NAME¶
vim - Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor
SYNOPSIS¶
vim [options] [file ..]
vim [options] -t tag
vim [options] -e [errorfile]
DESCRIPTION¶
Vim is a text editor that is upwards compatible to vi. It can be used to
edit any ASCII text. It is especially useful for editing programs.
There are a lot of enhancements above vi: multi level undo, multi windows and
buffers, command line editing, filename completion, on-line help, visual
selection, etc.. Read difference.doc for a summary of the differences between
vi and Vim.
Most often
Vim is started to edit a single file with the command
vim file
More generally VIM is started with:
vim [options] [filelist]
If the filelist is missing, the editor will start with an empty buffer.
Otherwise exactly one out of the following three may be used to choose one or
more files to be edited.
- file ..
- A list of file names. The first one (alphabetically) will
be the current file and read into the buffer. The cursor will be
positioned on the first line of the buffer. You can get to the other files
with the ":next" command.
- -t {tag}
- The file to edit and the initial cursor position depends on
a "tag", a sort of goto label. {tag} is looked up in the tags
file, the associated file becomes the current file and the associated
command is executed. Mostly this is used for C programs. {tag} then should
be a function name. The effect is that the file containing that function
becomes the current file and the cursor is positioned on the start of the
function (see reference.doc, section "tag searches").
- -e [errorfile]
- Start in quickFix mode. The file [errorfile] is read and
the first error is displayed. If [errorfile] is omitted the file name is
obtained from the 'errorfile' option (defaults to "AztecC.Err"
for the Amiga, "errors" on other systems). Further errors can be
jumped to with the ":cn" command. See reference.doc section
5.5.
OPTIONS¶
The options, if present, must precede the filelist. The options may be given in
any order.
- -r
- Recovery mode. The swap file is used to recover a crashed
editing session. The swap file is a file with the same file name as the
text file with ".swp" appended. See reference.doc, chapter
"Recovery after a crash".
- -v
- View mode. The 'readonly' option will be set. You can still
edit the buffer, but will be prevented from accidently overwriting a file.
If you do want to overwrite a file, add an exclamation mark to the Ex
command, as in ":w!". The -v option also implies the -n option
(see below). The 'readonly' option can be reset with ":set noro"
(see reference.doc, options chapter).
- -b
- Binary. A few options will be set that makes it possible to
edit a binary or executable file.
- +[num]
- For the first file the cursor will be positioned on line
"num". If "num" is missing, the cursor will be
positioned on the last line.
- +/pat
- For the first file the cursor will be positioned on the
first occurrence of "pat" (see reference.doc, section
"pattern searches" for the available search patterns).
- +{command}
- -c {command}
- {command} will be executed after the first file has been
read. {command} is interpreted as an Ex command. If the {command} contains
spaces it must be enclosed in double quotes (this depends on the shell
that is used). Example: Vim "+set si" main.c
- -x
- (Amiga only) Vim is not restarted to open a new window.
This option should be used when Vim is executed by a program that will
wait for the edit session to finish (e.g. mail). The ":sh" and
":!" commands will not work.
- -o[N]
- Open N windows. When N is omitted, open one window for each
file.
- -n
- No swap file will be used. Recovery after a crash will be
impossible. Handy if you want to edit a file on a very slow medium (e.g.
floppy). Can also be done with ":set uc=0". Can be undone with
":set uc=200".
- -s {scriptin}
- The script file {scriptin} is read. The characters in the
file are interpreted as if you had typed them. The same can be done with
the command ":source! {scriptin}". If the end of the file is
reached before the editor exits, further characters are read from the
keyboard.
- -w {scriptout}
- All the characters that you type are recorded in the file
{scriptout}, until you exit VIM. This is useful if you want to create a
script file to be used with "vim -s" or
":source!".
- -T terminal
- Tells Vim the name of the terminal you are using. Should be
a terminal known to Vim (builtin) or defined in the termcap file.
- -d device
- Open "device" for use as a terminal. Only on the
Amiga. Example: "-d con:20/30/600/150".
SEE ALSO¶
Vim documentation:
- reference.doc:
- A complete reference of Vim (long)
- windows.doc:
- Explanation of the multi windows and buffers commands and
options
- index:
- Overview of all command characters (useful when adding new
mappings)
- difference.doc:
- Overview of the differences between vi and Vim
- unix.doc:
- Unix-specific comments
- vim.hlp:
- File used by the on-line help (short)
AUTHOR¶
Most of VIM was made by Bram Moolenaar.
VIM is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson, Tony Andrews and G.R. (Fred)
Walter
BUGS¶
Probably.
