diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'usr.bin/vi/docs/tutorial/vi.advanced')
| -rw-r--r-- | usr.bin/vi/docs/tutorial/vi.advanced | 1458 |
1 files changed, 1458 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/usr.bin/vi/docs/tutorial/vi.advanced b/usr.bin/vi/docs/tutorial/vi.advanced new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..f757ad19c44 --- /dev/null +++ b/usr.bin/vi/docs/tutorial/vi.advanced @@ -0,0 +1,1458 @@ +Section 26: Index to the rest of the tutorial + +The remainder of the tutorial can be perused at your leisure. Simply find the +topic of interest in the following list, and {/Section xx:/^M} to get to the +appropriate section. (Remember that ^M means the return key) + +The material in the following sections is not necessarily in a bottom up +order. It should be fairly obvious that if a section mentions something with +which you are not familiar, say, buffers, you might {/buffer/^M} followed by +several {n} to do a keyword search of the file for more details on that item. +Another point to remember is that commands are surrounded by curly-braces and +can therefore be found rather easily. To see where, say, the X command is +used try {/{X}/^M}. Subsequent {n} will show you other places the command was +used. We have tried to maintain the convention of placing the command letter +surrounded by curly-braces on the section line where that command is +mentioned. + +Finally, you should have enough 'savvy' at this point to be able to do your +own experimentation with commands without too much hand-holding on the part of +the tutorial. Experimentation is the best way to learn the effects of the +commands. + + Section Topic - description + ------- ------------------- +(Sections 1 through 25 are located in the file vi.beginner.) + 1 introduction: {^F} {ZZ} + 2 introduction (con't) and positioning: {^F} {^B} + 3 introduction (con't) and positioning: {^F} {^B} + 4 positioning: {^F} {^B} ^M (return key) + 5 quitting: {:q!} ^M key + 6 marking, cursor and screen positioning: {m} {G} {'} {z} + 7 marking, cursor and screen positioning: {m} {G} {'} {z} + 8 marking, cursor and screen positioning: {z} {m} {'} + 9 marking and positioning: {m} {''} + 10 line positioning: {^M} {-} + 11 scrolling with {^M} + 12 scrolling with {-} and screen adjustment {z} + 13 notes on use of tutorial + 14 other scrolling and postioning commands: {^E} {^Y} {^D} {^U} + 15 searching: {/ .. /^M} + 16 searching: {? .. ?^M} {n} (in search strings ^ $) + 17 searching: \ and magic-characters in search strings + 18 colon commands, exiting: {:} {ZZ} + 19 screen positioning: {H} {M} {L} + 20 character positioning: {w} {b} {0} {W} {B} {e} {E} {'} {`} + 21 cursor positioning: {l} {k} {j} {h} + 22 adding text: {i} {a} {I} {A} {o} {O} ^[ (escape key) + 23 character manipulation: {f} {x} {X} {w} {l} {r} {R} {s} {S} {J} + 24 undo: {u} {U} + 25 review +(The following sections are in this file.) + 26 Index to the rest of the tutorial ******** YOU ARE HERE ******* + 27 discussion of repeat counts and the repeat command: {.} + 28 more on low-level character motions: {t} {T} {|} + 29 advanced correction operators: {d} {c} + 30 updating the screen: {^R} + 31 text buffers: {"} + 32 rearranging and duplicating text: {p} {P} {y} {Y} + 33 recovering lost lines + 34 advanced file manipulation with vi + 34.1 more than one file at a time: {:n} + 34.2 reading files and command output: {:r} + 34.3 invoking vi from within vi: {:e} {:vi} + 34.4 escaping to a shell: {:sh} {:!} + 34.5 writing parts of a file: {:w} + 34.6 filtering portions of text: {!} + 35 advanced searching: magic patterns + 36 advanced substitution: {:s} + 37 advanced line addressing: {:p} {:g} {:v} + 38 higher level text objects and nroff: ( ) { } [[ ]] + 39 more about inserting text + 40 more on operators: {d} {c} {<} {>} {!} {=} {y} + 41 abbreviations: {:ab} + 42 vi's relationship with the ex editor: {:} + 43 vi on hardcopy terminals and dumb terminals: open mode + 44 options: {:set} {setenv EXINIT} + 44.1 autoindent + 44.2 autoprint + 44.3 autowrite + 44.4 beautify + 44.5 directory + 44.6 edcompatible + 44.7 errorbells + 44.8 hardtabs + 44.9 ignorecase + 44.10 lisp + 44.11 list + 44.12 magic + 44.13 mesg + 44.14 number + 44.15 open + 44.16 optimize + 44.17 paragraphs + 44.18 prompt + 44.19 readonly + 44.20 redraw + 44.21 remap + 44.22 report + 44.23 scroll + 44.24 sections + 44.25 shell + 44.26 shiftwidth + 44.27 showmatch + 44.28 slowopen + 44.29 tabstop + 44.30 tags + 44.31 taglength + 44.32 term + 44.33 terse + 44.34 timeout + 44.35 ttytype + 44.36 warn + 44.37 window + 44.38 wrapscan + 44.39 wrapmargin + 44.40 writeany + 44.41 w300, w1200, w9600 + +Section 27: repetition counts and the repeat command {.} + +Most vi commands will use a preceding count to affect their behavior in some +way. We have already seen how {3x} deletes three characters, and {22G} moves +us to line 22 of the file. For almost all of the commands, one can survive by +thinking of these leading numbers as a 'repeat count' specifying that the +command is to be repeated so many number of times. + +Other commands use the repeat count slightly differently, like the {G} command +which use it as a line number. + +For example: + +{3^D} means scroll down in the file three lines. Subsequent {^D} OR {^U} will +scroll only three lines in their respective directions! + +{3z^M} says put line three of the file at the top of the screen, while {3z.} +says put line three as close to the middle of the screen as possible. + +{50|} moves the cursor to column fifty in the current line. + +{3^F} says move forward 3 screenfulls. This is a repetition count. The +documents advertise that {3^B} should move BACK three screenfulls, but I +can't get it to work. + +Position the cursor on some text and try {3r.}. This replaces three characters +with '...'. However, {3s.....^[} is the same as {3xi.....^[}. + +Try {10a+----^[}. + +A very useful instance of a repetition count is one given to the '.' command, +which repeats the last 'change' command. If you {dw} and then {3.}, you will +delete first one and then three words. You can then delete two more words with +{2.}. If you {3dw}, you will delete three words. A subsequent {.} will delete +three more words. But a subsequent {2.} will delete only two words, not three +times two words. + +Caveat: The author has noticed that any repetition count with {^B} will NOT +work: indeed, if you are at the end of your file and try {3^B} sufficiently +often, the editor will hang you in an infinite loop. Please don't try it: +take my word for it. + +Section 28: {t} {T} {|} + +Position the cursor on line 13 below: + +Line 13: Four score and seven years ago, our forefathers brought ... + +Note that {fv} moves the cursor on/over the 'v' in 'seven'. Do a {0} to return +to the beginning of the line and try a {tv}. The cursor is now on/over the +first 'e' in 'seven'. The {f} command finds the next occurrence of the +specified letter and moves the cursor to it. The {t} command finds the +specified letter and moves the cursor to the character immediately preceding +it. {T} searches backwards, as does {F}. + +Now try {60|}: the cursor is now on the 'o' in 'brought', which is the +sixtieth character on the line. + +Section 29: {d} {c} + +Due to their complexity we have delayed discussion of two of the most powerful +operators in vi until now. Effective use of these operators requires more +explanation than was deemed appropriate for the first half of the tutorial. + +{d} and {c} are called operators instead of commands because they consist of +three parts: a count specification or a buffer specification (see section +#BUFFERS), the {d} or {c}, and the object or range description. We will not +discuss buffers at this stage, but will limit ourselves to count +specifications. Examples speak louder than words: position the cursor at the +beginning of line 14: + +Line 14: Euclid alone has looked on beauty bear. + +Obviously, there is something wrong with this quotation. Type {2fb} to +position the cursor on the 'b' of 'bear'. Now, type {cwbare^[} +and observe the results. The {cw} specifies that the change command {c} is to +operate on a word object. More accurately, it specifies that the range of the +change command includes the next word. + +Position the cursor on the period in Line 14. (one way is to use {f.}) +Now, type {cbbeast^[}. This specifies the range of the change command to be the +previous word (the 'b' reminiscent of the {b} command). If we had wished to +delete the word rather than change it, we would have used the {d} operator, +rather than the {c} operator. + +Position the cursor at the beginning of the line with {0}. Type +{d/look/^M}. The search string specified the range of the delete. +Everything UP TO the word 'looking' was deleted from the line. + +In general, almost any command that would move the cursor will specify a range +for these commands. The most confusing exception to this rule is when {dd} or +{cc} is entered: they refer to the whole line. Following is a summary of the +suffixes (suffices? suffici?) and the ranges they specify: + + suffix will delete{d}/change{c} + ------ ------------------------ + ^[ cancels the command + w the word to the right of the cursor + W ditto, but ignoring punctuation + b the word to the left of the cursor + B ditto, but ignoring punctuation + e see below. + E ditto + (space) a character + $ to the end of the line + ^ to the beginning of the line + / .. / up to, but not including, the string + ? .. ? back to and including the string + fc up to and including the occurrence of c + Fc back to and including the occurrence of c + tc up to but not including the occurrence of c + Tc back to but not including the occurrence of c + ^M TWO lines (that's right: two) + (number)^M that many lines plus one + (number)G up to and including line (number) + ( the previous sentence if you are at the beginning of + the current sentence, or the current sentence up to where + you are if you are not at the beginning of the current + sentence. Here, 'sentence' refers to the intuitive + notion of an English sentence, ending with '!', '?', + or '.' and followed by an end of line or two spaces. + ) the rest of the current sentence + { analogous to '(', but in reference to paragraphs: + sections of text surrounded by blank lines + } analogous to ')', but in reference to paragraphs + [[ analogous to '(', but in reference to sections + ]] analogous to ')', but in reference to sections + H the first line on the screen + M the middle line on the screen + L the last line on the screen + 3L through the third line from the bottom of the screen + ^F forward a screenful + ^B backward a screenful + : + : etc. etc. etc. + +This list is not exhaustive, but it should be sufficient to get the idea +across: after the {c} or {d} operator, you can specify a range with another +move-the-cursor command, and that is the region of text over which the command +will be effective. + +Section 30: updating the screen {^R} + +Vi tries to be very intelligent about the type of terminal you are working on +and tries to use the in-terminal computing power (if any) of your terminal. +Also if the terminal is running at a low baud rate (say 1200 or below), vi sets +various parameters to make things easier for you. For example, if you were +running on a 300 baud terminal (that's 30 characters per second transmission +rate) not all 24 lines of the screen would be used by vi. In addition, there +is a large portion of the editor keeping track of what your screen currently +looks like, and what it would look like after a command has been executed. Vi +then compares the two, and updates only those portions of the screen that have +changed. + +Furthermore, some of you may have noticed (it depends on your terminal) that +deleting lines or changing large portions of text may leave some lines on the +screen looking like: +@ +meaning that this line of the screen does not correspond to any line in your +file. It would cost more to update the line than to leave it blank for the +moment. If you would like to see your screen fully up-to-date with the +contents of your file, type {^R}. + +To see it in action, delete several lines with {5dd}, type {^R}, and then type +{u} to get the lines back. + +Here is as good a place as any to mention that if the editor is displaying the +end of your file, there may be lines on the screen that look like: +~ +indicating that that screen line would not be affected by {^R}. These lines +simply indicate the end of the file. + +Section 31: text buffers {"} + +Vi gives you the ability to store text away in "buffers". This feature is very +convenient for moving text around in your file. There are a total of thirty- +five buffers available in vi. There is the "unnamed" buffer that is used by all +commands that delete text, including the change operator {c}, the substitute +and replace commands {s} and {r}, as well as the delete operator {d} and delete +commands {x} and {X}. This buffer is filled each time any of these commands +are used. However, the undo command {u} has no effect on the unnamed buffer. + +There are twenty-six buffers named 'a' through 'z' which are available for the +user. If the name of the buffer is capitalized, then the buffer is not +overwritten but appended to. For example, the command {"qdd} will delete one +line and store that line in the 'q' buffer, destroying the previous contents of +the buffer. However, {"Qdd} will delete one line of text and append that line +to the current contents of the 'q' buffer. + +Finally, there are nine buffers named '1' through '9' in which the last nine +deletes are stored. Buffer 1 is the default buffer for the modify commands and +is sometimes called the unnamed buffer. + +To reference a specific buffer, use the double-quote command {"} followed by +the name of the buffer. The next two sections show how buffers can be used to +advantage. + +Section 32: rearranging and duplicating text: {y} {Y} {p} {P} + +Position yourself on line 15 below and {z^M}: + +Line 15: A tree as lovely as a poem ... +Line 16: I think that I shall never see + +Type {dd}. Line 15 has disappeared and been replaced with the empty line (one +with the single character @ on it) or (again depending on your terminal) Line +16 has moved up and taken its place. We could recover Line 15 with an undo +{u} but that would simply return it to its original location. Obviously, the +two lines are reversed, so we want to put line 15 AFTER line 16. This is +simply done with the put command {p}, which you should type now. What has +happened is that {dd} put Line 15 into the unnamed buffer, and the {p} command +retrieved the line from the unnamed buffer. + +Now type {u} and observe that Line 15 disappears again (the put was undone +without affecting the unnamed buffer). Type {P} and see that the capital {P} +puts the line BEFORE the cursor. + +To get Line 15 where it belongs again type {dd}{p}. + +Also in Line 15 note that the words 'tree' and 'poem' are reversed. Using the +unnamed buffer again: {ft}{dw}{ma}{fp}{P}{w}{dw}{`aP} will set things aright +(note the use of the reverse quote). + +The put commands {p} and {P} do not affect the contents of the buffer. +Therefore, multiple {p} or {P} will put multiple copies of the unnamed buffer +into your file. + +Experiment with {d} and {p} on words, paragraphs, etc. Whatever {d} +deletes, {p} can put. + +Position the cursor on Line 17 and {z^M}: + +Line 17: interest apple cat elephant boy dog girl hay farmer + +Our task is to alphabetize the words on line 17. With the named buffers (and a +contrived example) it is quite easy: + +{"idw}{"adw}{"cdw}{"edw}{"bdw}{"ddw}{"gdw}{"hdw}{"fdw} + +stores each of the words in the named buffer corresponding to the first letter +of each of the words ('interest' goes in buffer "i, 'apple' goes in buffer "a, +etc.). Now to put the words in order type: + +{"ap$}{"bp$}{"cp$}{"dp$}{"ep$}{"fp$}{"gp$}{"hp$}{"ip$} + +Notice that, because 'farmer' was at the end of the line, {dw} did not include +a space after it, and that, therefore, there is no space between 'farmer' and +'girl'. This is corrected with {Fg}{i ^[}. + +This example could have been done just as easily with lines as with +words. + +You do not have to delete the text in order to put it into a buffer. If all +you wish to do is to copy the text somewhere else, don't use {d}, rather use +the yank commands {y} or {Y}. {y} is like {d} and {c} - an operator rather +than a command. It, too, takes a buffer specification and a range +specification. Therefore, instead of {dw}{P} to load the unnamed buffer with a +word without deleting the word, use {yw} (yank a word). + +{Y} is designed yank lines, and not arbitrary ranges. That is, {Y} is +equivalent to {yy} (remember that operators doubled means the current line), +and {3Y} is equivalent to {3yy}. + +If the text you yank or modify forms a part of a line, or is an object such as +a sentence which partially spans more than one line, then when you put the text +back, it will be placed after the cursor (or before if you use {P}). If the +yanked text forms whole lines, they will be put back as whole lines, without +changing the current line. In this case, the put acts much like the {o} or {O} +command. + +The named buffers "a through "z are not affected by changing edit files. +However, the unnamed buffer is lost when you change files, so to move text from +one file to another you should use a named buffer. + +Section 33: recovering lost lines + +Vi also keeps track of the last nine deletes, whether you ask for it or not. +This is very convenient if you would like to recover some text that was +accidentally deleted or modified. Position the cursor on line 18 following, +and {z^M}. + + +Line 18: line 1 +Line 19: line 2 +Line 20: line 3 +Line 21: line 4 +Line 22: line 5 +Line 23: line 6 +Line 24: line 7 +Line 25: line 8 +Line 26: line 9 +Type {dd} nine times: now don't cheat with {9dd}! That is totally different. + +The command {"1p} will retrieve the last delete. Furthermore, when the +numbered buffers are used, the repeat-command command {.} will increment the +buffer numbers before executing, so that subsequent {.} will recover all nine +of the deleted lines, albeit in reverse order. If you would like to review the +last nine deletes without affecting the buffers or your file, do an undo {u} +after each put {p} and {.}: + +{"1p}{u}{.}{u}{.}{u}{.}{u}{.}{u}{.}{u}{.}{u}{.}{u}{.} + +will show you all the buffers and leave them and your file intact. + +If you had cheated above and deleted the nine lines with {9dd}, all nine lines +would have been stored in both the unnamed buffer and in buffer number 1. +(Obviously, buffer number 1 IS the unnamed buffer and is just the default +buffer for the modify commands.) + +Section 34: advanced file manipulation: {:r} {:e} {:n} {:w} {!} {:!} + +We've already looked at writing out the file you are editing with the +{:w} command. Now let's look at some other vi commands to make editing +more efficient. + +Section 34.1: more than one file at a time {:n} {:args} + +Many times you will want to edit more than one file in an editing session. +Instead of entering vi and editing the first file, exiting, entering vi and +editing the second, etc., vi will allow you to specify ALL files that you wish +to edit on the invocation line. Therefore, if you wanted to edit file1 and +file2: + +% vi file1 file2 + +will set up file1 for editing. When you are done editing file one, write it +out {:w^M} and then type {:n^M} to get the next file on the list. On large +programming projects with many source files, it is often convenient just to +specify all source files with, say: + +% vi *.c + +If {:n^M} brings in a file that does not need any editing, another {:n^M} +will bring in the next file. + +If you have made changes to the first file, but decide to discard these changes +and proceed to the next file, {:n!^M} forces the editor to discard the current +contents of the editor. + +You can specify a new list of files after {:n}; e.g., {:n f1 f2 f3^M}. This +will replace the current list of files (if any). + +You can see the current list of files being edited with {:args^M}. + +Section 34.2: reading files and command output: {:r} + +Typing {:r fname^M} will read the contents of file fname into the editor and +put the contents AFTER the cursor line. + +Typing {:r !cmd^M} will read the output of the command cmd and place that +output after the cursor line. + +Section 34.3: invoking vi from within vi: {:e} {:vi} + +To edit another file not mentioned on the invocation line, type {:e filename^M} +or {:vi filename^M}. If you wish to discard the changes to the current file, +use the exclamation point after the command, e.g. {:e! filename^M}. + +Section 34.4: escaping to a shell: {:sh} {:!} {^Z} + +Occasionally, it is useful to interrupt the current editing session to perform +a UNIX task. However, there is no need to write the current file out, exit +the editor, perform the task, and then reinvoke the editor on the same file. +One thing to do is to spin off another process. If there are several UNIX +commands you will need to execute, simply create another shell with {:sh^M}. +At this point, the editor is put to sleep and will be reawakened when you log +out of the shell. + +If it is a single command that you want to execute, type {:!cmd^M}, where cmd +is the command that you wish to run. The output of the command will come to +the terminal as normal, and will not be made part of your file. The message +"[Hit return to continue]" will be displayed by vi after the command is +finished. Hitting return will then repaint the screen. Typing another +{:!cmd^M} at this point is also acceptable. + +However, there is a quicker, easier way: type {^Z}. Now this is a little +tricky, but hang in there. When you logged into UNIX, the first program you +began communicating with was a program that is called a "shell" (i.e. it 'lays +over' the operating system protecting you from it, sort of like a considerate +porcupine). When you got your first prompt on the terminal (probably a '%' +character) this was the shell telling you to type your first command. When +you typed {vi filename} for some file, the shell did not go away, it just went +to sleep. The shell is now the parent of vi. When you type {^Z} the editor +goes to sleep, the shell wakes up and says "you rang?" in the form of another +prompt (probably '%'). At this point you are talking to the shell again and +you can do anything that you could before including edit another file! (The +only thing you can't do is log out: you will get the message "There are +stopped jobs.") + +When your business with the shell is done, type {fg} for 'foreground' and the +last process which you ^Z'd out of will be reawakened and the shell will go +back to sleep. I will refer you to the documentation for the Berkeley shell +'csh' for more information on this useful capability. + +Section 34.5: writing parts of a file: {:w} + +The {:w} command will accept a range specifier that will then write only a +selected range of lines to a file. To write this section to a file, position +the cursor on the section line (e.g. {/^Section 34.5:/^M}) and {z^M}. Now type +{^G} to find out the line number (it will be something like "line 513"). Now +{/^Section 34.6:/-1^M} to find the last line of this section, and {^G} to find +its line number (it will be something like 542). To write out this section of +text by itself to a separate file which we will call "sepfile", type +{:510,542w sepfile^M}. If sepfile already exists, you will have to use the +exclamation point: {:1147,1168w! sepfile^M} or write to a different, non- +existent file. + +{:!cat sepfile^M} will display the file just written, and it should be the +contents of this section. + +There is an alternate method of determining the line numbers for the write. +{:set number^M} will repaint the screen with each line numbered. When the file +is written and the numbers no longer needed, {:set nonumber^M} will remove the +numbers, and {^R} will adjust the screen. + +Or, if you remember your earlier lessons about marking lines of text, +mark the beginning and ending lines. Suppose we had used {ma} to mark the +first line of the section and {mb} to mark the last. Then the command +{:'a,'bw sepfile^M} will write the section into "sepfile". In general, +you can replace a line number with the 'name' of a marked line (a single-quote +followed by the letter used to mark the line) + + +Section 34.6: filtering portions of text: {!} + +{!} is an operator like {c} and {d}. That is, it consists of a repetition +count, {!}, and a range specifier. Once the {!} operator is entered in its +entirety, a prompt will be given at the bottom of the screen for a UNIX +command. The text specified by the {!} operator is then deleted and +passed/filtered/piped to the UNIX command you type. The output of the UNIX +command is then placed in your file. For example, place the cursor at the +beginning of the following line and {z^M}: + +ls -l vi.tutorial +********* marks the bottom of the output from the ls command ********** + +Now type {!!csh^M}. The line will be replaced with the output from the ls +command. The {u} command works on {!}, also. + +Here is an extended exercise to display some of these capabilities. When this +tutorial was prepared, certain auxiliary programs were created to aid in its +development. Of major concern was the formatting of sections of the tutorial +to fit on a single screen, particularly the first few sections. What was +needed was a vi command that would 'format' a paragraph; that is, fill out +lines with as many words as would fit in eighty columns. There is no such vi +command. Therefore, another method had to be found. + +Of course, nroff was designed to do text formatting. However, it produces a +'page'; meaning that there may be many blank lines at the end of a formatted +paragraph from nroff. The awk program was used to strip these blank lines from +the output from nroff. Below are the two files used for this purpose: I refer +you to documentation on nroff and awk for a full explanation of their function. +Position the cursor on the next line and {z^M}. + +******** contents of file f ********** +# +nroff -i form.mac | awk "length != 0 { print }" +***** contents of file form.mac ****** +.na +.nh +.ll 79 +.ec +.c2 +.cc +************************************** + +Determine the line numbers of the two lines of file f. They should be +something like 574 and 575, although you better double check: this file is +under constant revision and the line numbers may change inadvertently. Then +{:574,575w f^M}. Do the same for the lines of file form.mac. They will be +approximately 577 and 582. Then {:577,582w form.mac^M}. File f must have +execute privileges as a shell file: {:!chmod 744 f^M}. + +Observe that this paragraph is +rather ratty in appearance. With our newly created files we can +clean it up dramatically. Position the cursor at the beginning +of this paragraph and type the following sequence of +characters +(note that we must abandon temporarily our convention +of curly braces since the command itself contains a curly brace - we +will use square brackets for the nonce): [!}f^M]. + +Here is a brief explanation of what has happened. By typing [!}f^M] we +specified that the paragraph (all text between the cursor and the first blank +line) will be removed from the edit file and piped to a UNIX program called +"f". This is a shell command file that we have created. This shell file runs +nroff, pipes its output to awk to remove blank lines, and the output from awk +is then read back into our file in the place of the old, ratty paragraph. The +file form.mac is a list of commands to nroff to get it to produce paragraphs +to our taste (the right margin is not justified, the line is 79 characters +long, words are not hyphenated, and three nroff characters are renamed to +avoid conflict: note that in this file, the {^G} you see there is vi's display +of the control-G character, and not the two separate characters ^ up-arrow and +G upper-case g). + +This example was created before the existence of the fmt program. I now type +[!}fmt^M] to get the same effect much faster. Actually, I don't type those +six keys each time: I have an abbreviation (which see). + +Section 35: searching with magic patterns + +The documentation available for "magic patterns" (i.e. regular expressions) is +very scanty. The following should explain this possibly very confusing feature +of the editor. This section assumes that the magic option is on. To make +sure, you might want to type {:set magic^M}. + +By "magic pattern" we mean a general description of a piece of text that the +editor attempts to find during a search. Most search patterns consist of +strings of characters that must be matched exactly, e.g. {/card/^M} searches +for a specific string of four characters. Let us suppose that you have +discovered that you consistently have mistyped this simple word as either ccrd +or czrd (this is not so far-fetched for touch typists). You could {/ccrd/^M} +and {n} until there are no more of this spelling, followed by {/czrd/^M} and +{n} until there are no more of these. Or you could {/c.rd/^M} and catch all of +them on the first pass. Try typing {/c.rd/^M} followed by several {n} and +observe the effect. + +Line 27: card cord curd ceard + +When '.' is used in a search string, it has the effect of matching any single +character. + +The character '^' (up-arrow) used at the beginning of a search string means +the beginning of the line. {/^Line 27/^M} will find the example line above, +while {/Line 27/^M} will find an occurrence of this string anywhere in the +line. + +Similarly, {/ the$/^M} will find all occurrences of the word 'the' occurring +at the end of a line. There are several of them in this file. + +Note that {:set nomagic^M} will turn off the special meaning of these magic +characters EXCEPT for '^' and '$' which retain their special meanings at the +beginning and end of a search string. Within the search string they hold no +special meaning. Try {/\/ the$\//^M} and note that the dollar-sign is not the +last character in the search string. Let the dollar-sign be the last +character in the search string, as in {/\/ the$/^M} and observe the result. + +Observe the result of {/back.*file/^M}. This command, followed by sufficient +{n}, will show you all lines in the file that contain both the words 'back' +and 'file' on the same line. The '*' magic character specifies that the +previous regular expression (the '.' in our example) is to be repeatedly +matched zero or more times. In our example we specified that the words 'back' +and 'file' must appear on the same line (they may be parts of words such as +'backwards' or 'workfile') separated by any number (including zero) of +characters. + +We could have specified that 'back' and 'file' are to be words by themselves by +using the magic sequences '\<' or '\>'. E.g. {/\<back\>.*\<file\>/^M}. The +sequence '\<' specifies that this point of the search string must match the +beginning of a word, while '\>' specifies a match at the end of a word. By +surrounding a string with these characters we have specified that they must be +words. + +To find all words that begin with an 'l' or a 'w', followed by an 'a' or an +'e', and ending in 'ing', try {/\<[lw][ea][a-z]*ing\>/^M}. This will match +words like 'learning', 'warning', and 'leading'. The '[..]' notation matches +exactly ONE character. The character matched will be one of the characters +enclosed in the square brackets. The characters may be specified individually +as in [abcd] or a '-' may be used to specify a range of characters as in [a-d]. +That is, [az] will match the letter 'a' OR the letter 'z', while [a-z] will +match any of the lower case letters from 'a' through 'z'. If you would like to +match either an 'a', a '-', or a 'z', then the '-' must be escaped: [a\-z] will +match ONE of the three characters 'a', '-', or 'z'. + +If you wish to find all Capitalized words, try {/\<[A-Z][a-z]*\>/^M}. The +following will find all character sequences that do NOT begin with an +uncapitalized letter by applying a special meaning to the '^' character in +square brackets: {/\<[^a-z][a-z]*\>/^M}. When '^' is the first character of a +square-bracket expression, it specifies "all but these characters". (No +one claimed vi was consistent.) + +To find all variable names (the first character is alphabetic, the remaining +characters are alphanumeric): try {/\<[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9]*\>/^M}. + +In summary, here are the primitives for building regular expressions: + + ^ at beginning of pattern, matches beginning of line + $ at end of pattern, matches end of line + . matches any single character + \< matches the beginning of a word + \> matches the end of a word + [str] matches any single character in str + [^str] matches any single character NOT in str + [x-y] matches any character in the ASCII range between x and y + * matches any number (including zero) of the preceding pattern + +Section 36: advanced substitution: {:s} + +The straightforward colon-substitute command looks like the substitute +command of most line-oriented editors. Indeed, vi is nothing more than a +superstructure on the line-oriented editor ex and the colon commands are +simply a way of accessing commands within ex (see section #EX). This gives us +a lot of global file processing not usually found in visual oriented editors. + +The colon-substitute command looks like: {:s/ .. / .. /^M} and will find the +pattern specified after the first slash (this is called the search pattern), +and replace it with the pattern specified after the second slash (called, +obviously enough, the replacement pattern). E.g. position the cursor on line +28 below and {:s/esample/example/^M}: + +Line 28: This is an esample. + +The {u} and {U} commands work for {:s}. The first pattern (the search pattern) +may be a regular expression just as for the search command (after all, it IS a +search, albeit limited to the current line). Do an {u} on the above line, and +try the following substitute, which will do almost the same thing: +{:s/s[^ ]/x/^M}. +Better undo it with {u}. The first pattern {s[^ ]} matches an 's' +NOT followed by a blank: the search therefore ignores the 's'es in 'This' and +'is'. However, the character matched by {[^ ]} must appear in the replacement +pattern. But, in general, we do not know what that character is! (In this +particular example we obviously do, but more complicated examples will follow.) +Therefore, vi (really ex) has a duplication mechanism to copy patterns matched +in the search string into the replacement string. Line 29 below is a copy of +line 28 above so you can adjust your screen. + +Line 29: This is an esample. + +In general, you can nest parts of the search pattern in \( .. \) and refer to +it in the replacement pattern as \n, where n is a digit. The problem outlined +in the previous paragraph is solved with {:s/s\([^ ]\)/x\1/^M}: try it. Here +\1 refers to the first pattern grouping \( .. \) in the search string. + +Obviously, for a single line, this is rather tedious. Where it becomes +powerful, if not necessary, is in colon-substitutes that cover a range of +lines. (See the next section for a particularly comprehensive example.) + +If the entire character sequence matched by the search pattern is needed in +the replacement pattern, then the unescaped character '&' can be used. On +Line 29 above, try {:s/an e.ample/not &/^M}. If another line is to have the +word 'not' prepended to a pattern, then '~' can save you from re-typing the +replacement pattern. E.g. {:s/some pattern/~/^M} after the previous example +would be equivalent to {:s/some pattern/not &/^M}. + +One other useful replacement pattern allows you to change the case of +individual letters. The sequences {\u} and {\l} cause the immediately +following character in the replacement to be converted to upper- or lower-case, +respectively, if this character is a letter. The sequences {\U} and {\L} turn +such conversion on, either until {\E} or {\e} is encountered, or until the end +of the replacement pattern. + +For example, position the cursor on a line: pick a line, any line. Type +{:s/.*/\U&/^M} and observe the result. You can undo it with {u}. + +The search pattern may actually match more than once on a single line. +However, only the first pattern is substituted. If you would like ALL +patterns matched on the line to be substituted, append a 'g' after the +replacement pattern: {:s/123/456/g^M} will substitute EVERY occurrence +on the line of 123 with 456. + +Section 37: advanced line addressing: {:p} {:g} {:v} + +Ex (available through the colon command in vi) offers several methods for +specifying the lines on which a set of commands will act. For example, if you +would like to see lines 50 through 100 of your file: {:50,100p^M} will display +them, wait for you to [Hit return to continue], and leave you on line 100. +Obviously, it would be easier just to do {100G} from within vi. But +what if you would like to make changes to just those lines? Then the +addressing is important and powerful. + +Line 30: This is a text. +Line 31: Here is another text. +Line 32: One more text line. + +The lines above contain a typing error that the author of this tutorial tends +to make every time he attempts to type the word 'test'. To change all of these +'text's into 'test's, try the following: +{:/^Line 30/,/^Line 32/s/text/test/^M}. This finds the beginning and end of +the portion of text to be changed, and limits the substitution to each of the +lines in that range. The {u} command applies to ALL of the substitutions as +a group. + +This provides a mechanism for powerful text manipulations. +And very complicated examples. + +Line 33: This test is a. +Line 34: Here test is another. +Line 35: One line more test. + +The above three lines have the second word out of order. The following command +string will put things right. Be very careful when typing this: it is very +long, full of special characters, and easy to mess up. You may want to +consider reading the following section to understand it before trying the +experiment. Don't worry about messing up the rest of the file, though: the +address range is specified. + +{:/^Line 33/,/^Line 35/s/\([^:]*\): \([^ ]*\) \([^ ]*\) \([^.]*\)/\1: \2 \4 \3/^M} + +There are several things to note about this command string. First of all, the +range of the substitute was limited by the address specification {/^Line +33/,/^Line 35/^M}. It might have been simpler to do {:set number^M} to see the +line numbers directly, and then, in place of the two searches, typed +the line numbers, e.g. {1396,1398}. Or to mark the lines with {ma} and {mb} +and use {'a,'b}. + +Then follows the substitute pattern itself. To make it easier to understand +what the substitute is doing, the command is duplicated below with the various +patterns named for easier reference: + + s/\([^:]*\): \([^ ]*\) \([^ ]*\) \([^.]*\)/\1: \2 \4 \3/ + |--\1---| |--\2---| |--\3---| |--\4---| + |--------search pattern------------------|-replacement| + |--pattern---| + +In overview, the substitute looks for a particular pattern made up of +sub-patterns, which are named \1, \2, \3, and \4. These patterns are specified +by stating what they are NOT. Pattern \1 is the sequence of characters that +are NOT colons: in the search string, {[^:]} will match exactly one character +that is not a colon, while appending the asterisk {[^:]*} specifies that the +'not a colon' pattern is to be repeated until no longer satisfied, and +{\([^:]*\)} then gives the pattern its name, in this case \1. Outside of the +specification of \1 comes {: }, specifying that the next two characters must be +a colon followed by a blank. + +Patterns \2 and \3 are similar, specifying character sequences that are +not blanks. Pattern \4 matches up to the period at the end of the line. + +The replacement pattern then consists of specifying the new order of the +patterns. + +This is a particularly complicated example, perhaps the most complicated +in this tutorial/reference. For our small examples, it is obviously +tedious and error prone. For large files, however, it may be the most +efficient way to make the desired modifications. + +(The reader is advised to look at the documentation for awk. This tool is very +powerful and slightly simpler to use than vi for this kind of file +manipulation. But, it is another command language to learn.) + +Many times, you will not want to operate on every line in a certain +range. Rather you will want to make changes on lines that satisfy +certain patterns; e.g. for every line that has the string 'NPS' on it, +change 'NPS' to 'Naval Postgraduate School'. The {:g} addressing +command was designed for this purpose. The example of this paragraph +could be typed as {:g/NPS/s//Naval Postgraduate School/^M}. + +The general format of the command is {:g/(pattern)/cmds^M} and it +works in the following way: all lines that match the pattern +following the {:g} are 'tagged' in a special way. Then each of these +lines have the commands following the pattern executed over them. + +Line 36: ABC rhino george farmer Dick jester lest +Line 37: george farmer rhino lest jester ABC +Line 38: rhino lest george Dick farmer ABC jester + +Type: + +{:g/^Line.*ABC/s/Dick/Harry Binswanger/|s/george farmer/gentleman george/p^M} + +There are several things of note here. First, lines 36, 37, and 38 above are +tagged by the {:g}. Type {:g/^Line.*ABC/p^M} to verify this. Second, there +are two substitutes on the same line separated by '|'. In general, any colon +commands can be strung together with '|'. Third, both substitutes operate on +all three lines, even though the first stubstitute works on only two of the +lines (36 and 38). Fourth, the second substitute works on only two lines (36 +and 37) and those are the two lines printed by the trailing 'p'. + +The {:v} command works similarly to the {:g} command, except that the sense of +the test for 'tagging' the lines is reversed: all lines NOT matching the search +pattern are tagged and operated on by the commands. + +Using {^V} to quote carriage return (see section 39) can be used in global +substitutions to split two lines. For example, the command +{:g/\. /s//.^V^M/g^M} will change your file so that each sentence is on a +separate line. (Note that we have to 'escape' the '.', because '.' by itself +matches any character. Our command says to find any line which contains a +period followed by 2 spaces, and inserts a carriage return after the period.) + +Caveat: In some of the documentation for ex and vi you may find the +comment to the effect that {\^M} can be used between commands following +{:g}. The author of this tutorial has never gotten this to work and has +crashed the editor trying. + +Section 38: higher level text objects and nroff: {(} {)} [{] [}] {[[} {]]} + +(Note: this section may be a little confusing because of our command +notation. Using curly braces to surround command strings works fine as +long as the command string does not contain any curly braces itself. +However, the curly braces are legitimate commands in vi. Therefore, for +any command sequence that contains curly braces, we will surround that +sequence with SQUARE braces, as on the previous Section line.) + +In working with a document, particularly if using the text formatting +programs nroff or troff, it is often advantageous to work in terms of +sentences, paragraphs, and sections. The operations {(} and {)} move to +the beginning of the previous and next sentences, respectively. Thus +the command {d)} will delete the rest of the current sentence; likewise +{d(} will delete the previous sentence if you are at the beginning of +the current sentence, or, if you are not at the beginning of a sentence, +it will delete the current sentence from the beginning +up to where you are. + +A sentence is defined to end at a '.', '!', or '?' which is followed +by either the end of a line, or by two spaces. Any number of closing +')', ']', '"', and ''' characters may appear after the '.', '!', or '?' +before the spaces or end of line. Therefore, the {(} and {)} commands +would recognize only one sentence in the following line, but two +sentences on the second following line. + +Line 39: This is one sentence. Even though it looks like two. +Line 40: This is two sentences. Because it has two spaces after the '.'. + +The operations [{] and [}] move over paragraphs and the operations {[[} +and {]]} move over sections. + +A paragraph begins after each empty line, and also at each of a set of nroff +paragraph macros. A section begins after each line with a form-feed ^L in the +first column, and at each of a set of nroff section macros. When preparing a +text file as input to nroff, you will probably be using a set of nroff macros +to make the formatting specifications easier, or more to your taste. These +macros are invoked by beginning a line with a period followed by the one or two +letter macro name. Vi has been programmed to recognize these nroff macros, and +if it doesn't recognize your particular macro you can use the {:set paragraphs} +or {:set sections} commands so that it will. + +Section 39: more about inserting text + +There are a number of characters which you can use to make correnctions +during input mode. These are summarized in the following table. + + ^H deletes the last input character + ^W deletes the last input word + (erase) same as ^H; each terminal can define its own erase character; + for some it is ^H, for others it is the DELETE key, and for + others it is '@'. + (kill) deletes the input on this line; each terminal can define its + own line-kill character; for some it is ^U, for others it is + '@'; you will need to experiment on your terminal to find + out what your line-kill and erase characters are. + \ escapes a following ^H, (kill), and (erase) characters: i.e. + this is how to put these characters in your file. + ^[ escape key; ends insertion mode + ^? the delete key; interrupts an insertion, terminating it + abnormally. + ^M the return key; starts a new line. + ^D backtabs over the indentation set by the autoindent option + 0^D backtabs over all indentation back to the beginning of the line + ^^D (up-arrow followed by control-d)same as 0^D, except the indentation + will be restored at the beginning of the next line. + ^V quotes the next non-printing character into the file + +If you wish to type in your erase or kill character (say # or @ or ^U) then you +must precede it with a \, just as you would do at the normal system command +level. A more general way of typing non-printing characters into the file is +to precede them with a ^V. The ^V echoes as a ^ character on which the cursor +rests. This indicates that the editor expects you to type a control character +and it will be inserted into the file at that point. There are a few +exceptions to note. The implementation of the editor does not allow the null +character ^@ to appear in files. Also the linefeed character ^J is used by the +editor to separate lines in the file, so it cannot appear in the middle of a +line. (Trying to insert a ^M into a file, or putting it in the replacement +part of a substitution string will result in the matched line being split in +two. This, in effect, is how to split lines by using a substitution.) You can +insert any other character, however, if you wait for the editor to echo the ^ +before you type the character. In fact, the editor will treat a following +letter as a request for the corresponding control character. This is the only +way to type ^S or ^Q, since the system normally uses them to suspend and resume +output and never gives them to the editor to process. + +If you are using the autoindent option you can backtab over the indent which it +supplies by typing a ^D. This backs up to the boundary specified by the +shiftwidth option. This only works immediately after the supplied autoindent. + +When you are using the autoindent option you may wish to place a label at the +left margin of a line. The way to do this easily is to type ^ (up-arrow) and +then ^D. The editor will move the cursor to the left margin for one line, and +restore the previous indent on the next. You can also type a 0 followed +immediately by a ^D if you wish to kill all indentation and not have it resume +on the next line. + +Section 40: more on operators: {d} {c} {<} {>} {!} {=} {y} + +Below is a non-exhaustive list of commands that can follow the operators +to affect the range over which the operators will work. However, note +that the operators {<}, {>}, {!}, and {=} do not operate on any object +less than a line. Try {!w} and you will get a beep. To get the +operator to work on just the current line, double it. E.g. {<<}. + + suffix will operate on + ------ ------------------------ + ^[ cancels the command + w the word to the right of the cursor + W ditto, but ignoring punctuation + b the word to the left of the cursor + B ditto, but ignoring punctuation + e see below. + E ditto + (space) a character + $ to the end of the line + ^ to the beginning of the line + / .. / up to, but not including, the string + ? .. ? back to and including the string + fc up to and including the occurrence of c + Fc back to and including the occurrence of c + tc up to but not including the occurrence of c + Tc back to but not including the occurrence of c + ^M TWO lines (that's right: two) + (number)^M that many lines plus one + (number)G up to and including line (number) + ( the previous sentence if you are at the beginning of + the current sentence, or the current sentence up to where + you are if you are not at the beginning of the current + sentence. Here, 'sentence' refers to the intuitive + notion of an English sentence, ending with '!', '?', + or '.' and followed by an end of line or two spaces. + ) the rest of the current sentence + { analogous to '(', but in reference to paragraphs: + sections of text surrounded by blank lines + } analogous to ')', but in reference to paragraphs + [[ analogous to '(', but in reference to sections + ]] analogous to ')', but in reference to sections + H the first line on the screen + M the middle line on the screen + L the last line on the screen + 3L through the third line from the bottom of the screen + ^F forward a screenful + ^B backward a screenful + : + : etc. etc. etc. + +This list is not exhaustive, but it should be sufficient to get the idea +across: after the operator, you can specify a range with a move-the-cursor +command, and that is the region of text over which the operator will be +effective. + +Section 41: abbreviations: {:ab} + +When typing large documents you may find yourself typing a large phrase +over and over. Vi gives you the ability to specify an abbreviation for +a long string such that typing the abbreviation will automatically +expand into the longer phrase. + +Type {:ab nps Naval Postgraduate School^M}. Now type: + +{iThis is to show off the nps's UNIX editor.^M^[} + +Section 42: vi's relationship with the ex editor: {:} + +Vi is actually one mode of editing within the editor ex. When you are +running vi you can escape to the line oriented editor of ex by giving +the command {Q}. All of the colon-commands which were introduced above +are available in ex. Likewise, most ex commands can be invoked from vi +using {:}. + +In rare instances, an internal error may occur in vi. In this case you +will get a diagnostic and will be left in the command mode of ex. You can +then save your work and quit if you wish by giving the command {x} after +the colon prompt of ex. Or you can reenter vi (if you are brave) by +giving ex the command {vi}. + +Section 43: vi on hardcopy terminals and dumb terminals: open mode + +(The author has not checked the following documentation for accuracy. It is +abstracted from the Introduction to Vi Editing document.) + +If you are on a hardcopy terminal or a terminal which does not have a cursor +which can move off the bottom line, you can still use the command set of vi, +but in a different mode. When you give the vi command to UNIX, the editor will +tell you that it is using open mode. This name comes from the open command in +ex, which is used to get into the same mode. + +The only difference between visual mode (normal vi) and open mode is the way in +which the text is displayed. + +In open mode the editor uses a single line window into the file, and moving +backward and forward in the file causes new lines to be displayed, always below +the current line. Two commands of vi work differently in open: {z} and {^R}. +The {z} command does not take parameters, but rather draws a window of context +around the current line and then returns you to the current line. + +If you are on a hardcopy terminal, the {^R} command will retype the current +line. On such terminals, the editor normally uses two lines to represent the +current line. The first line is a copy of the line as you started to edit it, +and you work on the line below this line. When you delete characters, the +editor types a number of \'s to show you the characters which are deleted. The +editor also reprints the current line soon after such changes so that you can +see what the line looks like again. + +It is sometimes useful to use this mode on very slow terminals which can +support vi in the full screen mode. You can do this by entering ex and using +an {open} command. + +********************************************************************* +Section 44: options: {:set} {setenv EXINIT} + +You will discover options as you need them. Do not worry about them very much +on the first pass through this document. My advice is to glance through them, +noting the ones that look interesting, ignoring the ones you don't understand, +and try re-scanning them in a couple of weeks. + +If you decide that you have a favorite set of options and would like to change +the default values for the editor, place a {setenv EXINIT} command in your +.login file. When you are given an account under UNIX your directory has +placed in it a file that is executed each time you log in. If one of the +commands in this file sets the environment variable EXINIT to a string of vi +commands, you can have many things done for you each time you invoke vi. For +example, if you decide that you don't like tabstops placed every eight columns +but prefer every four columns, and that you wish the editor to insert linefeeds +for you when your typing gets you close to column 72, and you want +autoindentation, then include the following line in your .login file: + +setenv EXINIT='set tabstop=4 wrapmargin=8 autoindent' + +or equivalently + +setenv EXINIT='se ts=4 wm=8 ai' + +Each time you bring up vi, this command will be executed and the options set. + +There are forty options in the vi/ex editor that the user can set for his/her +own convenience. They are described in more detail in individual sections +below. The section line will show the full spelling of the option name, the +abbreviation, and the default value of the option. The text itself +comes from the ex reference manual and is not the epitome of clarity. + +Section 44.1: {autoindent}, {ai} default: noai + +Can be used to ease the preparation of structured program text. At the +beginning of each append, change or insert command or when a new line is opened +or created by an append, change, insert, or substitute operation within open or +visual mode, ex looks at the line being appended after, the first line changed +or the line inserted before and calculates the amount of white space at the +start of the line. It then aligns the cursor at the level of indentation so +determined. + +If the user then types lines of text in, they will continue to be justified at +the displayed indenting level. If more white space is typed at the beginning +of a line, the following line will start aligned with the first non-white +character of the previous line. To back the cursor up to the preceding tab +stop one can hit {^D}. The tab stops going backwards are defined at multiples +of the shiftwidth option. You cannot backspace over the indent, except by +sending an end-of-file with a {^D}. A line with no characters added to it +turns into a completely blank line (the white space provided for the autoindent +is discarded). Also specially processed in this mode are lines beginning with +an up-arrow `^' and immediately followed by a {^D}. This causes the input to +be repositioned at the beginning of the line, but retaining the previous indent +for the next line. Similarly, a `0' followed by a {^D} repositions at the +beginning but without retaining the previous indent. Autoindent doesn't happen +in global commands or when the input is not a terminal. + +Section 44.2: {autoprint}, {ap} default: ap + +Causes the current line to be printed after each delete, copy, join, move, +substitute, t, undo or shift command. This has the same effect as supplying a +trailing `p' to each such command. Autoprint is suppressed in globals, and +only applies to the last of many commands on a line. + +Section 44.3: {autowrite}, {aw} default: noaw + +Causes the contents of the buffer to be written to the current file if you have +modified it and give a next, rewind, stop, tag, or {!} command, or a control- +up-arrow {^^} (switch files) or {^]} (tag goto) command in visual. Note, that +the edit and ex commands do not autowrite. In each case, there is an +equivalent way of switching when autowrite is set to avoid the autowrite +({edit} for next, rewind! for rewind, stop! for stop, tag! for tag, shell +for {!}, and {:e #} and a {:ta!} command from within visual). + +Section 44.4: {beautify}, {bf} default: nobeautify + +Causes all control characters except tab ^I, newline ^M and form-feed ^L to be +discarded from the input. A complaint is registered the first time a backspace +character is discarded. Beautify does not apply to command input. + +Section 44.5: {directory}, {dir} default: dir=/tmp + +Specifies the directory in which ex places its buffer file. If this directory +in not writable, then the editor will exit abruptly when it fails to be able to +create its buffer there. + +Section 44.6: {edcompatible} default: noedcompatible + +Causes the presence or absence of g and c suffixes on substitute commands to be +remembered, and to be toggled by repeating the suffices. The suffix r makes +the substitution be as in the {~} command, instead of like {&}. + +[Author's note: this should not concern users of vi.] + +Section 44.7: {errorbells}, {eb} default: noeb + +Error messages are preceded by a bell. However, bell ringing in open and +visual modes on errors is not suppressed by setting noeb. If possible the +editor always places the error message in a standout mode of the terminal (such +as inverse video) instead of ringing the bell. + +Section 44.8: {hardtabs}, {ht} default: ht=8 + +Gives the boundaries on which terminal hardware tabs are set (or on which the +system expands tabs). + +Section 44.9: {ignorecase}, {ic} default: noic + +All upper case characters in the text are mapped to lower case in regular +expression matching. In addition, all upper case characters in regular +expressions are mapped to lower case except in character class specifications +(that is, character in square brackets). + +Section 44.10: {lisp} default: nolisp + +Autoindent indents appropriately for lisp code, and the {(}, {)}, [{], [}], +{[[}, and {]]} commands in open and visual modes are modified in a +striaghtforward, intuitive fashion to have meaning for lisp. + +[Author's note: but don't ask me to define them precisely.] + +Section 44.11: {list} default: nolist + +All printed lines will be displayed (more) unambiguously, showing tabs as ^I +and end-of-lines with `$'. This is the same as in the ex command {list}. + +Section 44.12: {magic} default: magic for {ex} and {vi}, nomagic for edit. + +If nomagic is set, the number of regular expression metacharacters is greatly +reduced, with only up-arrow `^' and `$' having special effects. In addition +the metacharacters `~' and `&' of the replacement pattern are treated as normal +characters. All the normal metacharacters may be made magic when nomagic is +set by preceding them with a `\'. + +[Author's note: In other words, if magic is set a back-slant turns the magic +off for the following character, and if nomagic is set a back-slant turns the +magic ON for the following character. And, no, we are not playing Dungeons and +Dragons, although I think the writers of these option notes must have played it +all the time.] + +Section 44.13: {mesg} default: mesg + +Causes write permission to be turned off to the terminal while you are in +visual mode, if nomesg is set. + +[Author's note: I don't know if anyone could have made any one sentence +paragraph more confusing than this one. What it says is: mesg allows people to +write to you even if you are in visual or open mode; nomesg locks your terminal +so they can't write to you and mess up your screen.] + +Section 44.14: {number, nu} default: nonumber + +Causes all output lines to be printed with their line numbers. In addition +each input line will be prompted with its line number. + +Section 44.15: {open} default: open + +If {noopen}, the commands open and visual are not permitted. This is set for +edit to prevent confusion resulting from accidental entry to open or visual +mode. + +[Author's note: As you may have guessed by now, there are actually three +editors available under Berkeley UNIX that are in reality the same +program, ex, with different options set: ex itself, vi, and edit.] + +Section 44.16: {optimize, opt} default: optimize + +Throughput of text is expedited by setting the terminal to not do automatic +carriage returns when printing more than one (logical) line of output, greatly +speeding output on terminals without addressable cursors when text with leading +white space is printed. + +[Author's note: I still don't know what this option does.] + +Section 44.17: {paragraphs, para} default: para=IPLPPPQPP LIbp + +Specifies the paragraphs for the [{] and [}] operations in open and visual. +The pairs of characters in the option's value are the names of the nroff macros +which start paragraphs. + +Section 44.18: {prompt} default: prompt + +Command mode input is prompted for with a `:'. + +[Author's note: Doesn't seem to have any effect on vi.] + +Section 44.19: {readonly}, {ro} default: noro, unless invoked with -R + or insufficient privileges on file + +This option allows you to guarantee that you won't clobber your file by +accident. You can set the option and writes will fail unless you use an `!' +after the write. Commands such as {x}, {ZZ}, the autowrite option, and in +general anything that writes is affected. This option is turned on if you +invoke the editor with the -R flag. + +Section 44.20: {redraw} default: noredraw + +The editor simulates (using great amounts of output), an intelligent terminal +on a dumb terminal (e.g. during insertions in visual the characters to the +right of the cursor position are refreshed as each input character is typed). +Useful only at very high baud rates, and should be used only if the system is +not heavily loaded: you will notice the performance degradation yourself. + +Section 44.21: {remap} default: remap + +If on, macros are repeatedly tried until they are unchanged. For example, if o +is mapped to O, and O is mapped to I, then if remap is set, o will map to I, +but if noremap is set, it will map to O . + +Section 44.22: {report} default: report=5 for ex and vi, 2 for edit + +Specifies a threshold for feedback from commands. Any command which modifies +more than the specified number of lines will provide feedback as to the scope +of its changes. For commands such as global, open, undo, and visual which have +potentially more far reaching scope, the net change in the number of lines in +the buffer is presented at the end of the command, subject to this same +threshold. Thus notification is suppressed during a global command on the +individual commands performed. + +Section 44.23: {scroll} default: scroll=1/2 window + +Determines the number of logical lines scrolled when a {^D} is received from a +terminal in command mode, and determines the number of lines printed by a +command mode z command (double the value of scroll). + +[Author's note: Doesn't seem to affect {^D} and {z} in visual (vi) mode.] + +Section 44.24: sections {sections} default: sections=SHNHH HU + +Specifies the section macros from nroff for the {[[} and {]]} operations in +open and visual. The pairs of characters in the options's value are the names +of the macros which start paragraphs. + +Section 44.25: {shell}, {sh} default: sh=/bin/sh + +Gives the path name of the shell forked for the shell escape command `!', and +by the shell command. The default is taken from SHELL in the environment, if +present. + +[Editor's note: I would suggest that you place the following line in +your .login file: +setenv SHELL '/bin/csh' +] + +Section 44.26: {shiftwidth}, {sw} default: sw=8 + +Used in reverse tabbing with {^D} when using autoindent to append text, and +used by the shift commands. Should probably be the same value as the tabstop +option. + +Section 44.27: {showmatch}, {sm} default: nosm + +In open and visual mode, when a `)' or `}' is typed, if the matching `(' or `{' +is on the screen, move the cursor to it for one second. Extremely useful with +complicated nested expressions, or with lisp. + +Section 44.28: {slowopen}, {slow} default: terminal dependent + +Affects the display algorithm used in visual mode, holding off display updating +during input of new text to improve throughput when the terminal in use is both +slow and unintelligent. See "An Introduction to Display Editing with Vi" for +more details. + +Section 44.29: {tabstop}, {ts} default: ts=8 + +The editor expands tabs ^I to tabstop boundaries in the display. + +Section 44.30: {taglength}, {tl} default: tl=0 + +Tags are not significant beyond this many characters. +A value of zero (the default) means that all characters are significant. + +Section 44.31: {tags} default: tags=tags /usr/lib/tags + +A path of files to be used as tag files for the tag command. A requested tag +is searched for in the specified files, sequentially. By default files called +tags are searched for in the current directory and in /usr/lib (a master file +for the entire system). + +[Author's note: The author of this tutorial has never used this option, nor +seen it used. I'm not even sure I know what they are talking about.] + +Section 44.32: {term} default: from environment variable TERM + +The terminal type of the output device. + +Section 44.33: {terse} default: noterse + +Shorter error diagnostics are produced for the experienced user. + +Section 44.34: {timeout} default: timeout + +Causes macros to time out after one second. Turn it off and they will +wait forever. This is useful if you want multi-character macros, but if +your terminal sends escape sequences for arrow keys, it will be +necessary to hit escape twice to get a beep. + +[Editor's note: Another paragraph which requires a cryptographer.] + +Section 44.35: ttytype + +[Editor's note: I have found no documentation for this option at all.] + +Section 44.36: {warn} default: warn + +Warn if there has been `[No write since last change]' before a `!' command +escape. + +Section 44.37: {window} default: window=speed dependent + +The number of lines in a text window in the visual command. The default is 8 +at slow speeds (600 baud or less), 16 at medium speed (1200 baud), and the full +screen (minus one line) at higher speeds. + +Section 44.38: {wrapscan}, {ws} default: ws + +Searches using the regular expressions in addressing will wrap around past the +end of the file. + +Section 44.39: {wrapmargin}, {wm} default: wm=0 + +Defines a margin for automatic wrapover of text during input in open and visual +modes. The numeric value is the number of columns from the right edge of the +screen around which vi looks for a convenient place to insert a new-line +character (wm=0 is OFF). This is very convenient for touch typists. +Wrapmargin behaves much like fill/nojustify mode does in nroff. + +Section 44.40: {writeany}, {wa} default: nowa + +Inhibit the checks normally made before write commands, allowing a write to any +file which the system protection mechanism will allow. + +Section 44.41: {w300}, {w1200}, {w9600} defaults: w300=8 + w1200=16 + w9600=full screen minus one + +These are not true options but set the default size of the window for when the +speed is slow (300), medium (1200), or high (9600), respectively. They are +suitable for an EXINIT and make it easy to change the 8/16/full screen rule. + +Section 45: Limitations + +Here are some editor limits that the user is likely to encounter: + 1024 characters per line + 256 characters per global command list + 128 characters per file name + 128 characters in the previous inserted and deleted text in open or + visual + 100 characters in a shell escape command + 63 characters in a string valued option + 30 characters in a tag name + 250000 lines in the file (this is silently enforced). + +The visual implementation limits the number of macros defined with map to 32, +and the total number of characters in macros to be less than 512. + +[Editor's note: these limits may not apply to versions after 4.1BSD.] |