VI Text Editor

Vi is a small but very useful text editor. The cool think about this application is the fact that you can use it in combination with putty. You can connect to a remote linux computer and start editing text files with ease.

The tricky part is to remember the shortcuts for using this editor. To start the application use it like this : vi filename

There are two modes in this text editor :

I.Command MODE

When you start you are in command mode.
You can use the arrow keys to move around but you can start using HJKL if you decide to go pro.

Copy/Paste
yy # to copy the current line
p # to paste the text in the buffer

Undo
u # to undo the last operation

Deleting a row
dd - is used to delete the current row

To save
:w

To exit and save
zz

To exit no save
:q!

II. Insert MODE

If you want to go in insert mode you can press

i # to start inserting before the current position
a # to start inserting after the current position

If you want to exit Insert Mode you can press key until you are shoure the command mode is selected.

!!! Don't press the arrow keys why in Insert mode. Use only DELETE to erase the current position.


Source: http://ubuntuswitch.blogspot.com/2007/09/vi-text-editor.html


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Displaying line numbers while editing a file
:set number
:set nonumber

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Search and Replace

First occurrence on current line: :s/OLD/NEW

Globally (all) on current line: :s/OLD/NEW/g

Between two lines #,#: :#,#s/OLD/NEW/g

Every occurrence in file: :%s/OLD/NEW/g

http://www.felixgers.de/teaching/emacs/vi_search_replace.html


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How to show special characters in a file with vi

:set list -- Show invisible characters
:set nolist -- Don't show invisible characters