VI editor Shortcuts
and Tricks
Definition -
The VI editor is
a screen−based text editor available on all Unix computers.
Importance of VI editor -
1)
When
we log on a remote server using SSH from a PC, only the text editors can be
used to edit files.
2) Typists love working on it as it reduce the
keyboard – mouse switch over time.
Creating
new text file or editing an existing text file –
To edit a file
named (say) "mytext" on a Unix computer, type the Unix
command "vi
mytext".
# vi mytext
Or
#vim mytext
Different modes of VI
Editor –
1)
Insert Mode - To switch to insert mode:
press i (or
a, or o)
In insert
mode, everything you type appears in the document at the place where
the
blinking cursor is.
2)
Command Mode - To switch to command
mode: press Esc
In command mode,
keystrokes perform special functions just like mouse and menu bar.
Exiting
the VI Editor –
When you want to
get out of the editor, switch to command mode (press Esc) if
necessary, and
then
· type :wq
RTN
to
save the edited file and quit, or
· type :q!
RTN
to
quit the editor without saving changes, or
· type ZZ
to
save and quit (a shortcut for :wq Rtn), or
· type
:w filename to
save the edited file to new file "filename"
Note – RTN means enter
key
Moving
around in the Editor without Mouse
First
Enter into your command mode then you can use the arrow keys to move the cursor up,
down, left, right. In
addition, these keystrokes will move the cursor.
h left one character
l right one character
k up one line
j down one line
b back one word
f forward one word
{ up one paragraph
} down one paragraph
$ to end of the line
Control
+ B = back one page
Control
+ F = forward one page
17G to line #17
G to the last line.
Inserting Text –
From command
mode, these keystrokes switch you into insert mode with new text being inserted.
i
just
before the current cursor position
a
just
after the current cursor position
o
into
a new line below current cursor
I
at
the beginning of the current line
A
at
the end of the current line
O
into
a new line above current cursor
Cut, Copy, Paste
Shortcuts-
x delete (cut)
character under the cursor
24x delete (cut) 24
characters
dd delete (cut)
current line
4dd delete (cut)
four lines
D delete to the
end of the line from the cursor
dw delete to the
end of the current word
yy copy (without
cutting) current line
5yy copy (without
cutting) 5 lines
p paste after
current cursor position/line
P paste before
current cursor position/line
Search –
We can go directly forward or backward
to specified text using "/" and
"?"
/adarsh Rtn Move
cursor to the next occurrence of the string "adarsh"
?adarsh
Rtn Move cursor backward to the previous occurrence
of the string "adarsh"
n repeat the last
search given by "/" or "?"
Replace Commands
-
r replace 1
character (under the cursor) with another character
8r replace each of
the next 8 characters with a given character
R
overwrite;
replace text with typed input, ended with Esc
C replace from
cursor to end of line, with typed input (ended with Esc)
S replace entire
line with typed input (ended with Esc)
4S replace 4 lines
with typed input (ended with Esc)
cw replace
(remainder of) word with typed input (ended with Esc)
Source - Internet
