NAME¶
vim - Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor
SYNOPSIS¶
vim [options] [file ..]
vim [options] -
vim [options] -t tag
vim [options] -q [errorfile]
ex
view
gvim gview evim eview
rvim rview rgvim rgview
DESCRIPTION¶
Vim is a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi. It can be used to
edit all kinds of plain text. It is especially useful for editing programs.
There are a lot of enhancements above Vi: multi level undo, multi windows and
buffers, syntax highlighting, command line editing, filename completion,
on-line help, visual selection, etc.. See ":help vi_diff.txt" for a
summary of the differences between
Vim and Vi.
While running
Vim a lot of help can be obtained from the on-line help
system, with the ":help" command. See the ON-LINE HELP section
below.
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 four may be used to choose one or
more files to be edited.
- file ..
- A list of filenames. The first one 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. To edit a file that starts with a dash, precede the filelist with
"--".
- -
- The file to edit is read from stdin. Commands are read from
stderr, which should be a tty.
- -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, in which case
{tag} could 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 ":help tag-commands".
- -q [errorfile]
- Start in quickFix mode. The file [errorfile] is read and
the first error is displayed. If [errorfile] is omitted, the filename is
obtained from the 'errorfile' option (defaults to "AztecC.Err"
for the Amiga, "errors.err" on other systems). Further errors
can be jumped to with the ":cn" command. See ":help
quickfix".
Vim behaves differently, depending on the name of the command (the
executable may still be the same file).
- vim
- The "normal" way, everything is default.
- ex
- Start in Ex mode. Go to Normal mode with the
":vi" command. Can also be done with the "-e"
argument.
- view
- Start in read-only mode. You will be protected from writing
the files. Can also be done with the "-R" argument.
- gvim gview
- The GUI version. Starts a new window. Can also be done with
the "-g" argument.
- evim eview
- The GUI version in easy mode. Starts a new window. Can also
be done with the "-y" argument.
- rvim rview rgvim rgview
- Like the above, but with restrictions. It will not be
possible to start shell commands, or suspend Vim. Can also be done
with the "-Z" argument.
OPTIONS¶
The options may be given in any order, before or after filenames. Options
without an argument can be combined after a single dash.
- +[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 ":help search-pattern" 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
Note: You can use up to 10 "+" or "-c" commands.
- -S {file}
- {file} will be sourced after the first file has been read.
This is equivalent to -c "source {file}". {file} cannot start
with '-'. If {file} is omitted "Session.vim" is used (only works
when -S is the last argument).
- --cmd {command}
- Like using "-c", but the command is executed just
before processing any vimrc file. You can use up to 10 of these commands,
independently from "-c" commands.
- -A
- If Vim has been compiled with ARABIC support for
editing right-to-left oriented files and Arabic keyboard mapping, this
option starts Vim in Arabic mode, i.e. 'arabic' is set. Otherwise
an error message is given and Vim aborts.
- -b
- Binary mode. A few options will be set that makes it
possible to edit a binary or executable file.
- -C
- Compatible. Set the 'compatible' option. This will make
Vim behave mostly like Vi, even though a .vimrc file exists.
- -d
- Start in diff mode. There should be two, three or four file
name arguments. Vim will open all the files and show differences
between them. Works like vimdiff(1).
- -d {device}
- Open {device} for use as a terminal. Only on the Amiga.
Example: "-d con:20/30/600/150".
- -D
- Debugging. Go to debugging mode when executing the first
command from a script.
- -e
- Start Vim in Ex mode, just like the executable was
called "ex".
- -E
- Start Vim in improved Ex mode, just like the
executable was called "exim".
- -f
- Foreground. For the GUI version, Vim will not fork
and detach from the shell it was started in. On the Amiga, 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). On the Amiga the ":sh" and ":!"
commands will not work.
- --nofork
- Foreground. For the GUI version, Vim will not fork
and detach from the shell it was started in.
- -F
- If Vim has been compiled with FKMAP support for
editing right-to-left oriented files and Farsi keyboard mapping, this
option starts Vim in Farsi mode, i.e. 'fkmap' and 'rightleft' are
set. Otherwise an error message is given and Vim aborts.
- -g
- If Vim has been compiled with GUI support, this
option enables the GUI. If no GUI support was compiled in, an error
message is given and Vim aborts.
- -h
- Give a bit of help about the command line arguments and
options. After this Vim exits.
- -H
- If Vim has been compiled with RIGHTLEFT support for
editing right-to-left oriented files and Hebrew keyboard mapping, this
option starts Vim in Hebrew mode, i.e. 'hkmap' and 'rightleft' are
set. Otherwise an error message is given and Vim aborts.
- -i {viminfo}
- When using the viminfo file is enabled, this option sets
the filename to use, instead of the default "~/.viminfo". This
can also be used to skip the use of the .viminfo file, by giving the name
"NONE".
- -L
- Same as -r.
- -l
- Lisp mode. Sets the 'lisp' and 'showmatch' options on.
- -m
- Modifying files is disabled. Resets the 'write' option. You
can still modify the buffer, but writing a file is not possible.
- -M
- Modifications not allowed. The 'modifiable' and 'write'
options will be unset, so that changes are not allowed and files can not
be written. Note that these options can be set to enable making
modifications.
- -N
- No-compatible mode. Reset the 'compatible' option. This
will make Vim behave a bit better, but less Vi compatible, even
though a .vimrc file does not exist.
- -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".
- -nb
- Become an editor server for NetBeans. See the docs for
details.
- -o[N]
- Open N windows stacked. When N is omitted, open one window
for each file.
- -O[N]
- Open N windows side by side. When N is omitted, open one
window for each file.
- -p[N]
- Open N tab pages. When N is omitted, open one tab page for
each file.
- -R
- Read-only 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 -R option also implies the -n
option (see below). The 'readonly' option can be reset with ":set
noro". See ":help 'readonly'".
- -r
- List swap files, with information about using them for
recovery.
- -r {file}
- Recovery mode. The swap file is used to recover a crashed
editing session. The swap file is a file with the same filename as the
text file with ".swp" appended. See ":help
recovery".
- -s
- Silent mode. Only when started as "Ex" or when
the "-e" option was given before the "-s" option.
- -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.
- -T {terminal}
- Tells Vim the name of the terminal you are using.
Only required when the automatic way doesn't work. Should be a terminal
known to Vim (builtin) or defined in the termcap or terminfo
file.
- -u {vimrc}
- Use the commands in the file {vimrc} for initializations.
All the other initializations are skipped. Use this to edit a special kind
of files. It can also be used to skip all initializations by giving the
name "NONE". See ":help initialization" within vim for
more details.
- -U {gvimrc}
- Use the commands in the file {gvimrc} for GUI
initializations. All the other GUI initializations are skipped. It can
also be used to skip all GUI initializations by giving the name
"NONE". See ":help gui-init" within vim for more
details.
- -V[N]
- Verbose. Give messages about which files are sourced and
for reading and writing a viminfo file. The optional number N is the value
for 'verbose'. Default is 10.
- -v
- Start Vim in Vi mode, just like the executable was
called "vi". This only has effect when the executable is called
"ex".
- -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!". If the {scriptout} file exists, characters are
appended.
- -W {scriptout}
- Like -w, but an existing file is overwritten.
- -x
- Use encryption when writing files. Will prompt for a crypt
key.
- -X
- Don't connect to the X server. Shortens startup time in a
terminal, but the window title and clipboard will not be used.
- -y
- Start Vim in easy mode, just like the executable was
called "evim" or "eview". Makes Vim behave like
a click-and-type editor.
- -Z
- Restricted mode. Works like the executable starts with
"r".
- --
- Denotes the end of the options. Arguments after this will
be handled as a file name. This can be used to edit a filename that starts
with a '-'.
- --echo-wid
- GTK GUI only: Echo the Window ID on stdout.
- --help
- Give a help message and exit, just like
"-h".
- --literal
- Take file name arguments literally, do not expand
wildcards. This has no effect on Unix where the shell expands
wildcards.
- --noplugin
- Skip loading plugins. Implied by -u NONE.
- --remote
- Connect to a Vim server and make it edit the files given in
the rest of the arguments. If no server is found a warning is given and
the files are edited in the current Vim.
- --remote-expr {expr}
- Connect to a Vim server, evaluate {expr} in it and print
the result on stdout.
- --remote-send {keys}
- Connect to a Vim server and send {keys} to it.
- --remote-silent
- As --remote, but without the warning when no server is
found.
- --remote-wait
- As --remote, but Vim does not exit until the files have
been edited.
- --remote-wait-silent
- As --remote-wait, but without the warning when no server is
found.
- --serverlist
- List the names of all Vim servers that can be found.
- --servername {name}
- Use {name} as the server name. Used for the current Vim,
unless used with a --remote argument, then it's the name of the server to
connect to.
- --socketid {id}
- GTK GUI only: Use the GtkPlug mechanism to run gvim in
another window.
- --version
- Print version information and exit.
ON-LINE HELP¶
Type ":help" in
Vim to get started. Type ":help
subject" to get help on a specific subject. For example: ":help
ZZ" to get help for the "ZZ" command. Use <Tab> and
CTRL-D to complete subjects (":help cmdline-completion"). Tags are
present to jump from one place to another (sort of hypertext links, see
":help"). All documentation files can be viewed in this way, for
example ":help syntax.txt".
FILES¶
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/doc/*.txt
- The Vim documentation files. Use ":help
doc-file-list" to get the complete list.
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/doc/tags
- The tags file used for finding information in the
documentation files.
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/syntax/syntax.vim
- System wide syntax initializations.
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/syntax/*.vim
- Syntax files for various languages.
- /usr/share/vim/vimrc
- System wide Vim initializations.
- ~/.vimrc
- Your personal Vim initializations.
- /usr/share/vim/gvimrc
- System wide gvim initializations.
- ~/.gvimrc
- Your personal gvim initializations.
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/optwin.vim
- Script used for the ":options" command, a nice
way to view and set options.
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/menu.vim
- System wide menu initializations for gvim.
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/bugreport.vim
- Script to generate a bug report. See ":help
bugs".
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/filetype.vim
- Script to detect the type of a file by its name. See
":help 'filetype'".
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/scripts.vim
- Script to detect the type of a file by its contents. See
":help 'filetype'".
- /usr/share/vim/vim74/print/*.ps
- Files used for PostScript printing.
For recent info read the VIM home page:
<
URL:http://www.vim.org/>
SEE ALSO¶
vimtutor(1)
AUTHOR¶
Most of
Vim was made by Bram Moolenaar, with a lot of help from others.
See ":help credits" in
Vim.
Vim is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson, Tony Andrews and G.R.
(Fred) Walter. Although hardly any of the original code remains.
BUGS¶
Probably. See ":help todo" for a list of known problems.
Note that a number of things that may be regarded as bugs by some, are in fact
caused by a too-faithful reproduction of Vi's behaviour. And if you think
other things are bugs "because Vi does it differently", you should
take a closer look at the vi_diff.txt file (or type :help vi_diff.txt when in
Vim). Also have a look at the 'compatible' and 'cpoptions' options.