Editors (Vim)

vimtutor

The cursor is moved using either the arrow keys or the hjkl keys.
- h (left) j (down) k (up) l (right)
To start Vim from the shell prompt type: vim FILENAME
To exit Vim type:
- :q! to trash all changes. OR type:
- :wq to save the changes.
To delete the character at the cursor type: x
To insert or append text type:
- i insert before the cursor
- A append after the line

NOTE: Pressing <ESC> will place you in Normal mode or will cancel an unwanted and partially completed command.

To delete from the cursor up to the next word type: dw
To delete from the cursor to the end of a line type: d$
To delete a whole line type: dd
To repeat a motion prepend it with a number: 2w
The format for a change command is: operator [number] motion
- where: operator - is what to do, such as d for delete
- [number] - is an optional count to repeat the motion
- motion - moves over the text to operate on, such as w (word), $ (to the end of line), etc.
To move to the start of the line use a zero: 0
To undo previous actions, type: u (lowercase u)
To undo all the changes on a line, type: U (capital U)
To undo the undo's, type: CTRL-R

To put back text that has just been deleted, type p. This puts the deleted text AFTER the cursor (if a line was deleted it will go on the line below the cursor).
To replace the character under the cursor, type r and then the character you want to have there.
The change operator allows you to change from the cursor to where the motion takes you. e.g. Type ce to change from the cursor to the end of the word, c$ to change to the end of a line.
The format for change is: c [number] motion

CTRL-G displays your location in the file and the file status.
- G moves to the end of the file.
- number G moves to that line number.
- gg moves to the first line.
After a search type n to find the next occurrence in the same direction or N to search in the opposite direction. CTRL-O takes you back to older positions, CTRL-I to newer positions.
- Typing / followed by a phrase searches FORWARD for the phrase.
- Typing ? followed by a phrase searches BACKWARD for the phrase.
Typing % while the cursor is on a (,),[,],{, or } goes to its match.

Substitution

cmd

To substitute new for the first old in a line

:s/old/new

To substitute new for all 'old's on a line

:s/old/new/g

To substitute phrases between two line #'s

:#,#s/old/new/g

To substitute all occurrences in the file

:%s/old/new/g

To ask for confirmation each time add 'c'

:%s/old/new/gc

Some useful examples are:

(Windows)

(Unix)

:!dir

:!ls

shows a directory listing

:!del FILENAME

:!rm FILENAME

removes file FILENAME

:w FILENAME writes the current Vim file to disk with name FILENAME.
v motion :w FILENAME saves the Visually selected lines in file FILENAME.
:r FILENAME retrieves disk file FILENAME and puts it below the cursor position.
:r !dir reads the output of the dir command and puts it below the cursor position.

Type o to open a line BELOW the cursor and start Insert mode.
Type O to open a line ABOVE the cursor.
Type a to insert text AFTER the cursor.
Type A to insert text after the end of the line.
The e command moves to the end of a word.
The y operator yanks (copies) text, p puts (pastes) it.
Typing a capital R enters Replace mode until <ESC> is pressed.
Typing ":set xxx" sets the option "xxx". Some options are:
- 'ic' 'ignorecase' ignore upper/lower case when searching
- 'is' 'incsearch' show partial matches for a search phrase
- 'hls' 'hlsearch' highlight all matching phrases
You can either use the long or the short option name.
Prepend "no" to switch an option off: :set noic

Type :help or press <F1> or <HELP> to open a help window.
Type :help cmd to find help on cmd.
Type CTRL-W CTRL-W to jump to another window.
Type :q to close the help window.
Create a vimrc startup script to keep your preferred settings.
When typing a : command, press CTRL-D to see possible completions. Press <TAB> to use one completion.

Last updated 4 years ago