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VIM
!!!VIM
See ViNotes
!!NAME


vim - Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor
!!SYNOPSIS


__vim__ [[options] [[file ..]__
vim__ [[options] -__
vim__ [[options] -t tag__
vim__ [[options] -q [[errorfile]


__ex
view
gvim gview
rvim rview rgvim rgview__
!!DESCRIPTION


__Vim__ is a text editor that is upwards compatible to
Vi. It can be used to edit all kinds of plain text. It is
especially useful for editing programs.


There are a lot of enhancements above Vi: multi level undo,
multi windows and buffers, syntax highlighting, command line
editing, filename completion, on-line help, visual
selection, etc.. See
Vim__ and
Vi.


While running __Vim__ a lot of help can be obtained from
the on-line help system, with the
__


Most often __Vim__ is started to edit a single file with
the command


vim file


More generally __Vim__ is started with:


vim [[options] [[filelist]


If the filelist is missing, the editor will start with an
empty buffer. Otherwise exactly one out of the following
four may be used to choose one or more files to be
edited.


file ..


A list of filenames. The first one will be the current file
and read into the buffer. The cursor will be positioned on
the first line of the buffer. You can get to the other files
with the


- The file to edit is read from stdin. Commands are read
from stderr, which should be a tty.


-t {tag}


The file to edit and the initial cursor position depends on
a


-q [[errorfile]


Start in quickFix mode. The file [[errorfile] is read and the
first error is displayed. If [[errorfile] is omitted, the
filename is obtained from the 'errorfile' option (defaults
to


__Vim__ behaves differently, depending on the name of the
command (the executable may still be the same
file).


vim


The


ex Start in Ex mode. Go to Normal mode with the


view


Start in read-only mode. You will be protected from writing
the files. Can also be done with the


gvim gview


The GUI version. Starts a new window. Can also be done with
the


rvim rview rgvim rgview


Like the above, but with restrictions. It will not be
possible to start shell commands, or suspend __Vim.__ Can
also be done with the __
!!OPTIONS


The options may be given in any order, before or after
filenames. Options without an argument can be combined after
a single dash.


+[[num]


For the first file the cursor will be positioned on line


+/{pat}


For the first file the cursor will be positioned on the
first occurrence of {pat}. See


+{command}


-c {command}


{command} will be executed after the first file has been
read. {command} is interpreted as an Ex command. If the
{command} contains spaces it must be enclosed in double
quotes (this depends on the shell that is used). Example:
Vim
Note: You can use up to 10


--cmd {command}


Like using


-b Binary mode. A few options will be set that makes it
possible to edit a binary or executable file.


-C Compatible. Set the 'compatible' option. This will make
__Vim__ behave mostly like Vi, even though a .vimrc file
exists.


-d Start in diff mode. There should be two or three file
name arguments. __Vim__ will open all the files and show
differences between them. Works like
vimdiff(1).


-d {device}


Open {device} for use as a terminal. Only on the Amiga.
Example:


-e Start __Vim__ in Ex mode, just like the executable was
called __


-f Foreground. For the GUI version, __Vim__ will not fork
and detach from the shell it was started in. On the Amiga,
__Vim__ is not restarted to open a new window. This
option should be used when __Vim__ is executed by a
program that will wait for the edit session to finish (e.g.
mail). On the Amiga the
__


-F If __Vim__ has been compiled with FKMAP support for
editing right-to-left oriented files and Farsi keyboard
mapping, this option starts __Vim__ in Farsi mode, i.e.
'fkmap' and 'rightleft' are set. Otherwise an error message
is given and __Vim__ aborts.


-g If __Vim__ has been compiled with GUI support, this
option enables the GUI. If no GUI support was compiled in,
an error message is given and __Vim__
aborts.


-h Give a bit of help about the command line arguments and
options. After this __Vim__ exits.


-H If __Vim__ has been compiled with RIGHTLEFT support
for editing right-to-left oriented files and Hebrew keyboard
mapping, this option starts __Vim__ in Hebrew mode, i.e.
'hkmap' and 'rightleft' are set. Otherwise an error message
is given and __Vim__ aborts.


-i {viminfo}


When using the viminfo file is enabled, this option sets the
filename to use, instead of the default


-L Same as -r.


-l Lisp mode. Sets the 'lisp' and 'showmatch' options
on.


-m Modifying files is disabled. Resets the 'write' option,
so that writing files is not possible.


-N No-compatible mode. Reset the 'compatible' option. This
will make __Vim__ behave a bit better, but less Vi
compatible, even though a .vimrc file does not
exist.


-n No swap file will be used. Recovery after a crash will be
impossible. Handy if you want to edit a file on a very slow
medium (e.g. floppy). Can also be done with


-o[[N]


Open N windows. When N is omitted, open one window for each
file.


-R Read-only mode. The 'readonly' option will be set. You
can still edit the buffer, but will be prevented from
accidently overwriting a file. If you do want to overwrite a
file, add an exclamation mark to the Ex command, as in


-r List swap files, with information about using them for
recovery.


-r {file}


Recovery mode. The swap file is used to recover a crashed
editing session. The swap file is a file with the same
filename as the text file with


-s Silent mode. Only when started as


-s {scriptin}


The script file {scriptin} is read. The characters in the
file are interpreted as if you had typed them. The same can
be done with the command


-T {terminal}


Tells __Vim__ the name of the terminal you are using.
Only required when the automatic way doesn't work. Should be
a terminal known to __Vim__ (builtin) or defined in the
termcap or terminfo file.


-u {vimrc}


Use the commands in the file {vimrc} for initializations.
All the other initializations are skipped. Use this to edit
a special kind of files. It can also be used to skip all
initializations by giving the name


-U {gvimrc}


Use the commands in the file {gvimrc} for GUI
initializations. All the other GUI initializations are
skipped. It can also be used to skip all GUI initializations
by giving the name


-V Verbose. Give messages about which files are sourced and
for reading and writing a viminfo file.


-v Start __Vim__ in Vi mode, just like the executable was
called
__


-w {scriptout}


All the characters that you type are recorded in the file
{scriptout}, until you exit __Vim.__ This is useful if
you want to create a script file to be used with
__


-W {scriptout}


Like -w, but an existing file is overwritten.


-x Use encryption when writing files. Will prompt for a
crypt key.


-Z Restricted mode. Works like the executable starts with


-- Denotes the end of the options. Arguments after this will
be handled as a file name. This can be used to edit a
filename that starts with a '-'.


--help


Give a help message and exit, just like


--version


Print version information and exit.


--remote


Connect to a Vim server and make it edit the files given in
the rest of the arguments.


--serverlist


List the names of all Vim servers that can be
found.


--servername {name}


Use {name} as the server name. Used for the current Vim,
unless used with a --serversend or --remote, then it's the
name of the server to connect to.


--serversend {keys}


Connect to a Vim server and send {keys} to it.


--socketid {id}


GTK GUI only: Use the !GtkPlug mechanism to run gvim in
another window.


--echo-wid


GTK GUI only: Echo the Window ID on stdout
!!ON-LINE HELP


Type Vim__ to get started. Type
__
!!FILES


/usr/share/vim/vim61/doc/*.txt


The __Vim__ documentation files. Use
__


/usr/share/vim/vim61/doc/tags


The tags file used for finding information in the
documentation files.


/usr/share/vim/vim61/syntax/syntax.vim


System wide syntax initializations.


/usr/share/vim/vim61/syntax/*.vim


Syntax files for various languages.


/usr/share/vim/vimrc


System wide __Vim__ initializations.


/usr/share/vim/gvimrc


System wide gvim initializations.


/usr/share/vim/vim61/optwin.vim


Script used for the


/usr/share/vim/vim61/menu.vim


System wide menu initializations for gvim.


/usr/share/vim/vim61/bugreport.vim


Script to generate a bug report. See


/usr/share/vim/vim61/filetype.vim


Script to detect the type of a file by its name. See


/usr/share/vim/vim61/scripts.vim


Script to detect the type of a file by its contents. See


/usr/share/vim/vim61/*.ps


Files used for !PostScript printing.


For recent info read the VIM home page:
!!SEE ALSO


vimtutor(1)
!!AUTHOR


Most of __Vim__ was made by Bram Moolenaar, with a lot of
help from others. See
__Vim.
Vim__ is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson, Tony
Andrews and G.R. (Fred) Walter. Although hardly any of the
original code remains.
!!BUGS


Probably. See


Note that a number of things that may be regarded as bugs by
some, are in fact caused by a too-faithful reproduction of
Vi's behaviour. And if you think other things are bugs
----
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Last edited on Monday, October 7, 2002 12:01:05 am by PerryLorier
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