VI / VIM editor
VI / VIM is a simple and powerful editor. If you are accessing a remote
workstation or cluster where you don't have the option to launch
graphical programs, VIM is a great option. Almost any Linux or UNIX
system has VI editor preinstalled. Recent OS will likely have VIM
(Vi IMproved) instead of classic VI editor. You can check the version
of VI by:
vi --version
Open / create a file_name to read and/or write:
vi file_name
Go into INSERT mode by (check in the bottom of the window
for --INSERT--) by pressing [shift]+[I] or simply [I].
Go into REPLACE mode (check in the bottom for --REPLACE--) by
pressing [shift] + [R].
Go into readonly / normal mode by pressing [esc].
To save file, first go into readonly mode ([esc]) and then type:
:w
To exit vim, first go into readonly mode ([esc]) and then:
:q
You can combine both to save and exit (keyboard
shortcut [Shift]+[Z Z]):
:wq
Exit without saving (keyboard shortcut [Shift]+[Z Q]):
:q!
Search in the file: Type / followed by the phrase you are looking
for. Press N go to next match. You can search backwards using ?
See line numbers: :set nu
Hide line numbers: :set nonu
Spellcheck: :set spell
Turn off spellcheck: :set nospell
Set user spell file: :set spellfile=~/.vim/[Link]
Browse files and folders using file explorer: :E
Keyboard shortcuts
Key
Description
bindings
G Go to the end of the file
5G Go to specific line of the file (here line 5)
5H Move relative to the top line on the screen
Move relative to the bottom line on the
3L
screen
gg Go to the beginning of file
control + F Scroll forward one page
control + B Scroll backward one page
$ Go to the end of line
0 Go to the beginning of line
dd Delete a whole line
Undo (or type :u; :2u (undo twice)
u
or :U (undo all))
control + R Redo
control + L Redraw / reload
z= Spelling suggestions
zg Add new word to the user dictionary
zug Remove word from the dictionary
. Repeat last command
db Delete one word backwards
dw Delete one word forwards
d$ / D Delete to the end of line
d0 Delete to the beginning of line
Compare two files:
vi -d [Link] file_edit.txt
Move a line up / down: this can be achieved by few key
combinations. To move one line above its current position: ddkP.
o dd to delete current line and put it in default register
o k or j to move up or down
o P to paste above current line.
visual mode
Enter Visual mode by pressing v, V or [control] + v for visual
character, line or block modes, respectively. Select text using the
arrow keys on the key board. You can:
Press c it will clear the selected part and enter into insert mode.
Press y to copy (yanked).
You can paste in another location in VIM by pressing p.
Press "+y to copy to system clipboard, you can paste in another
program using your system shortcut like [command] +
v or [control] + v.
Comment multiple lines:
o Enter block visual mode: [control] + v
o Select the lines (first col) using up / down arrow keys
o Enter insert mode: [shift] + i
o Type commenting character e.g., #
o Press [esc].
Un-comment multiple lines:
o Enter block visual mode: [control] + v
o Select the lines (one or multiple columns) using arrow
keys
o Press x followed by [esc].
vimrc
You can customize your vi editor by creating a ~/.vimrc file and saving
your settings there. Like:
syntax on
set tabstop=4
set ruler
colorscheme darkblue
set textwidth=80
set cc=81
set autoindent
set spell
hi SpellBad ctermbg=Yellow
hi SpellBad ctermfg=DarkRed
set spellfile=~/.vim/[Link]
" Syntax highlight for custom filetypes
au BufRead,BufNewFile *.in set filetype=fortran
au BufRead,BufNewFile *.out set filetype=fortran
au BufRead,BufNewFile matplotlibrc set filetype=python
set hlsearch
hi Search ctermbg=LightBlue
hi Search ctermfg=black
Convert tabs to spaces. Add the following to your .vimrc:
set tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 expandtab
Convert existing tabs to spaces by :retab (once the above settings are
added).
Plugins
Installing vimplug:
curl -fLo ~/.vim/autoload/[Link] --create-dirs \
[Link]
Installing plugins using vimplug: add this to your .vimrc
call plug#begin('~/.vim/plugged')
Plug 'junegunn/[Link]'
call plug#end()
Save the file :w. Then install plugins by issuing :PlugInstall.
You can modify or add your own settings to a plugin. For example, if
you want to call Limelight along with Goyo. Go to
~/.vim/plugged/[Link]/autoload/[Link]
and add a line Limelight. You may add other settings, say, set
spell etc.
