Vim Mode
Last updated
Last updated
Vim is an editor to create or edit a text file.
In the command mode, user can move around the file, delete text, etc.
Key
Explanation
h
Moves the cursor one character to the left
l
Moves the cursor one character to the right
k
Moves the cursor up one line
j
Moves the cursor down one line
nG or :n
Cursor goes to the specified (n) line
^F
(CTRl F) Forward screenful
^B
Backward screenful
^f
One page forward
^b
One page backward
^U
Up half screenful
^D
Down half screenful
$
Move cursor to the end of current line
0
Move cursor to the beginning of current line
w
Forward one word
b
Backward one word
:wq
Write file to disk and quit the editor
:q!
Quit (no warning)
:q
Quit (a warning is printed if a modified file has not been saved)
ZZ
Save workspace and quit the editor (same as :wq)
:w
Write workspace to original file
:w file
Write workspace to named file
:e file
Start editing a new file
:r file
Read contents of a file to the workspace
x
Delete character
dw
Delete word from cursor on
db
Delete word backward
dd
Delete line
d$
Delete to end of line
d^
Delete to beginning of line
yy
yank current line
y$
yank to end of current line from cursor
yw
yank from cursor to end of current word
p
paste below cursor
P
paste above cursor
u
Undo last change
U
Restore line
From command mode to insert mode type a/A/i/I/o/O ( see details below)
In the insert mode, user can insert text.
Changing mode from one to another
From insert mode to command mode type Esc (escape key)
Some useful commands for VIM
Key
Explanation
a
Append text following current cursor position
A
Append text to the end of current line
i
Insert text before the current cursor position
I
Insert text at the beginning of the cursor line
o
Open up a new line following the current line and add text there
O
Open up a new line in front of the current line and add text there
To create a page break, while in the insert mode, press the CTRL key
And l. ^L will appear in your text and will cause the printer to start
A new page.
Other Useful Commands
Most commands can be repeated n times by typing a number, n, before
the command. For example 10dd means delete 10 lines.
. Repeat last command
cw Change current word to a new word
r Replace one character at the cursor position
R Begin overstrike or replace mode � use ESC key to exit
:/ pattern Search forward for the pattern
:? pattern Search backward for the pattern
n (used after either of the 2 search commands above to
continue to find next occurrence of the pattern.
:g/pat1/s//pat2/g replace every occurrence of pattern1 (pat1) with