1 .TH VIM 1 "2002 Feb 22"
3 vim \- Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor
16 [options] \-q [errorfile]
32 is a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi.
33 It can be used to edit all kinds of plain text.
34 It is especially useful for editing programs.
36 There are a lot of enhancements above Vi: multi level undo,
37 multi windows and buffers, syntax highlighting, command line
38 editing, filename completion, on-line help, visual selection, etc..
39 See ":help vi_diff.txt" for a summary of the differences between
45 a lot of help can be obtained from the on-line help system, with the ":help"
47 See the ON-LINE HELP section below.
51 is started to edit a single file with the command
59 vim [options] [filelist]
61 If the filelist is missing, the editor will start with an empty buffer.
62 Otherwise exactly one out of the following four may be used to choose one or
63 more files to be edited.
67 The first one will be the current file and read into the buffer.
68 The cursor will be positioned on the first line of the buffer.
69 You can get to the other files with the ":next" command.
70 To edit a file that starts with a dash, precede the filelist with "--".
73 The file to edit is read from stdin. Commands are read from stderr, which
77 The file to edit and the initial cursor position depends on a "tag", a sort
79 {tag} is looked up in the tags file, the associated file becomes the current
80 file and the associated command is executed.
81 Mostly this is used for C programs, in which case {tag} could be a function
83 The effect is that the file containing that function becomes the current file
84 and the cursor is positioned on the start of the function.
85 See ":help tag-commands".
88 Start in quickFix mode.
89 The file [errorfile] is read and the first error is displayed.
90 If [errorfile] is omitted, the filename is obtained from the 'errorfile'
91 option (defaults to "AztecC.Err" for the Amiga, "errors.err" on other
93 Further errors can be jumped to with the ":cn" command.
97 behaves differently, depending on the name of the command (the executable may
98 still be the same file).
101 The "normal" way, everything is default.
105 Go to Normal mode with the ":vi" command.
106 Can also be done with the "-e" argument.
109 Start in read-only mode. You will be protected from writing the files. Can
110 also be done with the "-R" argument.
115 Can also be done with the "-g" argument.
117 rvim rview rgvim rgview
118 Like the above, but with restrictions. It will not be possible to start shell
121 Can also be done with the "-Z" argument.
123 The options may be given in any order, before or after filenames.
124 Options without an argument can be combined after a single dash.
127 For the first file the cursor will be positioned on line "num".
128 If "num" is missing, the cursor will be positioned on the last line.
131 For the first file the cursor will be positioned on the
132 first occurrence of {pat}.
133 See ":help search-pattern" for the available search patterns.
138 {command} will be executed after the
139 first file has been read.
140 {command} is interpreted as an Ex command.
141 If the {command} contains spaces it must be enclosed in double quotes (this
142 depends on the shell that is used).
143 Example: Vim "+set si" main.c
145 Note: You can use up to 10 "+" or "-c" commands.
148 Like using "-c", but the command is executed just before
149 processing any vimrc file.
150 You can use up to 10 of these commands, independently from "-c" commands.
155 has been compiled with ARABIC support for editing right-to-left
156 oriented files and Arabic keyboard mapping, this option starts
158 in Arabic mode, i.e. 'arabic' is set. Otherwise an error
165 A few options will be set that makes it possible to edit a binary or
169 Compatible. Set the 'compatible' option.
172 behave mostly like Vi, even though a .vimrc file exists.
176 There should be two or three file name arguments.
178 will open all the files and show differences between them.
179 Works like vimdiff(1).
182 Open {device} for use as a terminal.
185 "\-d con:20/30/600/150".
190 in Ex mode, just like the executable was called "ex".
193 Foreground. For the GUI version,
195 will not fork and detach from the shell it was started in.
198 is not restarted to open a new window.
199 This option should be used when
201 is executed by a program that will wait for the edit
202 session to finish (e.g. mail).
203 On the Amiga the ":sh" and ":!" commands will not work.
206 Foreground. For the GUI version,
208 will not fork and detach from the shell it was started in.
213 has been compiled with FKMAP support for editing right-to-left
214 oriented files and Farsi keyboard mapping, this option starts
216 in Farsi mode, i.e. 'fkmap' and 'rightleft' are set.
217 Otherwise an error message is given and
224 has been compiled with GUI support, this option enables the GUI.
225 If no GUI support was compiled in, an error message is given and
230 Give a bit of help about the command line arguments and options.
238 has been compiled with RIGHTLEFT support for editing right-to-left
239 oriented files and Hebrew keyboard mapping, this option starts
241 in Hebrew mode, i.e. 'hkmap' and 'rightleft' are set.
242 Otherwise an error message is given and
247 When using the viminfo file is enabled, this option sets the filename to use,
248 instead of the default "~/.viminfo".
249 This can also be used to skip the use of the .viminfo file, by giving the name
257 Sets the 'lisp' and 'showmatch' options on.
260 Modifying files is disabled.
261 Resets the 'write' option, so that writing files is not possible.
264 No-compatible mode. Reset the 'compatible' option.
267 behave a bit better, but less Vi compatible, even though a .vimrc file does
271 No swap file will be used.
272 Recovery after a crash will be impossible.
273 Handy if you want to edit a file on a very slow medium (e.g. floppy).
274 Can also be done with ":set uc=0".
275 Can be undone with ":set uc=200".
278 Open N windows stacked.
279 When N is omitted, open one window for each file.
282 Open N windows side by side.
283 When N is omitted, open one window for each file.
287 The 'readonly' option will be set.
288 You can still edit the buffer, but will be prevented from accidently
290 If you do want to overwrite a file, add an exclamation mark to the Ex command,
292 The -R option also implies the -n option (see below).
293 The 'readonly' option can be reset with ":set noro".
294 See ":help 'readonly'".
297 List swap files, with information about using them for recovery.
301 The swap file is used to recover a crashed editing session.
302 The swap file is a file with the same filename as the text file with ".swp"
304 See ":help recovery".
307 Silent mode. Only when started as "Ex" or when the "-e" option was given
308 before the "-s" option.
311 The script file {scriptin} is read.
312 The characters in the file are interpreted as if you had typed them.
313 The same can be done with the command ":source! {scriptin}".
314 If the end of the file is reached before the editor exits, further characters
315 are read from the keyboard.
320 the name of the terminal you are using.
321 Only required when the automatic way doesn't work.
322 Should be a terminal known
325 (builtin) or defined in the termcap or terminfo file.
328 Use the commands in the file {vimrc} for initializations.
329 All the other initializations are skipped.
330 Use this to edit a special kind of files.
331 It can also be used to skip all initializations by giving the name "NONE".
332 See ":help initialization" within vim for more details.
335 Use the commands in the file {gvimrc} for GUI initializations.
336 All the other GUI initializations are skipped.
337 It can also be used to skip all GUI initializations by giving the name "NONE".
338 See ":help gui-init" within vim for more details.
341 Verbose. Give messages about which files are sourced and for reading and
342 writing a viminfo file.
347 in Vi mode, just like the executable was called "vi". This only has effect
348 when the executable is called "ex".
351 All the characters that you type are recorded in the file
352 {scriptout}, until you exit
354 This is useful if you want to create a script file to be used with "vim -s" or
356 If the {scriptout} file exists, characters are appended.
359 Like -w, but an existing file is overwritten.
362 Use encryption when writing files. Will prompt for a crypt key.
365 Don't connect to the X server. Shortens startup time in a terminal, but the
366 window title and clipboard will not be used.
369 Restricted mode. Works like the executable starts with "r".
372 Denotes the end of the options.
373 Arguments after this will be handled as a file name.
374 This can be used to edit a filename that starts with a '-'.
377 Give a help message and exit, just like "-h".
380 Print version information and exit.
383 Connect to a Vim server and make it edit the files given in the rest of the
384 arguments. If no server is found a warning is given and the files are edited
388 Connect to a Vim server, evaluate {expr} in it and print the result on stdout.
391 Connect to a Vim server and send {keys} to it.
394 As --remote, but without the warning when no server is found.
397 As --remote, but Vim does not exit until the files have been edited.
400 As --remote-wait, but without the warning when no server is found.
403 List the names of all Vim servers that can be found.
406 Use {name} as the server name. Used for the current Vim, unless used with a
407 --remote argument, then it's the name of the server to connect to.
410 GTK GUI only: Use the GtkPlug mechanism to run gvim in another window.
413 GTK GUI only: Echo the Window ID on stdout
418 Type ":help subject" to get help on a specific subject.
419 For example: ":help ZZ" to get help for the "ZZ" command.
420 Use <Tab> and CTRL-D to complete subjects (":help cmdline-completion").
421 Tags are present to jump from one place to another (sort of hypertext links,
423 All documentation files can be viewed in this way, for example
427 /usr/share/vim/vim62/doc/*.txt
431 Use ":help doc-file-list" to get the complete list.
433 /usr/share/vim/vim62/doc/tags
434 The tags file used for finding information in the documentation files.
436 /usr/share/vim/vim62/syntax/syntax.vim
437 System wide syntax initializations.
439 /usr/share/vim/vim62/syntax/*.vim
440 Syntax files for various languages.
447 /usr/share/vim/gvimrc
448 System wide gvim initializations.
450 /usr/share/vim/vim62/optwin.vim
451 Script used for the ":options" command, a nice way to view and set options.
453 /usr/share/vim/vim62/menu.vim
454 System wide menu initializations for gvim.
456 /usr/share/vim/vim62/bugreport.vim
457 Script to generate a bug report. See ":help bugs".
459 /usr/share/vim/vim62/filetype.vim
460 Script to detect the type of a file by its name. See ":help 'filetype'".
462 /usr/share/vim/vim62/scripts.vim
463 Script to detect the type of a file by its contents. See ":help 'filetype'".
465 /usr/share/vim/vim62/*.ps
466 Files used for PostScript printing.
468 For recent info read the VIM home page:
470 <URL:http://www.vim.org/>
476 was made by Bram Moolenaar, with a lot of help from others.
477 See ":help credits" in
481 is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson,
482 Tony Andrews and G.R. (Fred) Walter.
483 Although hardly any of the original code remains.
486 See ":help todo" for a list of known problems.
488 Note that a number of things that may be regarded as bugs by some, are in fact
489 caused by a too-faithful reproduction of Vi's behaviour.
490 And if you think other things are bugs "because Vi does it differently",
491 you should take a closer look at the vi_diff.txt file (or type :help
492 vi_diff.txt when in Vim).
493 Also have a look at the 'compatible' and 'cpoptions' options.