Advanced vi Tips
Mastering vi command
Advanced VI Editor Commands
For experienced users looking to enhance their editing efficiency:
Example: Use :s/old/new/g to replace all occurrences of “old” with “new” in the current line.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| :set nu | Display line numbers in the editor. |
| :set nonu | Hide line numbers. |
| :wq | Save changes and exit the editor. |
| 😡 | Save changes and exit (similar to :wq). |
| :e filename | Open a different file for editing. |
| gg | Go to the first line of the file. |
| G | Go to the last line of the file. |
| /pattern | Search for ‘pattern’ in the file. |
| n | Repeat the last search forward. |
| N | Repeat the last search backward. |
Using Visual Mode for Selection
To select text for editing:
Example: Press v, then use arrow keys to select text, followed by commands like d to delete or y to yank (copy).
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| v | Select text character by character. |
| V | Select entire lines. |
| Ctrl + v | Select a block of text (visual block mode). |
| d | Delete selected text. |
| y | Yank (copy) selected text. |
Using Macros for Repetitive Tasks
To record and execute macros:
Example: Press q a, perform actions, then press q again to stop recording. Execute with @a.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| q{register} | Start recording a macro into {register} (e.g., qa). |
| @{register} | Execute the macro stored in {register}. |
| @@ | Repeat the last executed macro. |
Sophisticated Search and Replace
To perform complex replacements:
Example: Use :%s/old/new/gc, where ‘c’ prompts for confirmation before each replacement.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| %s/pattern/replacement/gc | Replace ‘pattern’ with ‘replacement’ globally with confirmation. |
| :g/pattern/d | Delete all lines matching ‘pattern’. |
| :v/pattern/d | Delete all lines not matching ‘pattern’. |
Navigating Between Files with Buffers
To manage multiple files efficiently:
Example: Use commands like :bn (next buffer) or :bp (previous buffer).
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| :ls | List all open buffers. |
| :b{number} | Switch to buffer {number}. |
| :bd | Delete a buffer from the list. |
| :bn | Go to the next buffer. |
| :bp | Go to the previous buffer. |
Differentiating Between Modes with Highlighting
To visually distinguish between modes:
Example: Set syntax highlighting with: :syntax on in command mode.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| :syntax on | Enable syntax highlighting. |
| :syntax off | Disable syntax highlighting. |
| :set hlsearch | Highlight search results. |
| :set nohlsearch | Turn off search highlighting. |
| :set wrapscan | Wrap search at end of file. |
Scripting and Command-Line Editing in VI
To automate tasks using scripts:
Example: Use :source script.vim to execute commands from a script file.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| :source filename.vim | Execute commands from filename.vim. |
| :r filename | Read content from filename into current buffer. |
| :w !command | Write output of current buffer to an external command. |
| :!command | Execute an external command without leaving vi. |
| :sh | Open a shell prompt while in vi. |
Advanced Navigation Commands in VI
For experienced users looking to enhance their navigation skills in the VI editor:
Example: Use :10 to move the cursor directly to line 10 of the file.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| 0 | Move to the beginning of the current line. |
| $ | Move to the end of the current line. |
| w | Move forward to the beginning of the next word. |
| b | Move backward to the beginning of the previous word. |
| e | Move to the end of the current word. |
| H | Move to the top of the screen. |
| M | Move to the middle of the screen. |
| L | Move to the bottom of the screen. |
| nH | Move down to the nth line from the top of the screen. |
| nL | Move up to the nth line from the bottom of the screen. |
Scrolling Commands for Efficient Navigation
To scroll through your document without moving the cursor:
Example: Use Ctrl + d to scroll down half a page, or Ctrl + u to scroll up half a page.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + f | Scroll forward one full screen. |
| Ctrl + b | Scroll backward one full screen. |
| Ctrl + d | Scroll down half a screen. |
| Ctrl + u | Scroll up half a screen. |
Navigating Between Lines and Characters Quickly
To move through lines and characters efficiently:
Example: Type 5j to move down five lines at once.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| {number}j | Move down {number} lines. |
| {number}k | Move up {number} lines. |
| {number}h | Move left {number} characters. |
| {number}l | Move right {number} characters. |
| f{char} | Move forward to next occurrence of character {char}. |
| F{char} | Move backward to previous occurrence of character {char}. |
Navigating with Marks and Jumps
To set marks for quick navigation:
Example: Use ma to set mark ‘a’, then jump back with ‘a.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| ma | Set mark ‘a’ at current cursor position. |
| ‘a | Jump back to mark ‘a’. |
| `a | Jump back to exact position of mark ‘a’. |
| :marks | List all set marks. |
Navigating with Search Commands
To quickly find text in your document:
Example: Use /search_term to search for “search_term”.
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
| /pattern | Search forward for ‘pattern’. |
| ?pattern | Search backward for ‘pattern’. |
| n | Repeat last search in same direction. |
| N | Repeat last search in opposite direction. |