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1 *usr_01.txt* For Vim version 7.0aa. Last change: 2004 May 01
2
3 VIM USER MANUAL - by Bram Moolenaar
4
5 About the manuals
6
7
8 This chapter introduces the manuals available with Vim. Read this to know the
9 conditions under which the commands are explained.
10
11 |01.1| Two manuals
12 |01.2| Vim installed
13 |01.3| Using the Vim tutor
14 |01.4| Copyright
15
16 Next chapter: |usr_02.txt| The first steps in Vim
17 Table of contents: |usr_toc.txt|
18
19 ==============================================================================
20 *01.1* Two manuals
21
22 The Vim documentation consists of two parts:
23
24 1. The User manual
25 Task oriented explanations, from simple to complex. Reads from start to
26 end like a book.
27
28 2. The Reference manual
29 Precise description of how everything in Vim works.
30
31 The notation used in these manuals is explained here: |notation|
32
33
34 JUMPING AROUND
35
36 The text contains hyperlinks between the two parts, allowing you to quickly
37 jump between the description of an editing task and a precise explanation of
38 the commands and options used for it. Use these two commands:
39
40 Press CTRL-] to jump to a subject under the cursor.
41 Press CTRL-O to jump back (repeat to go further back).
42
43 Many links are in vertical bars, like this: |bars|. An option name, like
44 'number', a command in double quotes like ":write" and any other word can also
45 be used as a link. Try it out: Move the cursor to CTRL-] and press CTRL-]
46 on it.
47
48 Other subjects can be found with the ":help" command, see |help.txt|.
49
50 ==============================================================================
51 *01.2* Vim installed
52
53 Most of the manuals assume that Vim has been properly installed. If you
54 didn't do that yet, or if Vim doesn't run properly (e.g., files can't be found
55 or in the GUI the menus do not show up) first read the chapter on
56 installation: |usr_90.txt|.
57 *not-compatible*
58 The manuals often assume you are using Vim with Vi-compatibility switched
59 off. For most commands this doesn't matter, but sometimes it is important,
60 e.g., for multi-level undo. An easy way to make sure you are using the right
61 setup, copy the example vimrc file. By doing this inside Vim you don't have
62 to check out where it is located. How to do this depends on the system you
63 are using:
64
65 Unix: >
66 :!cp -i $VIMRUNTIME/vimrc_example.vim ~/.vimrc
67 MS-DOS, MS-Windows, OS/2: >
68 :!copy $VIMRUNTIME/vimrc_example.vim $VIM/_vimrc
69 Amiga: >
70 :!copy $VIMRUNTIME/vimrc_example.vim $VIM/.vimrc
71
72 If the file already exists you probably want to keep it.
73
74 If you start Vim now, the 'compatible' option should be off. You can check it
75 with this command: >
76
77 :set compatible?
78
79 If it responds with "nocompatible" you are doing well. If the response is
80 "compatible" you are in trouble. You will have to find out why the option is
81 still set. Perhaps the file you wrote above is not found. Use this command
82 to find out: >
83
84 :scriptnames
85
86 If your file is not in the list, check its location and name. If it is in the
87 list, there must be some other place where the 'compatible' option is switched
88 back on.
89
90 For more info see |vimrc| and |compatible-default|.
91
92 Note:
93 This manual is about using Vim in the normal way. There is an
94 alternative called "evim" (easy Vim). This is still Vim, but used in
95 a way that resembles a click-and-type editor like Notepad. It always
96 stays in Insert mode, thus it feels very different. It is not
97 explained in the user manual, since it should be mostly self
98 explanatory. See |evim-keys| for details.
99
100 ==============================================================================
101 *01.3* Using the Vim tutor *tutor* *vimtutor*
102
103 Instead of reading the text (boring!) you can use the vimtutor to learn your
104 first Vim commands. This is a 30 minute tutorial that teaches the most basic
105 Vim functionality hands-on.
106
107 On Unix and MS-Windows, if Vim has been properly installed, you can start it
108 from the shell:
109 >
110 vimtutor
111
112 This will make a copy of the tutor file, so that you can edit it without
113 the risk of damaging the original.
114 There are a few translated versions of the tutor. To find out if yours is
115 available, use the two-letter language code. For French: >
116
117 vimtutor fr
118
119 For OpenVMS, if Vim has been properly installed, you can start vimtutor from a
120 VMS prompt with: >
121
122 @VIM:vimtutor
123
124 Optionally add the two-letter language code as above.
125
126
127 On other systems, you have to do a little work:
128
129 1. Copy the tutor file. You can do this with Vim (it knows where to find it):
130 >
131 vim -u NONE -c 'e $VIMRUNTIME/tutor/tutor' -c 'w! TUTORCOPY' -c 'q'
132 <
133 This will write the file "TUTORCOPY" in the current directory. To use a
134 translated version of the tutor, append the two-letter language code to the
135 filename. For French:
136 >
137 vim -u NONE -c 'e $VIMRUNTIME/tutor/tutor.fr' -c 'w! TUTORCOPY' -c 'q'
138 <
139 2. Edit the copied file with Vim:
140 >
141 vim -u NONE -c "set nocp" TUTORCOPY
142 <
143 The extra arguments make sure Vim is started in a good mood.
144
145 3. Delete the copied file when you are finished with it:
146 >
147 del TUTORCOPY
148 <
149 ==============================================================================
150 *01.4* Copyright *manual-copyright*
151
152 The Vim user manual and reference manual are Copyright (c) 1988-2003 by Bram
153 Moolenaar. This material may be distributed only subject to the terms and
154 conditions set forth in the Open Publication License, v1.0 or later. The
155 latest version is presently available at:
156 http://www.opencontent.org/opl.shtml
157
158 People who contribute to the manuals must agree with the above copyright
159 notice.
160 *frombook*
161 Parts of the user manual come from the book "Vi IMproved - Vim" by Steve
162 Oualline (published by New Riders Publishing, ISBN: 0735710015). The Open
163 Publication License applies to this book. Only selected parts are included
164 and these have been modified (e.g., by removing the pictures, updating the
165 text for Vim 6.0 and fixing mistakes). The omission of the |frombook| tag
166 does not mean that the text does not come from the book.
167
168 Many thanks to Steve Oualline and New Riders for creating this book and
169 publishing it under the OPL! It has been a great help while writing the user
170 manual. Not only by providing literal text, but also by setting the tone and
171 style.
172
173 If you make money through selling the manuals, you are strongly encouraged to
174 donate part of the profit to help AIDS victims in Uganda. See |iccf|.
175
176 ==============================================================================
177
178 Next chapter: |usr_02.txt| The first steps in Vim
179
180 Copyright: see |manual-copyright| vim:tw=78:ts=8:ft=help:norl: