The following content is excerpted from
http://linuxconfig.org/Vim_Tutorial. It covers most of the essentials that one needs while editing code. One thing which i know and use and is not covered is :e < filename >
to open multiple files without exiting vim and then navigating among the open files using :b < num > , where num is file buffer number for the open files
. Other than that, there were quite a few points in the tutorial that were really good and i did not use/know them before. Also see other good links to learn more on vi/vim at http://delicious.com/rwatsh/vi.
Vim Tutorial Summary
VIM novice level Summary
- Moving around with cursor:
h key = LEFT, l key = RIGHT, k key = UP, j key = DOWN - Exiting vim editor without saving:
press ESC to get into command mode, enter :q! to exit. - Deleting characters in vim command mode:
delete with x key
| - Inserting / appending text:
Press i or a in command mode and type - Saving changes and exit:
in command mode :wq or SHIFT+zz
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VIM Operators and Motions summary
- Deleting words:
delete word with d operator and w or e motion - Deleting to the end of the line:
delete to th end of the line with d operator and $ motion - Using operators, motions and counts:
beginning of th line 0, end of the line $, end of the 2nd word 2e beginning of the 4th word 4w
| - Deleting multiple words:
to delete 3 words you would use d3w - Deleting lines:
to delete single line dd, delete n lines ndd - Undo changes:
undo changes with u
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VIM apprentice user summary
- Paste command:
paste your cache memory with p command - Replace characters:
rt replace current character with t
| - Change characters:
ce to change single word, c$ to change to the end of the line
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VIM experienced user summary
- Advanced Navigation:
end of the file G, begging of the file gg or 1G, to get on line n use nG
instruct vim display file information CTRL+g - Search text with vim:
search forward /, search backward ?, next search n , previous search N
| - Vim Substitution :
first occurrence single line :s/bash/perl/
all occurrences single line :s/bash/perl/g
first occurrence between line range: :23,100s/bash/perl/
all occurrences between line range: :23,100s/bash/perl/g
first occurrence in whole text: :%s/bash/perl/
all occurrences whole text: :%s/bash/perl/g
|
VIM veteran user summary
- Execute external commands on shell from vim:
:!ls will execute ls command on your shell - Writing to files advanced::w saves current file without quit, :w bash.sh whites to file bash.sh
| - Highlight text ans save to different file:highlight text with v operator and save it with :w
- Retrieve text from different file::r will retrieve content of file
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VIM expert user summary
- Using o operator:
:o insert line bellow you cursor, O inserts line above your cursor - Copy and paste:
yank line with y and paste it with p
| - Customize vim's environment:
edit ~/.vimrc file to customize vim's environment
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