ITSC 1307 Fundamentals of UNIX VI_Quick-Notes.doc
Instructor: Prof. Michael P. Harris, CCNA, CCAI (Rev. 02.11.26)
Quick Notes: The VI editor (the basics)
Many editors are available for the UNIX system. Vi is a popular text editor on the UNIX system with which you can create and edit files. Vi differs from many of the standard UNIX editors (like ed or sed) in that it offers full screen editing yet still has both a command mode and a text insertion/edit mode.
To create or edit a file you type "vi filename" at the UNIX prompt. This puts you into the vi editor's command mode. To create text you need to be in the text insertion mode. Tapping the letters a(append), i(insert), or o(open) will put you there. You can now type in your text. To leave the text insertion mode tap the [ESC] key.
In the command mode you can move through the document, delete and correct typos, retrieve another document or quit and save the text. To write (save) your work and quit enter a ":" (colon), which will move you to the bottom of the screen, and then you type "wq". This is equal to write (the text to a file and) quit. You can also quit and not save the file by tapping [ESC] and typing ":q!". This will leave vi without saving the file.
You will probably prefer your word processor for most of your writing but you will find vi invaluable for editing files in UNIX. The following is a cheat sheet for the vi editor.
To start using vi with a file called filename enter: vi filename.
Cursor Movement:
Arrow keys move the cursor up, down, left, or right if your terminal configuration is set up properly. If the arrow keys do not work use the alternate keyboard commands:
[Enter] move cursor down
- (minus) move cursor up
0 (zero) move cursor to the beginning of the line
$ (dollar) move cursor to the end of the line
h move cursor left (* see your keyboard layout *)
j move cursor down
k move cursor up
l move cursor right
^F scroll Forward a full screen
^B scroll Backward a full screen
^D scroll Down half a screen
^U scroll Up half a screen
^R clear and Redraw the screen
(note: ^ means to hold down the <CTRL> key)
Quick Notes: The VI editor (the basics) Page 2
G Goto the end of the file
nG -or- :n position the cursor at (Goto) line n
M position the cursor at the middle of the screen
H position the cursor at the top of the screen
L position the cursor at the bottom of the screen
w move cursor to the beginning of the next word
b move cursor backward to the beginning of a word
To enter vi text insertion/edit mode:
a append new text after the current character
i insert new text before the current character
o open a new line after the current line
A Append new text to the end of the line
O Open a line before the current line
R oveRtype characters
Vi editing commands:
x delete the current character
nx delete n characters
rc replace the current character with character c
dd delete the current line (into the clipboard)
ndd delete n lines (into the clipboard)
yy yank (copy) the current line into the clipboard
nyy yank (copy into the clipboard) n lines
p paste clipboard text after the current line
Vi search commands:
/string search forward for character string
?string search backward for character string
Vi write (save) and quit commands:
:w name write buffer contents to a file called name
:wq write changes made to the file and quit
:q quit (prompt for changes)
:q! forcefully quit vi not writing any changes
Copying/Moving a block of text in vi:
1. Position the cursor at the beginning line of a block of text.
2. Type nyy to yank (copy) or ndd (delete) n lines. (ex: 10yy will yank 10 lines)
3. Position cursor at the line that precedes where the block of text is to be copied.
4. Press p to paste the clipboard contents after the current line.
Help with vi:
1. For online help on vi, at your UNIX prompt type "man vi".
2. To start the CAI online course for vi type "learn vi".