vi(1)
NAME
vi, view, vedit - screen-oriented (visual) display editor
based on ex
SYNOPSIS
/usr/bin/vi [ -| -s] [-l] [-L] [-R] [ -r [filename]] [-S]
[-t tag] [-v] [-V] [-x] [-wn] [-C] [+command | -c command]
filename...
/usr/bin/view [ -| -s] [-l] [-L] [-R] [ -r [filename]] [-S]
[-t tag] [-v] [-V] [-x] [-wn] [-C] [+command | -c command]
filename...
/usr/bin/vedit [ -| -s] [-l] [-L] [-R] [ -r [filename]] [-S]
[-t tag] [-v] [-V] [-x] [-wn] [-C] [+command | -c command]
filename...
/usr/xpg4/bin/vi [ -| -s] [-l] [-L] [-R] [ -r [filename]]
[-S] [-t tag] [-v] [-V] [-x] [-wn] [-C] [+command |
-c command] filename...
/usr/xpg4/bin/view [ -| -s] [-l] [-L] [-R] [ -r [filename]]
[-S] [-t tag] [-v] [-V] [-x] [-wn] [-C] [+command |
-c command] filename...
/usr/xpg4/bin/vedit [ -| -s] [-l] [-L] [-R] [ -r [filename]]
[-S] [-t tag] [-v] [-V] [-x] [-wn] [-C] [+command |
-c command] filename...
DESCRIPTION
The vi (visual) utility is a display-oriented text editor
based on an underlying line editor ex. It is possible to use
the command mode of ex from within vi and to use the command
mode of vi from within ex. The visual commands are described
on this manual page; how to set options (like automatically
numbering lines and automatically starting a new output line
when you type carriage return) and all ex line editor com-
mands are described on the ex(1) manual page.
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 the position within the file.
The view invocation is the same as vi except that the
readonly flag is set.
The vedit invocation is intended for beginners. It is the
same as vi except that the report flag is set to 1, the
showmode and novice flags are set, and magic is turned off.
These defaults make it easier to learn how to use vi.
OPTIONS
The following options are supporrted:
Invocation Options
The following invocation options are interpreted by vi (pre-
viously documented options are discussed under NOTES):
- | -s
Suppresses all interactive user feedback. This is use-
ful when processing editor scripts.
-C Encryption option. Same as the -x option, except that
vi simulates the C command of ex. The C command is
like the X command of ex, except that all text read in
is assumed to have been encrypted.
-l Sets up for editing LISP programs.
-L Lists the name of all files saved as the result of an
editor or system crash.
-r filename
Edits filename after an editor or system crash.
(Recovers the version of filename that was in the
buffer when the crash occurred.)
-R Readonly mode. The readonly flag is set, preventing
accidental overwriting of the file.
-S This option is used in conjunction with the -t tag
option to tell vi that the tags file may not be sorted
and that, if the binary search (which relies on a
sorted tags file) for tag fails to find it, the much
slower linear search should also be done. Since the
linear search is slow, users of large tags files
should ensure that the tags files are sorted rather
than use this flag. Creation of tags files normally
produces sorted tags files. See ctags(1) for more
information on tags files.
-t tag
Edits the file containing tag and position the editor
at its definition.
-v Starts up in display editing state, using vi. You can
achieve the same effect by typing the vi command
itself.
-V Verbose. When ex commands are read by means of stan-
dard input, the input will be echoed to standard
error. This may be useful when processing ex commands
within shell scripts.
-wn Sets the default window size to n. This is useful when
using the editor over a slow speed line.
-x Encryption option. When used, vi simulates the X com-
mand of ex and prompts the user for a key. This key is
used to encrypt and decrypt text using the algorithm
of the crypt command. The X command makes an educated
guess to determine whether text read in is encrypted
or not. The temporary buffer file is encrypted also,
using a transformed version of the key typed in for
the -x option. If an empty encryption key is entered
(that is, if the return key is pressed right after the
prompt), the file will not be encrypted. This is a
good way to decrypt a file erroneously encrypted with
a mistyped encryption key, such as a backspace or undo
key.
+command | -c command
Begins editing by executing the specified editor com-
mand (usually a search or positioning command).
/usr/xpg4/bin/vi
If both the -t tag and the -c command options are given, the
-t tag option will be processed first. That is, the file
containing tag is selected by -t and then the command is
executed.
OPERANDS
The following operands are supported:
filename
A file to be edited.
COMMAND SUMMARY
The vi command modes are summarized in this section.
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 setting any of the following options:
a A i I o O c C s S R
Arbitrary text may then be entered. Input mode is nor-
mally terminated with the ESC character, or, abnor-
mally, with an interrupt.
Last line
Reading input for : / ? or !. Terminate by typing a
carriage return. An interrupt cancels termination.
Sample commands
In the descriptions, CR stands for carriage return and ESC
stands for the escape key.
<-, ->
down-arrow
up-arrow
arrow keys move the cursor
h j k l
same as arrow keys
itextESC
insert text
cwnewESC
change word to new
easESC
pluralize word (end of word; append s; escape from
input state)
x delete a character
dw delete a word
dd delete a line
3dd delete 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
: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, canceling
ESC end insert or incomplete command
DEL (delete or rubout) interrupts
File manipulation
ZZ if file modified, write and exit; otherwise, exit
:wCR write back changes
:w!CR forced write, if permission originally not valid
: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
:e! #CR
edit alternate file, discard changes
:w nameCR
write file name
:w! nameCR
overwrite file name
:shCR run shell, then return
:!cmdCR
run cmd, then return
:nCR edit next file in arglist
:n argsCR
specify new arglist
^G show current file and line
:ta tagCR
position cursor to 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
carriage return.
Positioning within file
F forward screen
^B backward screen
^D scroll down half screen
^U scroll up half screen
nG go to the beginning of the specified line (end
default), where n is a line number
/pat next line matching pat
?pat previous line matching pat
n repeat last / or ? command
N reverse last / or ? command
/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 window
^R clear and redraw window if ^L is -> key
zCR redraw screen with current line at top of window
z-CR redraw screen with current line at bottom of window
z.CR redraw screen with current line at center of window
/pat/z-CR
move pat line to bottom of window
zn.CR use n-line window
^E scroll window down one line
^Y scroll window up one line
Marking and returning
`` move cursor to previous context
'' move cursor to first non-white space in line
mx mark current position with the ASCII lower-case letter
x
`x move cursor to mark x
'x move cursor to first non-white space in line marked by
x
Line positioning
H top line on screen
L last line on screen
M middle line on screen
+ next line, at first non-white space character
- previous line, at first non-white space character
CR return, same as +
down-arrow
or j next line, same column
up-arrow
or k previous line, same column
Character positioning
^ first non-white space character
0 beginning of line
$ end of line
l or ->
forward
h or <-
backward
^H same as <- (backspace)
space same as -> (space bar)
fx find next x
Fx find previous x
tx move to character following the next x
Tx move to character following the previous x
; repeat last f, F, t, or T
, repeat inverse of last f, F, t, or T
n| move to column n
% find matching ( ) or { }
Words, sentences, paragraphs
w forward a word
b back a word
e end of word
) to next sentence
} to next paragraph
( back a sentence
{ back a paragraph
W forward a blank-delimited word
B back a blank-delimited word
E end of a blank-delimited word
Corrections during insert
^H erase last character (backspace)
^W erase last word
erase your erase character, same as ^H (backspace)
kill your kill character, erase this line of input
\ quotes your erase and kill characters
ESC ends insertion, back to command mode
Control-C
interrupt, suspends insert mode
^D backtab one character; reset left margin of autoindent
^^D caret (^) followed by control-d (^D); backtab to
beginning of line; do not reset left margin of autoin-
dent
0^D backtab to beginning of line; reset left margin of
autoindent
^V quote non-printable character
Insert and replace
a append after cursor
A append at end of line
i insert before cursor
I insert before first non-blank
o open line below
O open line above
rx replace single character with x
RtextESC
replace characters
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, for example dd, to affect whole
lines.
d delete
c change
y yank lines to buffer
< left shift
> right shift
! filter through command
Miscellaneous Operations
C change rest of line (c$)
D delete rest of line (d$)
s substitute characters (cl)
S substitute lines (cc)
J join lines
x delete characters (dl)
X delete characters 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 (using the ASCII lower-case
letters a - z), the text in that buffer is put instead.
3yy yank 3 lines
3yl yank 3 characters
p put back text after cursor
P put back text before cursor
"xp put from buffer x " .nr )I xy"n
yank to buffer x " .nr )I xd"n
delete into buffer x
Undo, Redo, Retrieve
u undo last change
U restore current line
. repeat last change " .nr )I dp"n
retrieve d'th last delete
USAGE
See largefile(5) for the description of the behavior of vi
and view when encountering files greater than or equal to 2
Gbyte ( 2**31 bytes).
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
See environ(5) for descriptions of the following environment
variables that affect the execution of vi: LANG, LC_ALL,
LC_COLLATE, LC_CTYPE, LC_TIME, LC_MESSAGES, NLSPATH, PATH,
SHELL, and TERM.
COLUMNS
Override the system-selected horizontal screen size.
EXINIT
Determine a list of ex commands that are executed on
editor start-up, before reading the first file. The
list can contain multiple commands by separating them
using a vertical-line (|) character.
LINES Override the system-selected vertical screen size,
used as the number of lines in a screenful and the
vertical screen size in visual mode.
FILES
/var/tmp
default directory where temporary work files are
placed; it can be changed using the directory option
(see the ex(1) command)
/usr/share/lib/terminfo/?/*
compiled terminal description database
/usr/lib/.COREterm/?/*
subset of compiled terminal description database
ATTRIBUTES
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attri-
butes:
/usr/bin/vi, /usr/bin/view, /usr/bin/vedit
____________________________________________________________
| ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
| Availability | SUNWcsu |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
| CSI | Not enabled |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
/usr/xpg4/bin/vi, /usr/xpg4/bin/view, /usr/xpg4/bin/vedit
____________________________________________________________
| ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
| Availability | SUNWxcu4 |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
| CSI | Enabled |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
| Interface Stability | Standard |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
SEE ALSO
intro(1), ctags(1), ed(1), edit(1), ex(1), attributes(5),
environ(5), largefile(5), standards(5)
Solaris Advanced User's Guide
AUTHOR
vi and ex were developed by The University of California,
Berkeley California, Computer Science Division, Department
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
NOTES
Two options, although they continue to be supported, have
been replaced in the documentation by options that follow
the Command Syntax Standard (see intro(1)). An -r option
that is not followed with an option-argument has been
replaced by -L and +command has been replaced by -c command.
The message file too large to recover with -r option, which
is seen when a file is loaded, indicates that the file can
be edited and saved successfully, but if the editing session
is lost, recovery of the file with the -r option will not be
possible.
The editing environment defaults to certain configuration
options. When an editing session is initiated, vi attempts
to read the EXINIT environment variable. If it exists, the
editor uses the values defined in EXINIT; otherwise the
values set in $HOME/.exrc are used. If $HOME/.exrc does not
exist, the default values are used.
To use a copy of .exrc located in the current directory
other than $HOME, set the exrc option in EXINIT or
$HOME/.exrc . Options set in EXINIT can be turned off in a
local .exrc only if exrc is set in EXINIT or $HOME/.exrc.
Tampering with entries in /usr/share/lib/terminfo/?/* or
/usr/share/lib/terminfo/?/* (for example, changing or remov-
ing an entry) can affect programs such as vi that expect the
entry to be present and correct. In particular, removing the
"dumb" terminal may cause unexpected problems.
Software tabs using ^T work only immediately after the
autoindent.
Left and right shifts on intelligent terminals do not make
use of insert and delete character operations in the termi-
nal.
The standard Solaris version of vi will be replaced by the
POSIX.2-conforming version (see standards(5)) in the future.
Scripts which use the ex family of addressing and features
should use the /usr/xpg4/bin version of these utilities.
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