vi Reference
Warning: some vi versions don't support the more esoteric features
described in this document. You can edit/redistribute this document,
as long as you don't make false claims on original authorship.
Author: Maarten Litmaath <maart@nikhef.nl>
Version: 8
vi Reference Table of Contents
contributions
Rich Salz <rsalz@bbn.com>
Eamonn McManus <emcmanus@cs.tcd.ie>
Diomidis Spinellis <diomidis%ecrcvax.uucp@pyramid.pyramid.com>
Blair P. Houghton <bph@buengc.bu.edu>
Rusty Haddock <{uunet,att,rutgers}!mimsy.umd.edu!fe2o3!rusty>
Panos Tsirigotis <panos@boulder.colorado.edu>
David J. MacKenzie <djm@wam.umd.edu>
Kevin Carothers <kevin@ttidca.tti.com>
Dan Mercer <mercer@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM>
Ze'ev Shtadler <steed@il4cad.intel.com>
Paul Quare <pq@r2.cs.man.ac.uk>
Dave Beyerl <att!ihlpl!db21>
David C Johnson <johnson@wrs.com>
Lee Sailer <UH2@psuvm.psu.edu>
David Gast <gast@cs.ucla.edu>
legenda
default values : 1
<*> : `*' must not be taken literally
[*] : `*' is optional
^X : <ctrl>X
<sp> : space
<cr> : carriage return
<lf> : linefeed
<ht> : horizontal tab
<esc> : escape
<erase> : your erase character
<kill> : your kill character
<intr> : your interrupt character
<a-z> : an element in the range
N : number (`*' = allowed, `-' = not appropriate)
CHAR : char unequal to <ht>|<sp>
WORD : word followed by <ht>|<sp>|<lf>
move commands
N | Command | Meaning
---+--------------------+-----------------------------------------------
* | h | ^H | <erase> | <*> chars to the left.
* | j | <lf> | ^N | <*> lines downward.
* | l | <sp> | <*> chars to the right.
* | k | ^P | <*> lines upward.
* | $ | To the end of line <*> from the cursor.
- | ^ | To the first CHAR of the line.
* | _ | To the first CHAR <*> - 1 lines lower.
* | - | To the first CHAR <*> lines higher.
* | + | <cr> | To the first CHAR <*> lines lower.
- | 0 | To the first char of the line.
* | | | To column <*> (<ht>: only to the endpoint).
* | f<char> | <*> <char>s to the right (find).
* | t<char> | Till before <*> <char>s to the right.
* | F<char> | <*> <char>s to the left.
* | T<char> | Till after <*> <char>s to the left.
* | ; | Repeat latest `f'|`t'|`F'|`T' <*> times.
* | , | Idem in opposite direction.
* | w | <*> words forward.
* | W | <*> WORDS forward.
* | b | <*> words backward.
* | B | <*> WORDS backward.
* | e | To the end of word <*> forward.
* | E | To the end of WORD <*> forward.
* | G | Go to line <*> (default EOF).
* | H | To line <*> from top of the screen (home).
* | L | To line <*> from bottom of the screen (last).
- | M | To the middle line of the screen.
* | ) | <*> sentences forward.
* | ( | <*> sentences backward.
* | } | <*> paragraphs forward.
* | { | <*> paragraphs backward.
- | ]] | To the next section (default EOF).
- | [[ | To the previous section (default begin of file).
- | `<a-z> | To the mark.
- | '<a-z> | To the first CHAR of the line with the mark.
- | `` | To the cursor position before the latest absolute
| jump (of which are examples `/' and `G').
- | '' | To the first CHAR of the line on which the cursor
| was placed before the latest absolute jump.
- | /<string> | To the next occurrence of <string>.
- | ?<string> | To the previous occurrence of <string>.
- | n | Repeat latest `/'|`?' (next).
- | N | Idem in opposite direction.
- | % | Find the next bracket and go to its match
| (also with `{'|`}' and `['|`]').
searching (see above)
:ta <name> | Search in the tags file[s] where <name> is
| defined (file, line), and go to it.
^] | Use the name under the cursor in a `:ta' command.
^T | Pop the previous tag off the tagstack and return
| to its position.
:[x,y]g/<string>/<cmd> | Search globally [from line x to y] for <string>
| and execute the `ex' <cmd> on each occurrence.
:[x,y]v/<string>/<cmd> | Execute <cmd> on the lines that don't match.
undoing changes
u | Undo the latest change.
U | Undo all changes on a line, while not having
| moved off it (unfortunately).
:q! | Quit vi without writing.
:e! | Re-edit a messed-up file.
appending text (end with <esc>)
* | a | <*> times after the cursor.
* | A | <*> times at the end of line.
* | i | <*> times before the cursor (insert).
* | I | <*> times before the first CHAR of the line
* | o | On a new line below the current (open).
| The count is only useful on a slow terminal.
* | O | On a new line above the current.
| The count is only useful on a slow terminal.
* | ><move> | Shift the lines described by <*><move> one
| shiftwidth to the right.
* | >> | Shift <*> lines one shiftwidth to the right.
* | ["<a-zA-Z1-9>]p | Put the contents of the (default undo) buffer
| <*> times after the cursor.
| A buffer containing lines is put only once,
| below the current line.
* | ["<a-zA-Z1-9>]P | Put the contents of the (default undo) buffer
| <*> times before the cursor.
| A buffer containing lines is put only once,
| above the current line.
* | . | Repeat previous command <*> times. If the last
| command before a `.' command references a
| numbered buffer, the buffer number is
| incremented first (and the count is ignored):
|
| "1pu.u.u.u.u - `walk through' buffers 1
| through 5
| "1P.... - restore them
deleting text
Everything deleted can be stored into a buffer. This is achieved by
putting a `"' and a letter <a-z> before the delete command. The
deleted text will be in the buffer with the used letter. If <A-Z>
is used as buffer name, the conjugate buffer <a-z> will be augmented
instead of overwritten with the text. The undo buffer always
contains the latest change. Buffers <1-9> contain the latest 9
LINE deletions (`"1' is most recent).
* | x | Delete <*> chars under and after the cursor.
* | X | <*> chars before the cursor.
* | d<move> | From begin to endpoint of <*><move>.
* | dd | <*> lines.
- | D | The rest of the line.
* | <<move> | Shift the lines described by <*><move> one
| shiftwidth to the left.
* | << | Shift <*> lines one shiftwidth to the left.
* | . | Repeat latest command <*> times.
changing text (end with <esc>)
* | r<char> | Replace <*> chars by <char> - no <esc>.
* | R | Overwrite the rest of the line,
| appending change <*> - 1 times.
* | s | Substitute <*> chars.
* | S | <*> lines.
* | c<move> | Change from begin to endpoint of <*><move>.
* | cc | <*> lines.
* | C | The rest of the line and <*> - 1 next lines.
* | =<move> | If the option `lisp' is set, this command
| will realign the lines described by <*><move>
| as though they had been typed with the option
| `ai' set too.
- | ~ | Switch lower and upper cases
| (should be an operator, like `c').
* | J | Join <*> lines (default 2).
* | . | Repeat latest command <*> times (`J' only once).
- | & | Repeat latest `ex' substitute command, e.g.
| `:s/wrong/good'.
- | :[x,y]s/<p>/<r>/<f>| Substitute (on lines x through y) the pattern <p>
| (default the last pattern) with <r>. Useful
| flags <f> are `g' for `global' (i.e. change
| every non-overlapping occurrence of <p>) and
| `c' for `confirm' (type `y' to confirm a
| particular substitution, else <cr>). Instead
| of `/' any punctuation CHAR unequal to <lf>
| can be used as delimiter.
substitute replacement patterns
The basic meta-characters for the replacement pattern are `&' and `~';
these are given as `\&' and `\~' when nomagic is set. Each instance
of `&' is replaced by the characters which the regular expression
matched. The meta-character `~' stands, in the replacement
pattern, for the defining text of the previous replacement
pattern. Other meta-sequences possible in the replacement pattern
are always introduced by the escaping character `\'. The sequence
`\n' (with `n' in [1-9]) is replaced by the text matched by the
n-th regular subexpression enclosed between `\(' and `\)'. The
sequences `\u' and `\l' cause the immediately following character
in the replacement to be converted to upper- or lower-case
respectively if this character is a letter. The sequences `\U' and
`\L' turn such conversion on, either until `\E' or `\e' is
encountered, or until the end of the replacement pattern.
remembering text (yanking)
With yank commands you can put `"<a-zA-Z>' before the command, just as
with delete commands. Otherwise you only copy to the undo buffer.
The use of buffers <a-z> is THE way of copying text to another file;
see the `:e <file>' command.
* | y<move> | Yank from begin to endpoint of <*><move>.
* | yy | <*> lines.
* | Y | Idem (should be equivalent to `y$' though).
- | m<a-z> | Mark the cursor position with a letter.
commands while in append|change mode
^@ | If typed as the first character of the
| insertion, it is replaced with the previous
| text inserted (max. 128 chars), after which
| the insertion is terminated.
^V | Deprive the next char of its special meaning
| (e.g. <esc>).
^D | One shiftwidth to the left, but only if
| nothing else has been typed on the line.
0^D | Remove all indentation on the current line
| (there must be no other chars on the line).
^^D | Idem, but it is restored on the next line.
^T | One shiftwidth to the right, but only if
| nothing else has been typed on the line.
^H | <erase> | One char back.
^W | One word back.
<kill> | Back to the begin of the change on the
| current line.
<intr> | Like <esc> (but you get a beep as well).
writing, editing other files, and quitting vi
In `:' `ex' commands - if not the first CHAR on the line - `%' denotes
the current file, `#' is a synonym for the alternate file (which
normally is the previous file). As first CHAR on the line `%' is a
shorthand for `1,$'. Marks can be used for line numbers too: '<a-z>.
In the `:w'|`:f'|`:cd'|`:e'|`:n' commands shell meta-characters can be
used.
:q | Quit vi, unless the buffer has been changed.
:q! | Quit vi without writing.
^Z | Suspend vi.
:w | Write the file.
:w <name> | Write to the file <name>.
:w >> <name> | Append the buffer to the file <name>.
:w! <name> | Overwrite the file <name>.
:x,y w <name> | Write lines x through y to the file <name>.
:wq | Write the file and quit vi; some versions quit
| even if the write was unsuccessful!
| Use `ZZ' instead.
ZZ | Write if the buffer has been changed, and
| quit vi. If you have invoked vi with the `-r'
| option, you'd better write the file
| explicitly (`w' or `w!'), or quit the
| editor explicitly (`q!') if you don't want
| to overwrite the file - some versions of vi
| don't handle the `recover' option very well.
:x [<file>] | Idem [but write to <file>].
:x! [<file>] | `:w![<file>]' and `:q'.
:pre | Preserve the file - the buffer is saved as if
| the system had just crashed; for emergencies,
| when a `:w' command has failed and you don't
| know how to save your work (see vi -r).
:f <name> | Set the current filename to <name>.
:cd [<dir>] | Set the working directory to <dir>
| (default home directory).
:cd! [<dir>] | Idem, but don't save changes.
:e [+<cmd>] <file> | Edit another file without quitting vi - the
| buffers are not changed (except the undo
| buffer), so text can be copied from one file to
| another this way. [Execute the `ex' command
| <cmd> (default `$') when the new file has been
| read into the buffer.] <cmd> must contain no
| <sp> or <ht>. See vi startup.
:e! [+<cmd>] <file> | Idem, without writing the current buffer.
^^ | Edit the alternate (normally the previous) file.
:rew | Rewind the argument list, edit the first file.
:rew! | Idem, without writing the current buffer.
:n [+<cmd>] [<files>] | Edit next file or specify a new argument list.
:n! [+<cmd>] [<files>] | Idem, without writing the current buffer.
:args | Give the argument list, with the current file
| between `[' and `]'.
display commands
^G | Give file name, status, current line number
| and relative position.
^L | Refresh the screen (sometimes `^P' or `^R').
^R | Sometimes vi replaces a deleted line by a `@',
| to be deleted by `^R' (see option redraw).
[*]^E | Expose <*> more lines at bottom, cursor
| stays put (if possible).
[*]^Y | Expose <*> more lines at top, cursor
| stays put (if possible).
[*]^D | Scroll <*> lines downward
| (default the number of the previous scroll;
| initialization: half a page).
[*]^U | Scroll <*> lines upward
| (default the number of the previous scroll;
| initialization: half a page).
[*]^F | <*> pages forward.
[*]^B | <*> pages backward (in older versions `^B' only
| works without count).
If in the next commands the field <wi> is present, the windowsize
will change to <wi>. The window will always be displayed at the
bottom of the screen.
[*]z[wi]<cr> | Put line <*> at the top of the window
| (default the current line).
[*]z[wi]+ | Put line <*> at the top of the window
| (default the first line of the next page).
[*]z[wi]- | Put line <*> at the bottom of the window
| (default the current line).
[*]z[wi]^ | Put line <*> at the bottom of the window
| (default the last line of the previous page).
[*]z[wi]. | Put line <*> in the centre of the window
| (default the current line).
mapping and abbreviation
When mapping take a look at the options `to' and `remap' (below).
:map <string> <seq> | <string> is interpreted as <seq>, e.g.
| `:map ^C :!cc %^V<cr>' to invoke `cc' (the C
| compiler) from within the editor
| (vi replaces `%' with the current file name).
:map | Show all mappings.
:unmap <string> | Deprive <string> of its mapping. When vi
| complains about non-mapped macros (whereas no
| typos have been made), first do something like
| `:map <string> Z', followed by
| `:unmap <string>' (`Z' must not be a macro
| itself), or switch to `ex' mode first with `Q'.
:map! <string> <seq> | Mapping in append mode, e.g.
| `:map! \be begin^V<cr>end;^V<esc>O<ht>'.
| When in append mode <string> is preceded by
| `^V', no mapping is done.
:map! | Show all append mode mappings.
:unmap! <string> | Deprive <string> of its mapping (see `:unmap').
:ab <string> <seq> | Whenever in append mode <string> is preceded and
| followed by a breakpoint (e.g. <sp> or `,'), it
| is interpreted as <seq>, e.g.
| `:ab ^P procedure'. A `^V' immediately
| following <string> inhibits expansion.
:ab | Show all abbreviations.
:unab <string> | Do not consider <string> an abbreviation
| anymore (see `:unmap').
@<a-z> | Consider the contents of the named register a
| command, e.g.:
| o0^D:s/wrong/good/<esc>"zdd
| Explanation:
| o - open a new line
| 0^D - remove indentation
| :s/wrong/good/ - this input text is an
| `ex' substitute command
| <esc> - finish the input
| "zdd - delete the line just
| created into register `z'
| Now you can type `@z' to replace `wrong'
| with `good' on the current line.
@@ | Repeat last register command.
switch and shell commands
Q | ^\ | <intr><intr> | Switch from vi to `ex'.
: | An `ex' command can be given.
:vi | Switch from `ex' to vi.
:sh | Execute a subshell, back to vi by `^D'.
:[x,y]!<cmd> | Execute a shell <cmd> [on lines x through y;
| these lines will serve as input for <cmd> and
| will be replaced by its standard output].
:[x,y]!! [<args>] | Repeat last shell command [and append <args>].
:[x,y]!<cmd> ! [<args>] | Use the previous command (the second `!') in a
| new command.
[*]!<move><cmd> | The shell executes <cmd>, with as standard
| input the lines described by <*><move>,
| next the standard output replaces those lines
| (think of `cb', `sort', `nroff', etc.).
[*]!<move>!<args> | Append <args> to the last <cmd> and execute it,
| using the lines described by the current
| <*><move>.
[*]!!<cmd> | Give <*> lines as standard input to the
| shell <cmd>, next let the standard output
| replace those lines.
[*]!!! [<args>] | Use the previous <cmd> [and append <args> to it].
:x,y w !<cmd> | Let lines x to y be standard input for <cmd>
| (notice the <sp> between the `w' and the `!').
:r!<cmd> | Put the output of <cmd> onto a new line.
:r <name> | Read the file <name> into the buffer.
vi startup
vi [<files>] | Edit the files, start with the first page of
| the first file.
The editor can be initialized by the shell variable `EXINIT', which
looks like:
EXINIT='<cmd>|<cmd>|...'
<cmd>: set options
map ...
ab ...
export EXINIT (in the Bourne shell)
However, the list of initializations can also be put into a file.
If this file is located in your home directory, and is named `.exrc'
AND the variable `EXINIT' is NOT set, the list will be executed
automatically at startup time. However, vi will always execute the
contents of a `.exrc' in the current directory, if you own the file.
Else you have to give the execute (`source') command yourself:
:so file
In a `.exrc' file a comment is introduced with a double quote character:
the rest of the line is ignored. Exception: if the last command on the
line is a `map[!]' or `ab' command or a shell escape, a trailing comment
is not recognized, but considered part of the command.
On-line initializations can be given with `vi +<cmd> file', e.g.:
vi +x file | The cursor will immediately jump to line x
| (default last line).
vi +/<string> file | Jump to the first occurrence of <string>.
You can start at a particular tag with:
vi -t <tag> | Start in the right file in the right place.
Sometimes (e.g. if the system crashed while you were editing) it is
possible to recover files lost in the editor by `vi -r file'. A plain
`vi -r' command shows the files you can recover.
If you just want to view a file by using vi, and you want to avoid any
change, instead of vi you can use the `view' or `vi -R' command:
the option `readonly' will be set automatically (with `:w!' you can
override this option).
the most important options
ai | autoindent - In append mode after a <cr> the
| cursor will move directly below the first
| CHAR on the previous line. However, if the
| option `lisp' is set, the cursor will align
| at the first argument to the last open list.
aw | autowrite - Write at every shell escape
| (useful when compiling from within vi).
dir=<string> | directory - The directory for vi to make
| temporary files (default `/tmp').
eb | errorbells - Beeps when you goof
| (not on every terminal).
ic | ignorecase - No distinction between upper and
| lower cases when searching.
lisp | Redefine the following commands:
| `(', `)' - move backward (forward) over
| S-expressions
| `{', `}' - idem, but don't stop at atoms
| `[[', `]]' - go to previous (next) line
| beginning with a `('
| See option `ai'.
list | <lf> is shown as `$', <ht> as `^I'.
magic | If this option is set (default), the chars `.',
| `[' and `*' have special meanings within search
| and `ex' substitute commands. To deprive such
| a char of its special function it must be
| preceded by a `\'. If the option is turned off
| it's just the other way around. Meta-chars:
| ^<string> - <string> must begin the line
| <string>$ - <string> must end the line
| . - matches any char
| [a-z] - matches any char in the range
| [^a-z] - any char not in the range
| [<string>] - matches any char in <string>
| [^<string>] - any char not in <string>
| <char>* - 0 or more <char>s
| \<<string> - <string> must begin a word
| <string>\> - <string> must end a word
modeline | When you read an existing file into the buffer,
| and this option is set, the first and last 5
| lines are checked for editing commands in the
| following form:
|
| <sp>vi:set options|map ...|ab ...|!...:
|
| Instead of <sp> a <ht> can be used, instead of
| `vi' there can be `ex'. Warning: this option
| could have nasty results if you edit a file
| containing `strange' modelines.
nu | number - Numbers before the lines.
para=<string> | paragraphs - Every pair of chars in <string> is
| considered a paragraph delimiter nroff macro
| (for `{' and `}'). A <sp> preceded by a `\'
| indicates the previous char is a single letter
| macro. `:set para=P\ bp' introduces `.P' and
| `.bp' as paragraph delimiters. Empty lines and
| section boundaries are paragraph boundaries
| too.
redraw | The screen remains up to date.
remap | If on (default), macros are repeatedly
| expanded until they are unchanged.
| Example: if `o' is mapped to `A', and `A'
| is mapped to `I', then `o' will map to `I'
| if `remap' is set, else it will map to `A'.
report=<*> | Vi reports whenever e.g. a delete
| or yank command affects <*> or more lines.
ro | readonly - The file is not to be changed.
| However, `:w!' will override this option.
sect=<string> | sections - Gives the section delimiters (for `[['
| and `]]'); see option `para'. A `{' beginning a
| line also starts a section (as in C functions).
sh=<string> | shell - The program to be used for shell escapes
| (default `$SHELL' (default `/bin/sh')).
sw=<*> | shiftwidth - Gives the shiftwidth (default 8
| positions).
sm | showmatch - Whenever you append a `)', vi shows
| its match if it's on the same page; also with
| `{' and `}'. If there's no match at all, vi
| will beep.
taglength=<*> | The number of significant characters in tags
| (0 = unlimited).
tags=<string> | The space-separated list of tags files.
terse | Short error messages.
to | timeout - If this option is set, append mode
| mappings will be interpreted only if they're
| typed fast enough.
ts=<*> | tabstop - The length of a <ht>; warning: this is
| only IN the editor, outside of it <ht>s have
| their normal length (default 8 positions).
wa | writeany - No checks when writing (dangerous).
warn | Warn you when you try to quit without writing.
wi=<*> | window - The default number of lines vi shows.
wm=<*> | wrapmargin - In append mode vi automatically
| puts a <lf> whenever there is a <sp> or <ht>
| within <wm> columns from the right margin
| (0 = don't put a <lf> in the file, yet put it
| on the screen).
ws | wrapscan - When searching, the end is
| considered `stuck' to the begin of the file.
:set <option> | Turn <option> on.
:set no<option> | Turn <option> off.
:set <option>=<value> | Set <option> to <value>.
:set | Show all non-default options and their values.
:set <option>? | Show <option>'s value.
:set all | Show all options and their values.
Converted to html by Jeff Aspinall (aspinall@umich.edu) with help from
Meng Weng Wong's
txt2html script,
22 June 1994
![[Home]](../Images/weetop.gif)
![[Index]](../Images/weeindex.gif)