Solaris Advanced User's Guide

Summary of Basic `vi` Commands

The following table describes basic vi commands.

Table 6–1 Starting vi


Command	Description
`vi` `filename`	Open or create file
`vi`	Open new file to be named later
`vi` `-r` `filename`	Recover crashed file
`view` `filename`	Open file read-only

Table 6–2 Cursor Commands


Command	Description
`h`	Move left one character
`j`	Move down one line
`k`	Move up one line
`l`	Move right one character
`w`	Move right one word
`W`	Move right one word (past punctuation)
`b`	Move left one word
`B`	Move left one word (past punctuation)
`e`	Move to end of current word
`Return`	Move down one line
`Backspace`	Move left one character
`Spacebar`	Move right one character
`H`	Move to top of screen
`M`	Move to middle of screen
`L`	Move to bottom of screen
`Ctrl-F`	Page forward one screen
`Ctrl-D`	Scroll forward one-half screen
`Ctrl-B`	Page backward one screen
`Ctrl-U`	Scroll backward one-half screen

Table 6–3 Inserting Characters and Lines


Command	Description
`a`	Insert characters to right of cursor
`A`	Insert characters at end of line
`i`	Insert characters to left of cursor
`I`	Insert characters at beginning of line
`o`	Insert line below cursor
`O`	Insert line above cursor

Table 6–4 Changing Text


Command	Description
`cw`	Change word (or part of word) to right of cursor
`cc`	Change line
`C`	Change from cursor to end of line
`s`	Substitute string for character(s) from cursor forward
`r`	Replace character at cursor with one other character
`r` `Return`	Break line
`J`	Join current line and line below
`xp`	Transpose character at cursor and character to right
`~`	Change case of letter (uppercase or lowercase)
`u`	Undo previous command
`U`	Undo all changes to current line
`:u`	Undo previous last-line command

Table 6–5 Deleting Text


Command	Description
`x`	Delete character at the cursor
`X`	Delete character to the left of the cursor
`dw`	Delete word (or part of word to right of cursor)
`dd`	Delete line containing the cursor
`D`	Delete part of line to right of cursor
`dG`	Delete to end of file
`d1G`	Delete from beginning of file to cursor
`:5,10 d`	Delete lines 5-10

Table 6–6 Copying and Moving Text


Command	Description
`yy`	Yank or copy line
`Y`	Yank or copy line
`p`	Put yanked or deleted line below current line
`P`	Put yanked or deleted line above current line
`:1,2 co 3`	Copy lines 1-2 and put after line 3
`:4,5 m 6`	Move lines 4-5 and put after line 6

Table 6–7 Setting Line Numbers


Command	Description
`:set nu`	Show line numbers
`:set nonu`	Hide line numbers

Table 6–8 Setting Case-sensitivity


Command	Description
`:set ic`	Searches should ignore case
`:set noic`	Searches should be case sensitive

Table 6–9 Finding a Line

Table 6–10 Searching and Replacing


Command	Description
`/string`	Search for string
`?string`	Search backward for string
`n`	Find next occurrence of string in search direction
`N`	Find previous occurrence of string in search direction
:g/`search`/s//`replace`/g	Search and replace

Table 6–11 Clearing the Screen


Command	Description
`Ctrl-L`	Clear (refresh) scrambled screen

Table 6–12 Inserting a File Into a File


Command	Description
`:r` `filename`	Insert (read) file after cursor
`:34` `r` `filename`	Insert file after line 34

Table 6–13 Saving and Quitting

Summary of Basic vi Commands