vim - Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor

vim [options] [file ..]

vim [options] -t tag

vim [options] -e [errorfile]

Vim is a text editor that is upwards compatible to vi. It can be used to edit any ASCII text. It is especially useful for editing programs.

There are a lot of enhancements above vi: multi level undo, multi windows and buffers, command line editing, filename completion, on-line help, visual selection, etc.. Read difference.doc for a summary of the differences between vi and Vim.

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 three may be used to choose one or more files to be edited.

file ..

A list of file names. The first one (alphabetically) 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 ":next" command.

-t {tag}

The file to edit and the initial cursor position depends on a "tag", a sort of goto label. {tag} is looked up in the tags file, the associated file becomes the current file and the associated command is executed. Mostly this is used for C programs. {tag} then should be a function name. The effect is that the file containing that function becomes the current file and the cursor is positioned on the start of the function (see reference.doc, section "tag searches").

-e [errorfile]

Start in quickFix mode. The file [errorfile] is read and the first error is displayed. If [errorfile] is omitted the file name is obtained from the 'errorfile' option (defaults to "AztecC.Err" for the Amiga, "errors" on other systems). Further errors can be jumped to with the ":cn" command. See reference.doc section 5.5.

The options, if present, must precede the filelist. The options may be given in any order.

-r

Recovery mode. The swap file is used to recover a crashed editing session. The swap file is a file with the same file name as the text file with ".swp" appended. See reference.doc, chapter "Recovery after a crash".

-v

View 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 ":w!". The -v option also implies the -n option (see below). The 'readonly' option can be reset with ":set noro" (see reference.doc, options chapter).

-b

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

+[num]

For the first file the cursor will be positioned on line "num". If "num" is missing, the cursor will be positioned on the last line.

+/pat

For the first file the cursor will be positioned on the first occurrence of "pat" (see reference.doc, section "pattern searches" for the available search patterns).

+{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 "+set si" main.c

-x

(Amiga only) 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). The ":sh" and ":!" commands will not work.

-o[N]

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

-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 ":set uc=0". Can be undone with ":set uc=200".

-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 ":source! {scriptin}". If the end of the file is reached before the editor exits, further characters are read from the keyboard.

-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 "vim -s" or ":source!".

-T terminal

Tells Vim the name of the terminal you are using. Should be a terminal known to Vim (builtin) or defined in the termcap file.

-d device

Open "device" for use as a terminal. Only on the Amiga. Example: "-d con:20/30/600/150".

Vim documentation:

reference.doc:

A complete reference of Vim (long)

windows.doc:

Explanation of the multi windows and buffers commands and options

index:

Overview of all command characters (useful when adding new mappings)

difference.doc:

Overview of the differences between vi and Vim

unix.doc:

Unix-specific comments

vim.hlp:

File used by the on-line help (short)

Most of VIM was made by Bram Moolenaar.

VIM is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson, Tony Andrews and G.R. (Fred) Walter

Probably.