Vim quick reference

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

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

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

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

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