Basic

Introduction to vi (Loading and Saving files)

 Modes of Operation  vi [filename] - start vi ( edit filename)
:
 vi +[number, /string] - begin with start line, first matching
ESC
Input Command Last Line
mode mode mode string, relatively
Insert, Append, Replace … Enter
 :e filename - edit filename
 The Work Buffer  :q - terminate vi without saving
 During the editing session, vi make all changes in the buffer  :q! - terminate vi, leave file unchanged
 :w - save edited file, stay in vi
 :r filename - read in text in filename

Command mode - Moving the Cursor Input Mode

 l,h,j,k - move right, left, down, up  i - insert before the cursor
 w,b,e - move right one, left one, to end of word  a - append after the cursor
 W,B,E - equivalent above except the space delimited word  o - insert the text on a new line after the current line
 -,Enter - move start of upper line, start of next line  r - replace the current one character, automatically return to
 ^,$ - move start of line, end of line command mode
 <crtl>+u,d,b,f - move screen one half-page up, one half  I - insert the text at start of line
page down, one page up, one page down in text  A - insert the text at end of line
 H,M,L - move left end of top, middle line, bottom line  O - insert the text on a new line before the current line
 G - move to last line  R - overwrite all character until press <ESC>
 nG - move to nth line  <ESC> - return to command mode

Command mode - Deleting text Command mode - Changing text

 x - delete the character under the cursor  cw - change to end of word
 dw - delete to the of word  cb - change to begin of word
 dW - delete to end of space delimited word  cW - change to end of space delimited word
 D - delete to end of line  cB - change to begin of space delimited word
 dd - delete the current line  cc - change the current line
 u - undo the last change made
 U - restore current line to previous state

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Searching for a String
 The Search Commands
 /xxx - search forward for text string xxx
 ?xxx - search backward for text string xxx
 / - repeat search forwards
 ? - repeat search backwards
 n - repeat search in same direction
 N - repeat search in opposite direction
 Special Characters in Search Strings
 ^ - the beginning-of-line indicator
 $ - the end-of-line indicator
 . - the any character indicator
 \> - the end-of-word indicator
 \< - the beginning-of-word indicator
 [ ] - the character class definition
Miscellaneous Commands
 J - join command
 <ctrl>-g - status command (line number of current line,
total number of line)
 End line mode - :f
 . - period command (repeat the most recent command that
made a change)
 ~ - tilde command (change between lowercase and
uppercase)
Reading and Writing Files
 Read Command
 :[address]r [filename]
 Write Command
 :[address]w[!] [filename] - overwrite mode
 :[address]w>>filename - append mode
 address - the same as substitution command
Substituting One String for Another
 [address]s/search-string/replace-string[/g]
 address
 number - line number
 77,100 - line 77 through 100
 1, . - the beginning of the work buffer through the current line
 .,$ - the current line through the end of work buffer
 1,$ - the entire work buffer
 % - the entire work buffer
 .,.+10 - the current line through the tenth following line
The Put, Delete and Yank Commands
 The General Purpose Buffer
 Store the text that you most recently changed, deleted and
yanked.
 Undo command uses the general purpose buffer when it
restores text
 y - yank command
 yy,Y - yank the current line
 nyy, nY - yank the n line from current line
 p - paste the text on a new line after the current line
 P - paste the text on a new line above the current line
Setting Parameters
 Setting Parameters in a Startup File
 Bourne and Korn shell - .profile
EXINIT = ‘set param1 param2 …’
export EXINIT
 C shell - .login
setenv EXINIT = ‘set param1 param2 …’
 .exrc
set param1 param2 …
 Parameters
 :set all - show all parameter
 number, nonumber - show line number, hide line number
 wrapmargin=nn - break the line by inserting <newline> character at
the closest blank delimited word boundary
 nn - the number of character from the right side of the screen
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Setting Parameters Units of Measure
 Parameters (Cont.)  Character
 Shell[=pathname]
 showmode, noshowmode - give a cue to let you know when vi is in  Word - <space>, <tab>,<newline>, numeral, punctuation
Input Mode marks
 flash, noflash - beep when give invalid command or press <ESC> in
Command Mode  Line - <newline>
 ignorecase, noignorecase - ignore case in search  Sentence - period, exclamation point, question mark,
 magic, nomagic - special characters in search strings have no special
meanings (except ^, $) followed by two <space> or a <newline>
 list, nolist - show <TAB> -> ^I, end of line -> $  Paragraph - blank line
 wrapscan, nowrapscan
 autoindent, noautoindent  Screen
 shiftwidth=nn