|
7
|
1 VIM(1) VIM(1)
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
5 NAME
|
|
|
6 vim - Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
8 SYNOPSIS
|
|
|
9 vim [options] [file ..]
|
|
|
10 vim [options] -
|
|
|
11 vim [options] -t tag
|
|
|
12 vim [options] -q [errorfile]
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
14 ex
|
|
|
15 view
|
|
|
16 gvim gview evim eview
|
|
|
17 rvim rview rgvim rgview
|
|
|
18
|
|
|
19 DESCRIPTION
|
|
|
20 Vim is a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi. It can be used
|
|
|
21 to edit all kinds of plain text. It is especially useful for editing
|
|
|
22 programs.
|
|
|
23
|
|
|
24 There are a lot of enhancements above Vi: multi level undo, multi win-
|
|
|
25 dows and buffers, syntax highlighting, command line editing, filename
|
|
|
26 completion, on-line help, visual selection, etc.. See ":help
|
|
|
27 vi_diff.txt" for a summary of the differences between Vim and Vi.
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
29 While running Vim a lot of help can be obtained from the on-line help
|
|
|
30 system, with the ":help" command. See the ON-LINE HELP section below.
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
32 Most often Vim is started to edit a single file with the command
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
34 vim file
|
|
|
35
|
|
|
36 More generally Vim is started with:
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
38 vim [options] [filelist]
|
|
|
39
|
|
|
40 If the filelist is missing, the editor will start with an empty buffer.
|
|
|
41 Otherwise exactly one out of the following four may be used to choose
|
|
|
42 one or more files to be edited.
|
|
|
43
|
|
|
44 file .. A list of filenames. The first one will be the current
|
|
|
45 file and read into the buffer. The cursor will be posi-
|
|
|
46 tioned on the first line of the buffer. You can get to the
|
|
|
47 other files with the ":next" command. To edit a file that
|
|
|
48 starts with a dash, precede the filelist with "--".
|
|
|
49
|
|
|
50 - The file to edit is read from stdin. Commands are read
|
|
|
51 from stderr, which should be a tty.
|
|
|
52
|
|
|
53 -t {tag} The file to edit and the initial cursor position depends on
|
|
|
54 a "tag", a sort of goto label. {tag} is looked up in the
|
|
|
55 tags file, the associated file becomes the current file and
|
|
|
56 the associated command is executed. Mostly this is used
|
|
|
57 for C programs, in which case {tag} could be a function
|
|
|
58 name. The effect is that the file containing that function
|
|
|
59 becomes the current file and the cursor is positioned on
|
|
|
60 the start of the function. See ":help tag-commands".
|
|
|
61
|
|
|
62 -q [errorfile]
|
|
|
63 Start in quickFix mode. The file [errorfile] is read and
|
|
|
64 the first error is displayed. If [errorfile] is omitted,
|
|
|
65 the filename is obtained from the 'errorfile' option
|
|
|
66 (defaults to "AztecC.Err" for the Amiga, "errors.err" on
|
|
|
67 other systems). Further errors can be jumped to with the
|
|
|
68 ":cn" command. See ":help quickfix".
|
|
|
69
|
|
|
70 Vim behaves differently, depending on the name of the command (the exe-
|
|
|
71 cutable may still be the same file).
|
|
|
72
|
|
|
73 vim The "normal" way, everything is default.
|
|
|
74
|
|
|
75 ex Start in Ex mode. Go to Normal mode with the ":vi" command.
|
|
|
76 Can also be done with the "-e" argument.
|
|
|
77
|
|
|
78 view Start in read-only mode. You will be protected from writing
|
|
|
79 the files. Can also be done with the "-R" argument.
|
|
|
80
|
|
|
81 gvim gview
|
|
|
82 The GUI version. Starts a new window. Can also be done with
|
|
|
83 the "-g" argument.
|
|
|
84
|
|
|
85 evim eview
|
|
|
86 The GUI version in easy mode. Starts a new window. Can also
|
|
|
87 be done with the "-y" argument.
|
|
|
88
|
|
|
89 rvim rview rgvim rgview
|
|
|
90 Like the above, but with restrictions. It will not be possi-
|
|
|
91 ble to start shell commands, or suspend Vim. Can also be
|
|
|
92 done with the "-Z" argument.
|
|
|
93
|
|
|
94 OPTIONS
|
|
|
95 The options may be given in any order, before or after filenames.
|
|
|
96 Options without an argument can be combined after a single dash.
|
|
|
97
|
|
|
98 +[num] For the first file the cursor will be positioned on line
|
|
|
99 "num". If "num" is missing, the cursor will be positioned
|
|
|
100 on the last line.
|
|
|
101
|
|
|
102 +/{pat} For the first file the cursor will be positioned on the
|
|
|
103 first occurrence of {pat}. See ":help search-pattern" for
|
|
|
104 the available search patterns.
|
|
|
105
|
|
|
106 +{command}
|
|
|
107
|
|
|
108 -c {command}
|
|
|
109 {command} will be executed after the first file has been
|
|
|
110 read. {command} is interpreted as an Ex command. If the
|
|
|
111 {command} contains spaces it must be enclosed in double
|
|
|
112 quotes (this depends on the shell that is used). Example:
|
|
|
113 Vim "+set si" main.c
|
|
|
114 Note: You can use up to 10 "+" or "-c" commands.
|
|
|
115
|
|
|
116 -S {file} {file} will be sourced after the first file has been read.
|
|
|
117 This is equivalent to -c "source {file}". {file} cannot
|
|
|
118 start with '-'. If {file} is omitted "Session.vim" is used
|
|
|
119 (only works when -S is the last argument).
|
|
|
120
|
|
|
121 --cmd {command}
|
|
|
122 Like using "-c", but the command is executed just before
|
|
|
123 processing any vimrc file. You can use up to 10 of these
|
|
|
124 commands, independently from "-c" commands.
|
|
|
125
|
|
|
126 -A If Vim has been compiled with ARABIC support for editing
|
|
|
127 right-to-left oriented files and Arabic keyboard mapping,
|
|
|
128 this option starts Vim in Arabic mode, i.e. 'arabic' is
|
|
|
129 set. Otherwise an error message is given and Vim aborts.
|
|
|
130
|
|
|
131 -b Binary mode. A few options will be set that makes it pos-
|
|
|
132 sible to edit a binary or executable file.
|
|
|
133
|
|
|
134 -C Compatible. Set the 'compatible' option. This will make
|
|
|
135 Vim behave mostly like Vi, even though a .vimrc file
|
|
|
136 exists.
|
|
|
137
|
|
1698
|
138 -d Start in diff mode. There should be two, three or four
|
|
|
139 file name arguments. Vim will open all the files and show
|
|
|
140 differences between them. Works like vimdiff(1).
|
|
7
|
141
|
|
|
142 -d {device} Open {device} for use as a terminal. Only on the Amiga.
|
|
|
143 Example: "-d con:20/30/600/150".
|
|
|
144
|
|
|
145 -D Debugging. Go to debugging mode when executing the first
|
|
|
146 command from a script.
|
|
|
147
|
|
|
148 -e Start Vim in Ex mode, just like the executable was called
|
|
|
149 "ex".
|
|
|
150
|
|
|
151 -E Start Vim in improved Ex mode, just like the executable was
|
|
|
152 called "exim".
|
|
|
153
|
|
|
154 -f Foreground. For the GUI version, Vim will not fork and
|
|
|
155 detach from the shell it was started in. On the Amiga, Vim
|
|
|
156 is not restarted to open a new window. This option should
|
|
|
157 be used when Vim is executed by a program that will wait
|
|
|
158 for the edit session to finish (e.g. mail). On the Amiga
|
|
|
159 the ":sh" and ":!" commands will not work.
|
|
|
160
|
|
|
161 --nofork Foreground. For the GUI version, Vim will not fork and
|
|
|
162 detach from the shell it was started in.
|
|
|
163
|
|
|
164 -F If Vim has been compiled with FKMAP support for editing
|
|
|
165 right-to-left oriented files and Farsi keyboard mapping,
|
|
|
166 this option starts Vim in Farsi mode, i.e. 'fkmap' and
|
|
|
167 'rightleft' are set. Otherwise an error message is given
|
|
|
168 and Vim aborts.
|
|
|
169
|
|
|
170 -g If Vim has been compiled with GUI support, this option
|
|
|
171 enables the GUI. If no GUI support was compiled in, an
|
|
|
172 error message is given and Vim aborts.
|
|
|
173
|
|
|
174 -h Give a bit of help about the command line arguments and
|
|
|
175 options. After this Vim exits.
|
|
|
176
|
|
|
177 -H If Vim has been compiled with RIGHTLEFT support for editing
|
|
|
178 right-to-left oriented files and Hebrew keyboard mapping,
|
|
|
179 this option starts Vim in Hebrew mode, i.e. 'hkmap' and
|
|
|
180 'rightleft' are set. Otherwise an error message is given
|
|
|
181 and Vim aborts.
|
|
|
182
|
|
|
183 -i {viminfo}
|
|
|
184 When using the viminfo file is enabled, this option sets
|
|
|
185 the filename to use, instead of the default "~/.viminfo".
|
|
|
186 This can also be used to skip the use of the .viminfo file,
|
|
|
187 by giving the name "NONE".
|
|
|
188
|
|
|
189 -L Same as -r.
|
|
|
190
|
|
|
191 -l Lisp mode. Sets the 'lisp' and 'showmatch' options on.
|
|
|
192
|
|
|
193 -m Modifying files is disabled. Resets the 'write' option.
|
|
|
194 You can still modify the buffer, but writing a file is not
|
|
|
195 possible.
|
|
|
196
|
|
|
197 -M Modifications not allowed. The 'modifiable' and 'write'
|
|
|
198 options will be unset, so that changes are not allowed and
|
|
|
199 files can not be written. Note that these options can be
|
|
|
200 set to enable making modifications.
|
|
|
201
|
|
|
202 -N No-compatible mode. Reset the 'compatible' option. This
|
|
|
203 will make Vim behave a bit better, but less Vi compatible,
|
|
|
204 even though a .vimrc file does not exist.
|
|
|
205
|
|
|
206 -n No swap file will be used. Recovery after a crash will be
|
|
|
207 impossible. Handy if you want to edit a file on a very
|
|
|
208 slow medium (e.g. floppy). Can also be done with ":set
|
|
|
209 uc=0". Can be undone with ":set uc=200".
|
|
|
210
|
|
|
211 -nb Become an editor server for NetBeans. See the docs for
|
|
|
212 details.
|
|
|
213
|
|
|
214 -o[N] Open N windows stacked. When N is omitted, open one window
|
|
|
215 for each file.
|
|
|
216
|
|
|
217 -O[N] Open N windows side by side. When N is omitted, open one
|
|
|
218 window for each file.
|
|
|
219
|
|
803
|
220 -p[N] Open N tab pages. When N is omitted, open one tab page for
|
|
|
221 each file.
|
|
|
222
|
|
|
223 -R Read-only mode. The 'readonly' option will be set. You
|
|
7
|
224 can still edit the buffer, but will be prevented from acci-
|
|
803
|
225 dently overwriting a file. If you do want to overwrite a
|
|
|
226 file, add an exclamation mark to the Ex command, as in
|
|
|
227 ":w!". The -R option also implies the -n option (see
|
|
|
228 below). The 'readonly' option can be reset with ":set
|
|
7
|
229 noro". See ":help 'readonly'".
|
|
|
230
|
|
803
|
231 -r List swap files, with information about using them for
|
|
7
|
232 recovery.
|
|
|
233
|
|
803
|
234 -r {file} Recovery mode. The swap file is used to recover a crashed
|
|
|
235 editing session. The swap file is a file with the same
|
|
7
|
236 filename as the text file with ".swp" appended. See ":help
|
|
|
237 recovery".
|
|
|
238
|
|
803
|
239 -s Silent mode. Only when started as "Ex" or when the "-e"
|
|
7
|
240 option was given before the "-s" option.
|
|
|
241
|
|
|
242 -s {scriptin}
|
|
803
|
243 The script file {scriptin} is read. The characters in the
|
|
|
244 file are interpreted as if you had typed them. The same
|
|
7
|
245 can be done with the command ":source! {scriptin}". If the
|
|
|
246 end of the file is reached before the editor exits, further
|
|
|
247 characters are read from the keyboard.
|
|
|
248
|
|
|
249 -T {terminal}
|
|
803
|
250 Tells Vim the name of the terminal you are using. Only
|
|
|
251 required when the automatic way doesn't work. Should be a
|
|
|
252 terminal known to Vim (builtin) or defined in the termcap
|
|
7
|
253 or terminfo file.
|
|
|
254
|
|
803
|
255 -u {vimrc} Use the commands in the file {vimrc} for initializations.
|
|
|
256 All the other initializations are skipped. Use this to
|
|
|
257 edit a special kind of files. It can also be used to skip
|
|
|
258 all initializations by giving the name "NONE". See ":help
|
|
7
|
259 initialization" within vim for more details.
|
|
|
260
|
|
803
|
261 -U {gvimrc} Use the commands in the file {gvimrc} for GUI initializa-
|
|
|
262 tions. All the other GUI initializations are skipped. It
|
|
|
263 can also be used to skip all GUI initializations by giving
|
|
|
264 the name "NONE". See ":help gui-init" within vim for more
|
|
7
|
265 details.
|
|
|
266
|
|
803
|
267 -V[N] Verbose. Give messages about which files are sourced and
|
|
|
268 for reading and writing a viminfo file. The optional num-
|
|
7
|
269 ber N is the value for 'verbose'. Default is 10.
|
|
|
270
|
|
803
|
271 -v Start Vim in Vi mode, just like the executable was called
|
|
|
272 "vi". This only has effect when the executable is called
|
|
7
|
273 "ex".
|
|
|
274
|
|
|
275 -w {scriptout}
|
|
803
|
276 All the characters that you type are recorded in the file
|
|
|
277 {scriptout}, until you exit Vim. This is useful if you
|
|
|
278 want to create a script file to be used with "vim -s" or
|
|
7
|
279 ":source!". If the {scriptout} file exists, characters are
|
|
|
280 appended.
|
|
|
281
|
|
|
282 -W {scriptout}
|
|
|
283 Like -w, but an existing file is overwritten.
|
|
|
284
|
|
36
|
285 -x Use encryption when writing files. Will prompt for a crypt
|
|
|
286 key.
|
|
7
|
287
|
|
803
|
288 -X Don't connect to the X server. Shortens startup time in a
|
|
|
289 terminal, but the window title and clipboard will not be
|
|
7
|
290 used.
|
|
|
291
|
|
|
292 -y Start Vim in easy mode, just like the executable was called
|
|
803
|
293 "evim" or "eview". Makes Vim behave like a click-and-type
|
|
7
|
294 editor.
|
|
|
295
|
|
803
|
296 -Z Restricted mode. Works like the executable starts with
|
|
7
|
297 "r".
|
|
|
298
|
|
803
|
299 -- Denotes the end of the options. Arguments after this will
|
|
|
300 be handled as a file name. This can be used to edit a
|
|
7
|
301 filename that starts with a '-'.
|
|
|
302
|
|
36
|
303 --echo-wid GTK GUI only: Echo the Window ID on stdout.
|
|
7
|
304
|
|
|
305 --help Give a help message and exit, just like "-h".
|
|
|
306
|
|
803
|
307 --literal Take file name arguments literally, do not expand wild-
|
|
|
308 cards. This has no effect on Unix where the shell expands
|
|
36
|
309 wildcards.
|
|
7
|
310
|
|
|
311 --noplugin Skip loading plugins. Implied by -u NONE.
|
|
|
312
|
|
|
313 --remote Connect to a Vim server and make it edit the files given in
|
|
|
314 the rest of the arguments. If no server is found a warning
|
|
|
315 is given and the files are edited in the current Vim.
|
|
|
316
|
|
|
317 --remote-expr {expr}
|
|
803
|
318 Connect to a Vim server, evaluate {expr} in it and print
|
|
7
|
319 the result on stdout.
|
|
|
320
|
|
|
321 --remote-send {keys}
|
|
|
322 Connect to a Vim server and send {keys} to it.
|
|
|
323
|
|
|
324 --remote-silent
|
|
803
|
325 As --remote, but without the warning when no server is
|
|
7
|
326 found.
|
|
|
327
|
|
|
328 --remote-wait
|
|
803
|
329 As --remote, but Vim does not exit until the files have
|
|
7
|
330 been edited.
|
|
|
331
|
|
|
332 --remote-wait-silent
|
|
|
333 As --remote-wait, but without the warning when no server is
|
|
|
334 found.
|
|
|
335
|
|
|
336 --serverlist
|
|
|
337 List the names of all Vim servers that can be found.
|
|
|
338
|
|
|
339 --servername {name}
|
|
803
|
340 Use {name} as the server name. Used for the current Vim,
|
|
7
|
341 unless used with a --remote argument, then it's the name of
|
|
|
342 the server to connect to.
|
|
|
343
|
|
|
344 --socketid {id}
|
|
803
|
345 GTK GUI only: Use the GtkPlug mechanism to run gvim in
|
|
7
|
346 another window.
|
|
|
347
|
|
|
348 --version Print version information and exit.
|
|
|
349
|
|
|
350 ON-LINE HELP
|
|
803
|
351 Type ":help" in Vim to get started. Type ":help subject" to get help
|
|
|
352 on a specific subject. For example: ":help ZZ" to get help for the
|
|
|
353 "ZZ" command. Use <Tab> and CTRL-D to complete subjects (":help cmd-
|
|
|
354 line-completion"). Tags are present to jump from one place to another
|
|
7
|
355 (sort of hypertext links, see ":help"). All documentation files can be
|
|
|
356 viewed in this way, for example ":help syntax.txt".
|
|
|
357
|
|
|
358 FILES
|
|
|
359 /usr/local/lib/vim/doc/*.txt
|
|
803
|
360 The Vim documentation files. Use ":help doc-file-list"
|
|
7
|
361 to get the complete list.
|
|
|
362
|
|
|
363 /usr/local/lib/vim/doc/tags
|
|
803
|
364 The tags file used for finding information in the docu-
|
|
7
|
365 mentation files.
|
|
|
366
|
|
|
367 /usr/local/lib/vim/syntax/syntax.vim
|
|
|
368 System wide syntax initializations.
|
|
|
369
|
|
|
370 /usr/local/lib/vim/syntax/*.vim
|
|
|
371 Syntax files for various languages.
|
|
|
372
|
|
|
373 /usr/local/lib/vim/vimrc
|
|
|
374 System wide Vim initializations.
|
|
|
375
|
|
170
|
376 ~/.vimrc Your personal Vim initializations.
|
|
|
377
|
|
7
|
378 /usr/local/lib/vim/gvimrc
|
|
|
379 System wide gvim initializations.
|
|
|
380
|
|
170
|
381 ~/.gvimrc Your personal gvim initializations.
|
|
|
382
|
|
7
|
383 /usr/local/lib/vim/optwin.vim
|
|
803
|
384 Script used for the ":options" command, a nice way to
|
|
7
|
385 view and set options.
|
|
|
386
|
|
|
387 /usr/local/lib/vim/menu.vim
|
|
|
388 System wide menu initializations for gvim.
|
|
|
389
|
|
|
390 /usr/local/lib/vim/bugreport.vim
|
|
|
391 Script to generate a bug report. See ":help bugs".
|
|
|
392
|
|
|
393 /usr/local/lib/vim/filetype.vim
|
|
803
|
394 Script to detect the type of a file by its name. See
|
|
7
|
395 ":help 'filetype'".
|
|
|
396
|
|
|
397 /usr/local/lib/vim/scripts.vim
|
|
803
|
398 Script to detect the type of a file by its contents.
|
|
7
|
399 See ":help 'filetype'".
|
|
|
400
|
|
1698
|
401 /usr/local/lib/vim/print/*.ps
|
|
7
|
402 Files used for PostScript printing.
|
|
|
403
|
|
|
404 For recent info read the VIM home page:
|
|
|
405 <URL:http://www.vim.org/>
|
|
|
406
|
|
|
407 SEE ALSO
|
|
|
408 vimtutor(1)
|
|
|
409
|
|
|
410 AUTHOR
|
|
|
411 Most of Vim was made by Bram Moolenaar, with a lot of help from others.
|
|
|
412 See ":help credits" in Vim.
|
|
803
|
413 Vim is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson, Tony Andrews and
|
|
|
414 G.R. (Fred) Walter. Although hardly any of the original code remains.
|
|
7
|
415
|
|
|
416 BUGS
|
|
|
417 Probably. See ":help todo" for a list of known problems.
|
|
|
418
|
|
803
|
419 Note that a number of things that may be regarded as bugs by some, are
|
|
|
420 in fact caused by a too-faithful reproduction of Vi's behaviour. And
|
|
|
421 if you think other things are bugs "because Vi does it differently",
|
|
|
422 you should take a closer look at the vi_diff.txt file (or type :help
|
|
|
423 vi_diff.txt when in Vim). Also have a look at the 'compatible' and
|
|
7
|
424 'cpoptions' options.
|
|
|
425
|
|
|
426
|
|
|
427
|
|
826
|
428 2006 Apr 11 VIM(1)
|
