Basic visual editor Command
These are the basic of vi editing, you will find quite helpful;
Editing commands
Moving around the file:
h — cursor left
i — cursor right
k — cursor up
j — cursor down
^ & B — Beginning of line
$ — end of line
) — Next sentence
( — Previous sentence
} — Next Paragraph
{ — Previous Paragraph
:$ — end of file
w — one character forward
W — one word forward
:20 — go to Line no 20 or whatever number you give
Displaying file info:
^g — give name of the file, current line and total lines of a file at the bottom.
Inserting and appending text :
i — inserts text to the left of cursor
I — inserts in the beginning of line
a — appends text to right of cursor
A — appends to the end of line
Adding new line:
o — add a new line below the current line
O — adds a new line above the current line.
Deleting the text:
x — deletes text above the cursor
X — deletes text character on the right of cursor
20dd — deletes 20
dd — deletes current line
D — delete till end of current line.
d# — delete to where the # (j,k,l,h) specifies.
d/ — delete till pattern is found (forward).
d? — delete till pattern is found (backward).
d’ — delete till mark ‘char’.
Replacing a character & word:
r — replace the character above the cursor.
R — replces characters until Esc is pressed.
cw — replaces the word from cursor to the end indicated by $ sign.
C — replaces till end of line.
Substitute:
s — subistutes current charcater.
S — substitutes entire line.
Repeating last command:
. — repeats the last text.
Undo the last change:
u — undo last change.
U — undo changes to the current line.
Copy and pasting lines:
yy — copies the current line into buffer.
5yy — copies 5 lines from the current line.
p — pastes the current buffer.
Recovering an unsaved vi file:
vi -r — restores a unsaved / crashed file from buffer.
Searching:
:/name — & return searches for the word name in the file
n — continues search forward.
N — searches backwards.
Substitution:
:s///g
Saving:
:w — saves the text does not quit.
:wq — saves & quit the editor.
ZZ — save & quit the editor.
:q! — Quit without saving.
Miscellaneous:
m — mark this location and name it char.
‘ — (quote character) return to “line” named char.
` — (back-quote character) return to “place” named char.
‘’ or “ — (quote quote) return from last movement.
- These commands allow the vi editor screen (or window) to move up or down several lines and to be refreshed.
| ^f | move forward one screen | |
|---|---|---|
| ^b | move backward one screen | |
| ^d | move down (forward) one half screen | |
| ^u | move up (back) one half screen | |
| ^l | redraws the screen | |
| ^r | redraws the screen, removing deleted lines |
