VI(1)
NAME
vi − screen-oriented (visual) display editor based on ex
USAGE
vi [ −ttag ] [ −rfile ] [ +command ] [ −l ] [ −wn ] name ...
DESCRIPTION
Vi is a display-oriented text editor based on ex(1). Since vi runs the same code as ex(1), you can get to the command mode of ex(1) from within vi and vice versa.
When using vi, changes you make to the file are reflected in what appears on the terminal screen. The position of the cursor on the screen indicates the position within the file. The DOMAIN/IX Text Processing Guide provides full details on the use of vi.
OPTIONS
−ttag Edit the file containing the tag and position the editor at its definition.
−rfile Recover file after an editor or system crash. If file is not specified, a list of all saved files is printed.
−l Indent appropriately for LISP code, and modify (), {}, [[, and ]] commands to have meaning for LISP.
−wn Set the default window size to n.
+command Force the editor to begin by executing the specified command. If you omit command, vi initially positions the cursor at the last line of the first file.
FILES
/usr/lib/ex?.?strings error messages
/usr/lib/ex?.?recover recover command
/usr/lib/ex?.?preserve preserve command
/etc/termcap terminal capability descriptions
~/.exrc editor start-up file
/tmp/Exnnnnn editor temporary
/tmp/Rxnnnnn named buffer temporary
/usr/preserve preservation directory
CAUTIONS
Software tabs using ↑T work only immediately after the autoindent.
Left and right shifts on intelligent terminals do not make use of insert and delete character operations in the terminal.
The wrapmargin option can be fooled since it looks at output columns when blanks are typed. If a long word passes through the margin and onto the next line without a break, then the line is not broken.
Insert/delete within a line can be slow if tabs are present on intelligent terminals, since the terminals need help to do this correctly.
Saving text on deletes in the named buffers is somewhat inefficient.
The source command does not work when executed as :source. There is no way to use the :append, :change, and :insert commands, since it is not possible to give more than one line of input to a colon character (:) escape. To use these on a :global, you must get into ex(1) command mode, execute the commands, and then re-enter the screen editor.