vi or vim (vi improved) is a powerful screen based text editor.

 

Entering the editor: #vi [filename]

 

Exiting the editor:

• #:q - quit. If there are unsaved changes vi will not quit and a warning message will be displayed.
• #:q! - force quit without saving changes
  
• #:wq [filename] - quit and save
  

Editor modes:

• Command mode - default when vi starts
• Insert mode
  • enter insert mode: a, i, o, s
    
  • exit insert mode: Esc, ^[

 

 

Command mode:

• :ab string strings

Abbreviation. If a word is typed in VI corresponding to string1, the editor automatically inserts the corresponding words. For example, the abbreviation ":ab usa United States of America" would insert the words, "United States of America" whenever the word "usa" is typed in.

• :map keys new_seq

Mapping. This lets you map a key or a sequence of keys to another key or a sequence of keys.

• :q

Quit VI. If there have been changes made, the editor will issue a warning message.

• :q!

Quit VI without saving changes.

• :s/pattern/to_pattern/options

Substitute. This substitutes the specified pattern with the string in the to_pattern. Without options, it only substitutes the first occurence of the pattern. If a 'g' is specified, then all occurences are substituted. For example, the command ":1,$s/Dwayne/Dwight/g" substitutes all occurences of "Dwayne" to "Dwight".

• :set [all]

Sets some customizing options to VI and EX. The ":set all" command gives all the possible options. (See the section on customizing VI for some options.)

• :una string

Removes the abbreviation previously defined by ":ab".

• :unm keys

Removes the remove mapping defined by ":map".

• :vi filename

Starts editing a new file. If changes have not been saved, the editor will give you a warning.

• :w

Write out the current file.

• :w filename

Write the buffer to the filename specified.

• :w >> filename

Append the contents of the buffer to the filename.

• :wq

Write the buffer and quit.

Cutting and Pasting/Deleting text

• "

Specify a buffer to be used any of the commands using buffers. Follow the " with a letter or a number, which corresponds to a buffer.

• D

Delete to the end of the line from the current cursor position.

• P

Paste the specified buffer before the current cursor position or line. If no buffer is specified (with the " command.) then 'P' uses the general buffer.

• X

Delete the character before the cursor.

• Y

Yank (copy) the current line into the specified buffer. If no buffer is specified, then the general buffer is used.

• d

Delete until where. [dd] deletes the current line. A count [nd or dn] deletes that many lines after the current line, including the current line. Whatever is deleted is placed into the buffer specified with the " command. If no buffer is specified, then the general buffer is used.

• p

Paste the specified buffer after the current cursor position or line. If no buffer is specified (with the " command.) then 'p' uses the general buffer.

• x

Delete character under the cursor. A count tells how many characters to delete. The characters will be deleted after the cursor.

• y

Yank (copy) until , putting the result into a buffer. [yy] yanks the current line. a count [ny or yn] yanks that many lines after the current line, including the current line. The buffer can be specified with the " command. If no buffer is specified, then the general buffer is used.

• v

Visual selection. select the text from the current position moving the cursor. selected text will be highlighted.

• d or [Delete] or "ad or "a[delete] - deletes the selection, copies selection to buffer
• y - yanks the selection
• "ay - yanks the selection into buffer "a"

 

• gg - go to start of file
• G - go to end of file
• :n - go to line n
• n| - go to column n

Examples:

"ay5 - yanks (copies) 5+1 lines into "a" buffer. Do not use numeric buffer names as they will be interpreted as number of lines to yank.

"Ay5 - yanks (copies) 5+1 lines into "a" buffer in append mode. Append mode is given by a caputal buffer letter.

"ap - paste the content of the "a" buffer after the cursor position.

"bd3 - deletes 3+1 lines and copies the deleted content into "b" buffer.

 

 

Insert mode:

Everything that is written on the keyboard will be inserted into the file. [Shift]+[Insert] works here. [Esc] leaves insert mode.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.eng.hawaii.edu/Tutor/vi.html#intro