VI (and Clone) Editor Reference Manual
Miles O'Neal
(meo@rru.com)
Susan Liebeskind
(shl@cc.gatech.edu)
Systems & Software Solutions
December 12, 1998
ABSTRACT
This manual gives a brief overview of the more common vi commands.
It is a companion to the Vi Introductory Guide.
Copyright 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, & 1998 by Susan Liebeskind
(Atlanta, GA) and Miles O'Neal (Austin, TX). All rights reserved.
Permission is hereby granted to redistribute this in either source
or formatted form, so long as this copyright & the author's names
are included, unmodified in content, and so long as no charge
beyond reasonable cost of reproduction is charged.
Notwithstanding, inclusion in any other work or collection which
is sold, rented, or otherwise charged for, is prohibited without
express consent of the authors.
Revision History:
Rev. 1.1 Jan 9, 1990 meo
Rev. 1.2 Jan 1, 1992 meo
Rev. 1.3 Mar 22, 1994 meo
Rev. 1.4 Aug 3, 1998 meo
Rev. 1.5 Dec 12, 1998 meo
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Command Mode vs Text Mode
3. Cursor Motion
4. Editing Commands
4.1. Delete Commands
4.2. Replace and Change Commands
4.3. Search Commands
4.4. Undo Command
4.5. Saving & Exiting Commands
4.6. Search & Replace Command
4.7. Yank (Copy) Commands
4.8. Put (Paste) Commands
4.9. Miscellaneous Commands
5. Miscellaneous Notes
1. Introduction
This is a brief, introductory reference for vi. It is supplemental to the VI
Introductory Guide and your vendor documentation. The information here also
applies to all the clones of vi, such as vim, elvis, and stevie.
Vi is actually a very powerful editor, and is organized in a logical
fashion. It is different from other editors or word processors, which may
make learning it just a little bit tricky for some people. If you approach
it analytically and fearlessly, you should become proficient with it in a
short period of time.
I highly recommend experimentation. For obvious reasons you should restrict
early experimentation to test files.
Some non-display character keys and other keys have special functions. These
keys will be shown by placing their name (such as RETURN) in square
brackets, like this: [RETURN].
Unlike most non UNIX1 products, vi is case-sensitive. Be careful with the
[CAPS LOCK] key (except in input mode). If things are acting strange, make
sure [CAPS LOCK] is off. If you are unsure about this, a good test is to
press the `j' key; if it moves the cursor down a line, [CAPS LOCK] is not
on; if it joins the next line to the current line, [CAPS LOCK] is on.
Not all of the commands mentioned here are covered in the VI Introductory
Guide. There are also far more commands available in vi than are covered
here - for further information check your system documentation or get one of
the books available on vi.
Special Keys
Key Command Mode Text Mode
Arrow Keys cursor movement N/A
[CTRL] used with other keys for insert control characters
extra commands in text
[ENTER] or down 1 line normal function
[RETURN]
[ESC] N/A leave text mode
Space Bar move right 1 character normal function
[TAB] N/A normal function
When a command is shown as a combination of the `^' (caret) and another
character, as in ^V, this means press the [CTRL] key first, and hold it down
while you press and release the other key.
2. Command Mode vs Text Mode
Vi is always either in command mode or text (input) mode. In text mode any
character key pressed is enetered into the file. Most other typewriter keys
have their normal effect. On some systems to enter a [CTRL] key sequence,
you may first have to enter ^V before the sequence you want.
In command mode nearly every key on the keyboard performs some command or
modifies the next command. Some of these commands may be difficult to
recover from, so be careful in command mode to enter only the commands you
wish to enter.
The [RETURN] key is not needed in command mode except with commands that
begin with a `:' (colon) and with the search comands.
Mode Change Commands
a append text after cursor
i insert text before cursor
o open new line after current line & add text
O open new line before current line & add text
[ESC] leave text mode
3. Cursor Motion
Cursor motion should nominally include use of the cursor keys. If your
terminal lacks or has problems with arrow keys in vi command mode, the `h',
`j', `k', and `l' keys will perform the same functions, as noted below.
Cursor Motion Commands
h move back 1 character
l move forward 1 character
j move down 1 line
k move up 1 line
b back to beginning of word
e forward to end of word
w forward to beginning of next word
^ go to first displayable character of line
0 go to beginning of line
$ go to end of line
<CTRL>Fforward 1 screen
<CTRL>Bbackward 1 screen
<CTRL>Ddown (forward) 1/2 screen
<CTRL>Uup (backward) 1/2 screen
4. Editing Commands
These are the commands that actually manipulate text. the commands listed
here include those which delete, replace, search, cut, and paste text, as
well as those used for saving text and abandoning an edit session. Finally,
a few miscellaneous commands are included which don't fit into the other
categories.
4.1. Delete (Cut) Commands
In some editors the delete commands may be called cut commands. The last
item deleted is saved in a buffer and may be put (or pasted) elsewhere in
the file as noted later.
Delete Commands
x delete character
dw delete rest of word
d$ delete rest of line
D delete rest of line
dd delete line
4.2. Replace, Change and Substitute Commands
Some editors provide commands to substitute new text occurances of search
strings; this is not the same thing. These following vi commands allows you
to replace some number of characters, words, lines or parts of lines with
new text.
The change and substitute commands, the editor puts you into insert mode
until you press [ESC]. The replace command replaces 1 (or more) characters
with the next character you type.
Replace Commands
r replace character
cwchange rest of word
c$change rest of line
C change rest of line
Nssubstitute text for N characters
4.3. Search Commands
These commands let you search for a text string, which may include regular
expressions. They must be followed by a [RETURN].
Search Commands
/textsearch forward for text
?textsearch backward for text
n search in same direction for next occurance of last-searched-for text
N search in other direction for next occurance of last-searched-for
text
4.4. Undo Command
IN the real vi, the undo command only undoes the last command, even if that
is an undo command. Repeated undo commands simply toggle the effect of the
last command before the series of undo commands.
Some vi clones, such as vim, allow multiple undo's. These usually offer a
way to set the undo level to the standard vi mode. See your editor's man
page or reference manual for details.
Undo Command
u undo last command (BE CAREFUL WITH THIS)
4.5. Saving & Exiting Commands
These commands must be followed by a [RETURN].
Saving & Exiting Commands
:w write (save) the file
:w NAME write the file and name it NAME
:w! NAMErewrite the file named NAME
:wq write the file and quit the editor
:q quit the editor
:q! quit the editor (abandoning any changes)
4.6. Search & Replace Command
To find & replace all occurances of a particular text string, use the
command:
:%s/text1/text2/g[RETURN]
which replaces all occurances of text1 with text2.
4.7. Yank (Copy) Commands
The vi yank command is similar to the copy command in many editors. It
copies the text into a buffer. The text may be put (pasted) elsewhere in the
file as described under the Put command.
Yank Commands
yw yank rest of word
y$ yank rest of line
yy yank entire line
Y yank entire line
4.8. Put (Paste) Commands
The vi put command is similar to the paste command in many other editors. It
will paste whatever is in the buffer from either the previous delete or yank
command.
Put Commands
pput yanked/deleted text before cursor
Pput yanked/deleted text after cursor
If you yanked/deleted a whole line (or group of lines), p and P paste the
text before or after the current line, respectively; otherwise, they paste
the text before or after the cursor, respectively, on the current line.
4.9. Miscellaneous Commands
Miscellaneous Commands
. repeat last command (BE CAREFUL WITH THIS)
J join next line to end of this line
NOTE
The period, or dot, command repeats most commands,
but not quite all. It should work with all of the
commands listed in this document; if you aren't
sure of what you're doing, save your work before
you try something.
5. Miscellaneous Notes
Most commands (other than those beginning with a colon (`:') may be preceded
by a repeat count. For example,
3dd
would delete 3 lines, starting with the current one.
Vi will not let you delete more lines than are in the file, so the above
example would not work on the last line; vi would beep at you instead.
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Notes:
1. UNIX is a trademark of Western Electric, AT&T, SCO, or whoever bought
it this week.
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Last updated: 12 December 1998
Copyright 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, & 1998 Miles O'Neal, Austin, TX, and
Susan Liebeskind, Atlanta, GA. All rights reserved.
Miles O'Neal <meo@XYZZYrru.com> [remove the XYZZY to make things work!] c/o
RNN / 11501 Johnson Rd / Leander, TX / 78641-5823