Vi QCD Help
Ex Quick Reference
Entering/leaving ex
% ex name edit name, start at end
% ex +n name ... at line n
% ex -t tag start at tag
% ex -r list saved files
% ex -r name recover file name
% ex name ... edit first; rest via :n
% ex -R name read only mode
: x exit, saving changes
: q! exit, discarding changes
Ex states
Command
Normal and initial
state. Input
prompted for by :.
Your kill character
cancels partial com-
mand.
Insert
Entered by a i and
c. Arbitrary text
then terminates with
line having only .
character on it or
abnormally with in-
terrupt.
Open/visual
Entered by open or
vi, terminates with
Q or ^\.
Ex commands
abbrev ab next n unabbrev una
append a number nu undo u
args ar open o unmap unm
change c preserve pre version ve
copy co print p visual vi
delete d put pu write w
edit e quit q xit x
file f read re yank ya
global g recover rec window z
insert i rewind rew escape !
join j set se lshift <
list l shell sh print next CR
map source so resubst &
mark ma stop st rshift >
move m substitute s scroll ^D
Ex command addresses
n line n /pat next with pat
. current ?pat previous with pat
$ last x-n n before x
+ next x,y x through y
- previous 'x marked with x
+n n forward '' previous context
% 1,$
Specifying terminal type
% setenv TERM type csh and all version 6
$ TERM=type; export TERM sh in Version 7
See also tset(1)
Some terminal types
2621 43 adm31 dw1 h19
2645 733 adm3a dw2 i100
300s 745 c100 gt40 mime
33 act4 dm1520 gt42 owl
37 act5 dm2500 h1500 t1061
4014 adm3 dm3025 h1510 vt52
Initializing options
EXINIT place set's here in environment var.
set x enable option
set nox disable option
set x=val give value val
set show changed options
set all show all options
set x? show value of option x
Useful options
autoindent ai supply indent
autowrite aw write before changing files
ignorecase ic in scanning
lisp ( ) { } are s-exp's
list print ^I for tab, $ at end
magic . [ * special in patterns
number nu number lines
paragraphs para macro names which start ...
redraw simulate smart terminal
scroll command mode lines
sections sect macro names ...
shiftwidth sw for < >, and input ^D
showmatch sm to ) and } as typed
slowopen slow choke updates during insert
window visual mode lines
wrapscan ws around end of buffer?
wrapmargin wm automatic line splitting
Scanning pattern formation
^ beginning of line
$ end of line
. any character
\< beginning of word
\> end of word
[str] any char in str
[^str] ... not in str
[x-y] ... between x and y
* any number of preceding
Vi Quick Reference
Entering/leaving vi
% vi name edit name at top
% vi +n name ... at line n
% vi + name ... at end
% vi -r list saved files
% vi -r name recover file name
% vi name ... edit first; rest via :n
% vi -t tag start at tag
% vi +/pat name search for pat
% view name read only mode
ZZ exit from vi, saving changes
^Z stop vi for later resumption
The display
Last line
Error messages, echoing input to
: / ? and !, feedback about i/o
and large changes.
@ lines On screen only, not in file.
~ lines Lines past end of file.
^x Control characters, ^? is delete.
tabs Expand to spaces, cursor at last.
Vi states
Command
Normal and initial
state. Others return
here. ESC (escape)
cancels partial com-
mand.
Insert
Entered by a i A I o O
c C s S R. Arbitrary
text then terminates
with ESC character, or
abnormally with inter-
rupt.
Last line
Reading input for : /
? or !; terminate with
ESC or CR to execute,
interrupt to cancel.
Counts before vi commands
line/column number z G |
scroll amount ^D ^U
replicate insert a i A I
repeat effect most rest
Simple commands
dw delete a word
de ... leaving punctuation
dd delete a line
3dd ... 3 lines
itextESC insert text abc
cwnewESC change word to new
easESC pluralize word
xp transpose characters
Interrupting, cancelling
ESC end insert or incomplete cmd
^? (delete or rubout) interrupts
^L reprint screen if ^? scrambles it
File manipulation
:w write back changes
:wq write and quit
:q quit
:q! quit, discard changes
:e name edit file name
:e! reedit, discard changes
:e + name edit, starting at end
:e +n edit starting at line n
:e # edit alternate file
^^ synonym for :e #
:w name write file name
:w! name overwrite file name
:sh run shell, then return
:!cmd run cmd, then return
:n edit next file in arglist
:n args specify new arglist
:f show current file and line
^G synonym for :f
:ta tag to tag file entry tag
^] :ta, following word is tag
Positioning within file
^F forward screenfull
^B backward screenfull
^D scroll down half screen
^U scroll up half screen
G goto line (end default)
/pat next line matching pat
?pat prev line matching pat
n repeat last / or ?
N reverse last / or ?
/pat/+n n'th line after pat
?pat?-n n'th line before pat
]] next section/function
[[ previous section/function
% find matching ( ) { or }
Adjusting the screen
^L clear and redraw
^R retype, eliminate @ lines
zCR redraw, current at window top
z- ... at bottom
z. ... at center
/pat/z- pat line at bottom
zn. use n line window
^E scroll window down 1 line
^Y scroll window up 1 line
Marking and returning
`` previous context
'' ... at first non-white in line
mx mark position with letter x
`x to mark x
'x ... at first non-white in line
Line positioning
H home window line
L last window line
M middle window line
+ next line, at first non-white
- previous line, at first non-white
CR return, same as +
v 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, 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
Commands for LISP
) Forward s-expression
} ... but don't stop at atoms
( Back s-expression
{ ... but don't stop at atoms
Corrections during insert
^H erase last character
^W erases last word
erase your erase, same as ^H
kill your kill, erase input this line
\ escapes ^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
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
R replace characters
Operators (double to affect lines)
d delete
c change
< left shift
> right shift
! filter through command
= indent for LISP
y yank lines to buffer
Miscellaneous operations
C change rest of line
D delete rest of line
s substitute chars
S substitute lines
J join lines
x delete characters
X ... before cursor
Y yank lines
Yank and put
p put back lines
P put before
"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
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