VI(1) DOMAIN/IX Reference Manual (SYS5) VI(1)
NAME
vi - full screen display editor based on ex
USAGE
vi [-t tag][-r crashfile][-l][-wn][-R][+command] file(s)
view [-t tag][-r crashfile][-l][-wn][+command] file(s)
vedit [-t tag][-r crashfile][-l][-wn][-R][+command] file(s)
DESCRIPTION
Vi (visual) is a display-oriented text editor based on the
line editor ex(1). You can use the command mode of ex from
within vi and vice-versa.
When using vi, changes you make to the file are reflected in
what you see on your terminal screen. The position of the
cursor on the screen indicates your position within the
file. The DOMAIN/IX Text Editors Quick Reference card, the
Introduction to Display Editing with Vi and the Ex Reference
Manual, all of which are part of the DOMAIN/IX Text Process-
ing Guide, provide full details on using vi.
OPTIONS
When you invoke vi with no options, as
vi file
it opens file and positions the cursor at the first line.
To quit vi, type:
:q
If you have modified file, vi will print a ``no write since
last change'' message. The command
:wq
writes the changed version of file, then quits vi, while the
command
:q!
forces the quit without a write.
Vi recognizes the following command line options:
-t tag Edit the file containing the tag and position the
editor at its definition.
-r crashfile
Recover crashfile after an editor or system crash.
If crashfile is not specified a list of all saved
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files will be printed.
-l LISP mode; indents appropriately for LISP code,
the () {} [[ and ]] commands in vi and open are
modified to have meaning for LISP
-wn Set the default window size to n. This is useful
when running the editor over a slow speed line.
-R Read only mode; the readonly flag is set, prevent-
ing accidental overwriting of the file.
+command The specified ex command is interpreted before
editing begins.
file(s) one or more files to be edited.
The view invocation is the same as vi except that the
readonly flag is set.
The vedit invocation is intended for beginners. In vedit,
the report flag is set to 1, and the showmode and novice
flags are set. These defaults make it easier to get started
learning the editor.
VI MODES
Command Normal and initial mode. Other modes return to
command mode upon completion. ESC (escape) is
used to cancel a partial command.
Input Entered by a i A I o O c C s S R, after which
arbitrary text may be entered. Input mode is nor-
mally terminated with an ESC character, or abnor-
mally with interrupt.
Last line Reading input for : / ? or !; terminate with
RETURN to execute or INTerrupt to cancel.
COMMAND SUMMARY
Sample Commands
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<- ↑ -> arrow keys move the cursor
h j k l same as arrow keys
itextESC insert text
cwnewESC change word to new
easESC pluralize word
x delete a character
dw delete a word
dd delete a line
3dd ... 3 lines
u undo previous change
ZZ exit vi, saving changes
:q!CR quit, discarding changes
/textCR search for text
^U ^D scroll up or down
:ex cmdCR any ex or ed command
Counts Before vi Commands
Numbers may be typed as a prefix to some commands. They are
interpreted in one of these ways.
line/column number z G |
scroll amount ^D ^U
repeat effect most of the rest
Interrupting and Canceling
ESC end insert or incomplete cmd
^? (delete or rubout) interrupts
^L reprint screen if ^? scrambles it
^R reprint screen if ^L is -> key
File Manipulation
:wCR write back changes
:qCR quit
:q!CR quit, discard changes
:e nameCR edit file name
:e!CR reedit, discard changes
:e + nameCR edit, starting at end
:e +nCR edit starting at line n
:e #CR edit alternate file
synonym for :e #
:w nameCR write file name
:w! nameCR overwrite file name
:shCR shell escape
:!cmdCR run cmd, then return
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:nCR edit next file in arglist
:n argsCR specify new arglist
^G show current file and line
:ta tagCR to tag file entry tag
^] :ta, following word is tag
In general, any ex or ed command (such as substitute or glo-
bal) may be typed, preceded by a colon and followed by a CR.
Positioning Within File
^F forward screen
^B backward screen
^D scroll down half screen
^U scroll up half screen
G go to specified line (end default)
/pat next line matching pat
?pat prev line matching pat
n repeat last / or ?
N reverse last / or ?
/pat/+n nth line after pat
?pat?-n nth line before pat
]] next section/function
[[ previous section/function
( beginning of sentence
) end of sentence
{ beginning of paragraph
} end of paragraph
% find matching ( ) { or }
Adjusting the Screen
^L clear and redraw
^R retype, eliminate @ lines
zCR redraw, current at window top
z-CR ... at bottom
z.CR ... at center
/pat/z-CR pat line at bottom
zn.CR use n line window
^E scroll window down 1 line
^Y scroll window up 1 line
Marking and Returning
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`` move cursor to previous context
'' ... at first non-white in line
mx mark current position with letter x
`x move cursor to mark x
'x ... at first non-white in line
Line Positioning
H top line on screen
L last line on screen
M middle line on screen
+ next line, at first non-white
- previous line, at first non-white
CR return, same as +
or j next line, same column
↑ or k previous line, same column
Character Positioning
^ first non-white
0 beginning of line
$ end of line
h or -> forward
l or <- backwards
^H same as <-
space same as ->
fx find x forward
Fx f backward
tx upto x forward
Tx back upto x
; repeat last f F t or T
, inverse of ;
| to specified column
% find matching ( { ) or }
Words, Sentences, and Paragraphs
w word forward
b back word
e end of word
) to next sentence
} to next paragraph
( back sentence
{ back paragraph
W blank delimited word
B back W
E to end of W
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LISP Mode
) Forward s-expression
} ... but do not stop at atoms
( Back s-expression
{ ... but do not stop at atoms
Corrections During Insert
^H erase last character
^W erase last word
erase your erase, same as ^H
kill your kill, erase input this line
\ quotes ^H, your erase and kill
ESC ends insertion, back to command
^? interrupt, terminates insert
^D backtab over autoindent
↑^D kill autoindent, save for next
0^D ... but at margin next also
^V quote non-printing character
Insert and Replace
a append after cursor
i insert before cursor
A append at end of line
I insert before first non-blank
o open line below
O open above
rx replace single char with x
RtextESC replace characters, one-for-one
Operators
Operators are followed by a cursor motion, and affect all
text that would have been moved over. For example, since w
moves over a word, dw deletes the word that would be moved
over. Double the operator, e.g. dd to affect whole lines.
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d delete
c change
y yank lines to buffer
< left shift
> right shift
! filter through command
= indent for LISP
Miscellaneous Operations
C change rest of line (c$)
D delete rest of line (d$)
s substitute chars (cl)
S substitute lines (cc)
J join lines
x delete characters (dl)
X ... before cursor (dh)
Y yank lines (yy)
Yank and Put
Put inserts the text most recently deleted or yanked. How-
ever, if a buffer is named, the text in that buffer is put
instead.
p put back text after cursor
P put before cursor
"xp put from buffer x
"xy yank to buffer x
"xd delete into buffer x
Undo, Redo, Retrieve
u undo last change
U restore current line
. repeat last change
"dp retrieve d'th last delete
RELATED INFORMATION
ex(1)
DOMAIN/IX Text Processing Guide
DOMAIN/IX Text Editors Quick Reference
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