vim
(1)
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
User Commands VIM(1)
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 espe-
cially 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 selec-
tion, 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 cur-
sor 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.
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-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 func-
tion name. The effect is that the file contain-
ing 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 com-
mand (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 win-
dow. 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 sus-
pend Vim. Can also be done with the "-Z" argu-
ment.
OPTIONS
The options may be given in any order, before or after file-
names. Options without an argument can be combined after a
single dash.
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+[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 pat-
terns.
+{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 Ara-
bic 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
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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 argu-
ments 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".
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-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
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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 charac-
ters in the file are interpreted as if you had
typed them. The same can be done with the com-
mand ":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 ini-
tializations. All the other initializations are
skipped. Use this to edit a special kind of
files. It can also be used to skip all initial-
izations 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 initializa-
tions 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.
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-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.
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--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 argu-
ment, then it's the name of the server to con-
nect 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 com-
plete 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/vim73/doc/*.txt
The Vim documentation files. Use ":help
doc-file-list" to get the complete list.
/usr/share/vim/vim73/doc/tags
The tags file used for finding information in
the documentation files.
/usr/share/vim/vim73/syntax/syntax.vim
System wide syntax initializations.
/usr/share/vim/vim73/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.
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~/.gvimrc Your personal gvim initializations.
/usr/share/vim/vim73/optwin.vim
Script used for the ":options" command, a
nice way to view and set options.
/usr/share/vim/vim73/menu.vim
System wide menu initializations for gvim.
/usr/share/vim/vim73/bugreport.vim
Script to generate a bug report. See ":help
bugs".
/usr/share/vim/vim73/filetype.vim
Script to detect the type of a file by its
name. See ":help 'filetype'".
/usr/share/vim/vim73/scripts.vim
Script to detect the type of a file by its
contents. See ":help 'filetype'".
/usr/share/vim/vim73/print/*.ps
Files used for PostScript printing.
For recent info read the VIM home page:
<URL:http://www.vim.org/>
ATTRIBUTES
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following
attributes:
+---------------+---------------------+
|ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
+---------------+---------------------+
|Availability | editor/vim/vim-core |
+---------------+---------------------+
|Stability | Uncommitted |
+---------------+---------------------+
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.
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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 'cpop-
tions' options.
NOTES
This software was built from source available at
https://java.net/projects/solaris-userland. The original
community source was downloaded from https://vim.google-
code.com/hg
Further information about this software can be found on the
open source community website at http://www.vim.org/.
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