vim (Vi IMproved) is a text editor supporting different editing modes.
11
votes
3answers
2k views
How to fix Ctrl + arrows in Vim?
I am using Putty -> Suse box -> vim 7.2 combo for editing and want to remap Ctrl + arrows combo to a particular task. But for some reason, Vim ignores the shortcut and goes into insert mode and ...
28
votes
4answers
1k views
Becoming root from inside Vim
Sometimes I start editing configuration files in /etc using Vim, but forget to use sudo to start Vim. The inevitable result then is that after finishing my edits I encounter the dreaded notice that I ...
11
votes
2answers
5k views
Best way to upgrade vim/gvim to 7.3 in Ubuntu 10.04?
I have to use Ubuntu 10.04 at work, and cant upgrade it. I'm using Vim/gVim 7.2.
I want to upgrade it to 7.3 (with Python and Ruby extension support). Which is the best way? Add an entry in ...
105
votes
14answers
25k views
vim vs. emacs… and no, this is not a flame war
How would you compare these editors? What are the pros and cons of each?
[note] This is not meant to be answered by those who "hate one and love another" or those who haven't used both.
18
votes
6answers
10k views
How to copy text from vim to an external program?
I'm trying to copy-paste some text from vim. I'm doing v to enter visual mode, then y once I selected my block.
It appears to copy the text into vim's clipboard, because p will paste it.
But in ...
3
votes
2answers
535 views
How to do a text replacement in a big folder hierarchy?
I want to search and replace some text in a large set of files excluding some instances. For each line, I want a prompt asking me if I need to replace that line or not.
Something similar to vim's ...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
Vim :s replace first N < g occurrences on a line
In vim, I sometimes have occasion to replace the first few occurrences of a match on a line, but not every one like g would. e.g.:
a a a a a
to
b b b a a
I know I could use ...
6
votes
3answers
655 views
Replacing Multiple blank lines with a single blank line in vim / sed
Question more or less says it all. I'm aware that /^$/d will remove all blank lines, but I can't see how to say 'replace two or more blank lines with a single blank line'
Any ideas?
4
votes
1answer
173 views
Match word containing characters beyond a-zA-Z
To match a word one can use
\v(\w+)
From the vim help :h \w:
\w word character: [0-9A-Za-z_]
This works exactly as described in the manual. However, I want to
match words that contain ...
22
votes
6answers
8k views
How can I edit multiple files in VIM?
I know I can open multiple files with vim by doing something like vim 2011-12*.log, but how can I switch between files and close the files one at a time? Also, how can I tell the file name of the ...
21
votes
3answers
2k views
Why does `ESC` move the cursor back in vim?
In vim, when I hit ESC to return to command mode, the cursor moves one character to the left. This is not what I would hope for, occasional I immediately hit l to move back to that spot, perhaps to ...
15
votes
6answers
1k views
Using VI to edit shell commands in UNIX
I used to have a co-worker who was really good at UNIX.
He showed me how to use Vi to edit my shell commands.
He placed the command in a file that ran every time I logged in.
Since then, I've ...
16
votes
6answers
1k views
Vi vs vim, or, is there any reason why I would ever want to use vi?
I know a bit about *NIX text editors (currently migrating from nano to vim), and, after looking around a bit on the Unix & Linux SE, have noticed that a fair about of question use vi instead of ...
14
votes
2answers
5k views
How can I set VIM's default encoding to UTF-8?
I'd like to contribute to an open source project providing translated strings. One of their requirements is that contributors must use UTF-8 as the encoding for the PO files.
I'm using VIM 7.3 on ...
6
votes
2answers
629 views
Is there a way to place a comment in a file which vim will process in order to set filetype?
For example, if I want to have a file with the name gitconfig (no leading .) be recognised by vim as being of filetype=gitconfig, is there a means of indicating this in a comment or something similar ...
5
votes
3answers
702 views
Vim: word wrap for documents
Whats the best way to do word wrapping for a document in vim?
I'd like have each line wrap at 80 characters, not just visually wrap but enter a newline.
I got this kind of working by using
:set wrap
...
11
votes
5answers
948 views
How to yank a particular line without moving the cursor in vim?
For example
How can I yank and paste Line 4 only to Line 12 without having to move the cursor to Line 4?
10
votes
4answers
253 views
Is there a vim shortcut for <name of current file>?
In vim, if I'm working on a Python script, I will commonly type:
:! python this_script.py
to execute the script. Is there a shortcut for the name of the current file? If not, can I easily make one? ...
6
votes
1answer
214 views
Application-specific keymapping
In general, I want to make specific keymaps for application, that working only in it and doesn't affect any other app.
For example, I already use my Caps key to toggle input language (via xorg.conf), ...
9
votes
3answers
3k views
Comparing two files in Vim
Is it possible to view two files side-by-side in Vim? If so, how can I set up my editor to do this, and is there a way to diff between the two files within Vim?
I am aware of the :next and :prev ...
7
votes
2answers
643 views
why inode value changes when we edit in “vi” editor?
When I edit a file in "vi" editor the inode value of the file is changing. But when edited with cat command the inode value is not changing.
4
votes
1answer
628 views
GNU Screen makes Vim ESC key slow
Screen makes my ESC key wait for more commands I beleive, and if it does not get those commands, it sends it to my terminal Session (which I am running VIM in). ESC is used alot in VIM and currently ...
4
votes
7answers
530 views
Open a file given by the result of a command in vim
I find myself doing the following almost every day
Run a find (find -name somefile.txt)
Open the result in vim
The problem is I have to copy and paste the result of the find into the vim command. ...
4
votes
1answer
864 views
vim auto indenting even after setting noai option
I am using vim 7.2 from putty terminal.
Even if I run set noai it seems vim still trying to indent code.
I am copying my code from Notepad++ to vim.
following is from Notepad++
and following what I ...
3
votes
2answers
403 views
The Right Distro for text-based needs
I'm searching for the right Linux Distro. My four current ideas are:
Gentoo
Grml
Arch
Debian
But I'm absoluty open to more alternatives. Now a little bit more about my needs:
I want it to be ...
2
votes
4answers
498 views
Turn NumLock on on startup?
I usually edit in Vim,and when pressing +, I'd rather move my hand to the right part of the keyboard where + resides rather than doing shift + =.
But when NumLock is not on, in Vim it just opens a ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
How can I disable bells/visualbells in vim?
How can I disable bells/visualbells in vim?
I've tried:
set noeb
set novb
.. but nothing has changed afaik.
Just to be clear, I'm referring to the visual bell I get in vim when I do something ...
3
votes
1answer
62 views
Switching to edit mode in VIM rc?
Still related to the previous question, but switching mode with exe "a" doesn't seem to work, I still have to press the a button manually
Here upon opening a newly created a file, a template is in ...
3
votes
1answer
169 views
Saving with CTRL-s in vim
I have added this line in .vimrc so that pressing control-s saves the current file
:nmap <C-s> :w!<cr>
:imap <C-s> <esc>:w!<cr>
But this is not working. Any ...
3
votes
1answer
183 views
gvim -p limit of opened tabs?
When I run :
gvim -p *.xyz
I find that not all files are opened in tabs.
It feels, like a kind of tab limit?
But ! When I try to open unopened with :
:tabnew
it is opened next to previous ...
3
votes
2answers
823 views
How to copy from one vim instance to another using registers
How can I select the + register? I have problems following the instructions below to copy/paste text from vim to another vim:
In the vim, highlight, select + register, and yank (save) to it:
Shift-v
...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Jump to the first position of text “<CURSOR>”
I'm using a file template directory for newly created files,
autocmd! BufNewFile * silent! 0r ~/.vim/skel/tmpl.%:e
Now I want to add another function, that move the cursor to somewhere (defined in ...
1
vote
2answers
204 views
Exiting block insert mode with Ctrl-C
In vim, if you are in block insert mode (Ctrl-V, Shift-I) and exit using Ctrl-C (instead of Esc), it cancels the block edit (and only edits the first row).
Why is this? In almost all other contexts, ...
1
vote
1answer
320 views
How to change vim auto-indent behavior?
By default vim aligns lines inside LI tags on the same position as the position of LI tag, but I want the contents of LI to have deeper indentation.
Current behaviour:
<LI>
first line
second ...
