compile from within vi | (vi replaces `%' with the current file name). :map | Show all mappings. :unmap <string> | Deprive <string> of its mapping. When vi | complains about non-mapped macros (whereas no | typos have been made), first do something like | `:map <string> Z', followed by `:unmap <string>' | (`Z' must not be a macro itself), or switch to | `ex' mode first with `Q'. :map! <string> <seq> | Mapping in append mode, e.g. | `:map! \be begin^V<cr>end;^V<esc>O<ht>'. | When <string> is preceded by `^V', no | mapping is done. :map! | Show all append mode mappings. :unmap! <string> | Deprive <string> of its mapping (see `:unmap'). :ab <string> <seq> | Whenever in append mode <string> is preceded and | followed by a breakpoint (e.g. <sp> or `,'), it | is interpreted as <seq>, e.g. `:ab p procedure'. | A `^V' immediately following <string> inhibits | expansion. :ab | Show all abbreviations. :unab <string> | Do not consider <string> an abbreviation | anymore (see `:unmap'). @<a-z> | Consider the contents of the named register a | command, e.g.: | o0^D:s/wrong/good/<esc>"zdd | Explanation: | o - open a new line | 0^D - remove indentation | :s/wrong/good/ - this input text is an | `ex' substitute command | <esc> - finish the input | "zdd - delete the line just | created into register `z' | Now you can type `@z' to substitute `wrong' | with `good' on the current line. @@ | Repeat last register command.  ///////////////////////////// / switch and shell commands / ///////////////////////////// Q | ^\ | <intr><intr> | Switch from vi to `ex'. : | An `ex' command can be given. :vi | Switch from `ex' to vi. :sh | Execute a subshell, back to vi by `^D'. :[x,y]!<cmd> | Execute a shell <cmd> [on lines x through y; | these lines will serve as input for <cmd> and | will be replaced by its standard output]. :[x,y]!! [<args>] | Repeat last shell command [and append <args>]. :[x,y]!<cmd> ! [<args>] | Use the previous command (the second `!') in a | new command. [*]!<move><cmd> | The shell executes <cmd>, with as standard | input the lines described by <*><move>, | next the standard output replaces those lines | (think of `cb', `sort', `nroff', etc.). [*]!<move>!<args> | Append <args> to the last <cmd> and execute it, | using the lines described by the current | <*><move>. [*]!!<cmd> | Give <*> lines as standard input to the | shell <cmd>, next let the standard output | replace those lines. [*]!!! [<args>] | Use the previous <cmd> [and append <args> to it]. :x,y w !<cmd> | Let lines x to y be standard input for <cmd> | (notice the <sp> between `w' and `!'). :r!<cmd> | Put the output of <cmd> onto a new line. :r <name> | Read the file <name> into the buffer.  ////////////// / vi startup / ////////////// vi [<files>] | Edit the files, start with the first page of | the first file. The editor can be initialized by the shell variable `EXINIT', which looks like: EXINIT='<cmd>|<cmd>|...' <cmd>: set options map ... ab ... export EXINIT (in the Bourne shell) However, the list of initializations can also be put into a file. If this file is located in your home directory, and is named `.exrc' AND the variable `EXINIT' is NOT set, the list will be executed automatically at startup time. However, vi will always execute the contents of a `.exrc' in the current directory, if you own the file. Else you have to give the execute command yourself: :source file or :so file On-line initializations can be given with `vi +<cmd> file', e.g.: vi +x file | The cursor will immediately jump to line x | (default last line). vi +/<string> file | ~ to the first occurrence of <string>. You can start at a particular tag with: vi -t <tag> | Start in the right file in the right place. Sometimes (e.g. if the system crashed while you were editing) it is possible to recover files lost in the editor by `vi -r file'. If you just want to view a file by using vi, and you want to avoid any change, instead of vi you can use the `view' or `vi -R' command: the option `readonly' will be set automatically (with `:w!' you can override this option).  ////////////////////////////// / the most important options / ////////////////////////////// ai | autoindent - In append mode after a <cr> the | cursor will move directly below the first | CHAR on the previous line. However, if the | option `lisp' is set, the cursor will align | at the first argument to the last open list. aw | autowrite - Write at every shell escape. | (useful when compiling from within vi) dir=<string> | directory - The directory for vi to make | temporary files (default `/tmp'). eb | errorbells - Beeps when you goof | (not on every terminal). ic | ignorecase - No distinction between upper and | lower cases when searching. lisp | Redefine the following commands: | `(', `)' - move backward (forward) over | S-expressions | `{', `}' - idem, but don't stop at atoms | `[[', `]]' - go to previous (next) line | beginning with a `(' | See option `ai'. list | <lf> is shown as `$', <ht> as `^I'. magic | If this option is set (default), the chars `.', | `[' and `*' have special meanings within search | and `ex' substitute commands. To deprive such a | char of its special function it must be preceded | by a `\'. If the option is turned off it's just | the other way around. Meta-chars: | ^<string> - <string> must begin the line | <string>$ - <string> must end the line | . - matches any char | [a-z] - matches any char in the range | [<string>] - matches any char in <string> | [^<string>] - matches any char not in <string> | <char>* - 0 or more <char>s | \<<string>\> - <string> must be a word nu | number - Numbers before the lines. para=<string> | paragraphs - Every pair of chars in <string> is | considered a paragraph delimiter nroff macro | (for `{' and `}'). A <sp> preceded by a `\' | indicates the previous char is a single letter | macro. `:set para=P\ bp' introduces `.P' and | `.bp' as paragraph delimiters. Empty lines and | section boundaries are paragraph boundaries too. redraw | The screen remains up to date. remap | If on (default), macros are repeatedly | expanded until they are unchanged. | Example: if `o' is mapped to `A', and `A' | is mapped to `I', then `o' will map to `I' | if `remap' is set, else it will map to `A'. report=<*> | Vi reports whenever e.g. a delete | or yank command affects <*> or more lines. ro | readonly - The file is not to be changed. | However, `:w!' will override this option.  sect=<string> | sections - Gives the section delimiters (for `[[' | and `]]'); see option `para'. A `{' beginning a | line also starts a section (as in C functions). sh=<string> | shell - The program to be used for shell escapes | (default `$SHELL' (default `/bin/sh')). sw=<*> | shiftwidth - Gives the shiftwidth (default 8 | positions). sm | showmatch - Whenever you append a `)', vi shows | its match if it's on the same page; also with | `{' and `}'. If there's no match, vi will beep. terse | Short error messages. to | timeout - If this option is set, append mode | mappings will be interpreted only if they're | typed fast enough. ts=<*> | tabstop - The length of a <ht>; warning: this is | only IN the editor, outside of it <ht>s have | their normal length (default 8 positions). wa | writeany - No checks when writing (dangerous). warn | Warn you when you try to quit without writing. wi=<*> | window - The default number of lines vi shows. wm=<*> | wrapmargin - In append mode vi automatically | puts a <lf> whenever there is a <sp> or <ht> | within <wm> columns from the right margin. ws | wrapscan - When searching, the end is | considered `stuck' to the begin of the file. :set <option> | Turn <option> on. :set no<option> | Turn <option> off. :set <option>=<value> | Set <option> to <value>. :set | Show all non-default options and their values. :set <option>? | Show <option>'s value. :set all | Show all options and their values. ///////////////// / contributions / ///////////////// Maarten Litmaath <maart@cs.vu.nl> Rich Salz <rsalz@bbn.com> Eamonn McManus <emcmanus@cs.tcd.ie> Diomidis Spinellis <diomidis%ecrcvax.uucp@pyramid.pyramid.com> Blair P. Houghton <bph@buengc.bu.edu> Rusty Haddock <{uunet,att,rutgers}!mimsy.umd.edu!fe2o3!rusty> Panos Tsirigotis <panos@boulder.colorado.edu> David J. MacKenzie <djm@wam.umd.edu> Kevin Carothers <kevin@ttidca.tti.com> Dan Mercer <mercer@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM> Patchlevel: 6 . <hr> <img align=bottom src=help.xbm> <A HREF=TOP_.html> <B> Top document </B> </A> <img align=bottom src=help.xbm>