1 *message.txt* For Vim version 5.8. Last change: 2001 Jan 18
4 VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar
7 This file contains an alphabetical list of messages and error messages that
8 Vim produces. You can use this if you don't understand what the message
9 means. It is not complete though.
11 1. Old messages |:messages|
12 2. Error messages |error-messages|
13 3. Messages |messages|
15 ==============================================================================
16 1. Old messages *:messages* *:mes*
18 The ":messages" command can be used to view previously given messages. This
19 is especially useful when messages have been overwritten or truncated. This
20 depends on the 'shortmess' option.
22 The number of remembered messages is fixed at 20.
24 ==============================================================================
25 2. Error messages *error-messages*
27 When an error message is displayed, but it is removed before you could read
28 it, you can see it again with:
30 or view a list of recent messages with:
34 > Ambiguous mapping, conflicts with "..."
36 The first argument for a ":map" command starts with the same character(s) as
37 an already existing mapping which is given in "..." in the error message.
38 Note that keys like <F1> often start with "^[[". Check the output of
39 ":set termcap" for that. All variations of the ":map" command give the same
40 message: ":cmap", ":imap", etc.
44 > Found a swap file by the name ...
49 > Cannot allocate colormap entry for "xxxx"
51 This is not a message directly from Vim, but from X-Windows. It means that
52 there are not enough colors available for Vim. It will still run, but some of
53 the colors will not appear. Try stopping other applications that use many
54 colors, or start them after starting gvim.
55 Netscape is known to consume a lot of colors. You can avoid this by telling
56 it to use its own colormap:
58 Or tell it to limit to a certain number of colors (64 should work well):
60 This can also be done with a line in your Xdefaults file:
61 > Netscape*installColormap: Yes
63 > Netscape*maxImageColors: 64
66 > Can't open errorfile <filename>
68 When using the ":make" or ":grep" commands: The file used to save the error
69 messages or grep output cannot be opened. This can have several causes:
70 - 'shellredir' has a wrong value.
71 - The shell used changes directory, causing the error file to be written in
72 another directory. This could be fixed by changing 'makeef', but then the
73 make command is still executed in the wrong directory.
74 - 'makeef' has a wrong value.
77 > Command not allowed from exrc/vimrc in current dir or tag search
79 Some commands are not allowed for security reasons. These commands mostly
80 come from a .exrc or .vimrc file in the current directory, or from a tags
81 file. Also see 'secure'.
84 > File exists (use ! to override)
86 You are protected from accidentally overwriting a file. When you want to
87 write anyway, use the same command, but add a "!" just after the command.
94 > File not written: Writing is disabled by 'write' option
96 The 'write' option is off. This makes all commands that try to write a file
97 generate this message. This could be caused by a |-m| commandline argument.
98 You can switch the 'write' option on with ":set write".
101 > GUI cannot be used: Not enabled at compile time
103 You are running a version of Vim that doesn't include the GUI code. Therefore
104 "gvim" and ":gui" don't work.
107 > Mark has invalid line number
109 You are using a mark that has a line number that doesn't exist. This can
110 happen when you have a mark in another file, and some other program has
111 deleted lines from it.
114 > ml_get: invalid lnum:
116 This is an internal Vim error. Please try to find out how it can be
117 reproduced, and submit a bug report |bugreport.vim|.
122 The alternate file is not defined yet. See |alternate-file|.
127 The current buffer has no name. To write it, use ":w fname". Or give the
128 buffer a name with ":file fname".
131 > No previous substitute regular expression
133 When using the '~' character in a pattern, it is replaced with the previously
134 used pattern in a ":substitute" command. This fails when no such command has
135 been used yet. See |/~|.
138 > No previous regular expression
140 When using an empty search pattern, the previous search pattern is used. But
141 that is not possible if there was no previous search.
144 > No such abbreviation
146 You have used an ":unabbreviate" command with an argument which is not an
147 existing abbreviation. All variations of this command give the same message:
148 ":cunabbrev", ":iunabbrev", etc.
153 You have used an ":unmap" command with an argument which is not an existing
154 mapping. All variations of this command give the same message: ":cunmap",
158 > No write since last change (use ! to override)
160 You are trying to |abandon| a file that has changes. Vim protects you from
161 losing your work. You can either write the changed file with ":w", or, if you
162 are sure, |abandon| it anyway, and lose all the changes. This can be done by
163 adding a '!' character just after the command you used. Example:
169 > Only one file name allowed
171 The ":edit" command only accepts one file name. When you want to specify
172 several files for editing use ":next" |:next|.
177 Oh, oh. You must have been doing something complicated, or some other program
178 is consuming your memory. Be careful! Vim is not completely prepared for an
179 out-of-memory situation. First make sure that any changes are saved. Then
180 try to solve the memory shortage. To stay on the safe side, exit Vim and
181 start again. Also see |msdos-limitations|.
184 > 'readonly' option is set (use ! to override)
186 You are trying to write a file that was marked as read-only. To write the
187 file anyway, either reset the 'readonly' option, or add a '!' character just
188 after the command you used. Example
194 > Recursive use of :normal too deep
196 You are using a ":normal" command, whose argument again uses a ":normal"
197 command in a recursive way. This is restricted to 'maxmapdepth' levels. This
198 example illustrates how to get this message:
199 > :map gq :normal gq<CR>
200 If you type "gq", it will execute this mapping, which will call "gq" again.
203 > Scripts nested too deep
205 Scripts can be read with the "-s" command-line argument and with the ":source"
206 command. The script can then again read another script. This can continue
207 for about 14 levels. When more nesting is done, Vim assumes that there is a
208 recursive loop somewhere and stops with this error message.
211 > Tags file not sorted: {file name}
213 Vim (and Vi) expect tags files to be sorted in ASCII order. Binary searching
214 can then be used, which is a lot faster than a linear search. If your tags
215 files are not properly sorted, reset the |'tagbsearch'| option.
216 This message is only given when Vim detects a problem when searching for a
217 tag. Sometimes this message is not given, even thought the tags file is not
221 > Too many file names
223 When expanding file names, more than one match was found. Only one match is
227 > Warning: File "{filename}" has changed since editing started
229 The file which you have started editing has got another timestamp. This
230 probably means that some other program changed the file. You will have to
231 find out what happened, and decide which version of the file you want to keep.
232 There is one situation where you get this message even though there is nothing
233 wrong: If you save a file in Windows on the day the daylight saving time
234 starts. It can be fixed by adding this line in your autoexec.bat:
236 Adjust the "-1" for your time zone. Or just write the file again the next
240 > Warning: File "{filename}" no longer available
242 The file which you have started editing has disappeared, or is no longer
243 accessible. Make sure you write the buffer somewhere to avoid loosing
248 > Xlib: connection to "<machine-name:0.0" refused by server
250 This happens when Vim tries to connect to the X server, but the X server does
251 not allow a connection. The connection to the X server is needed to be able
252 to restore the title and for the xterm clipboard support. Unfortunately this
253 error message cannot be avoided, except by disabling the |+xterm_clipboard|
256 ==============================================================================
257 3. Messages *messages*
259 This is an overview of various messages that Vim gives:
261 *hit-return* *press-return*
262 > Press RETURN or enter command to continue
263 This message is given when there is something on the screen for you to read,
264 and the screen is about to be redrawn:
265 - After executing an external command (e.g., ":!ls" and "=").
266 - Something is displayed on the status line that is longer than the width of
267 the window, or runs into the 'showcmd' or 'ruler' output.
269 Hit <CR> or <Space> to redraw the screen and continue, without that key being
270 used otherwise. Or hit ":" or any other Normal mode command character to
271 start that command. {Vi: only ":" commands are interpreted}
273 To reduce the number of hit-return prompts:
274 - Set 'cmdheight' to 2 or higher.
275 - Add flags to 'shortmess'.
276 - Reset 'showcmd' and/or 'ruler'.
278 Also see 'mouse'. It is highlighted with the |hl-Question| group.
283 > -- More -- (RET: line, SPACE: page, d: half page, q: quit)
284 > -- More -- (RET/BS: line, SPACE/b: page, d/u: half page, q: quit)
285 This message is given when the screen is filled with messages. It is only
286 given when the 'more' option is on. It is highlighted with the |hl-MoreMsg|
290 <CR> or <NL> or j or <Down> one more line
291 <BS> or k or <Up> one line back (*)
292 <Space> or <PageDown> next page
293 b or <PageUp> previous page (*)
296 q, <Esc> or CTRL-C stop the listing
297 : stop the listing and enter a
299 Any other key causes the meaning of the keys to be displayed.
301 (*) backwards scrolling is only supported for these commands:
304 Note: The typed key is directly obtained from the terminal, it is not mapped
305 and typeahead is ignored.