plucky (1) vim.1.gz

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NAME

       vim - Vi IMproved, a programmer's text editor

SYNOPSIS

       vim [options] [file ..]
       vim [options] -
       vim [options] -t tag
       vim [options] -q [errorfile]

       ex
       view
       gvim gview evim eview
       rvim rview rgvim rgview

DESCRIPTION

       Vim  is  a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi.  It can be used to edit all kinds of plain text.
       It is especially useful for editing programs.

       There are a lot  of  enhancements  above  Vi:  multi  level  undo,  multi  windows  and  buffers,  syntax
       highlighting,  command  line  editing,  filename  completion,  on-line help, visual selection, etc..  See
       ":help vi_diff.txt" for a summary of the differences between Vim and Vi.

       While running Vim a lot of help can be obtained from the on-line help system, with the  ":help"  command.
       See the ON-LINE HELP section below.

       Most often Vim is started to edit a single file with the command

            vim file

       More generally Vim is started with:

            vim [options] [filelist]

       If the filelist is missing, the editor will start with an empty buffer.  Otherwise exactly one out of the
       following four may be used to choose one or more files to be edited.

       file ..     A list of filenames.  The first one will be the current file and read into the  buffer.   The
                   cursor  will  be  positioned on the first line of the buffer.  You can get to the other files
                   with the ":next" command.  To edit a file that starts with a dash, precede the filelist  with
                   "--".

       -           The file to edit is read from stdin.  Commands are read from stderr, which should be a tty.

       -t {tag}    The  file  to  edit and the initial cursor position depends on a "tag", a sort of goto label.
                   {tag} is looked up in the tags file, the associated file becomes the  current  file  and  the
                   associated  command  is  executed.   Mostly  this is used for C programs, in which case {tag}
                   could be a function name.  The effect is that the file containing that function  becomes  the
                   current  file  and  the  cursor  is  positioned  on  the  start  of the function.  See ":help
                   tag-commands".

       -q [errorfile]
                   Start in quickFix mode.  The file [errorfile] is read and the first error is  displayed.   If
                   [errorfile]  is  omitted,  the  filename is obtained from the 'errorfile' option (defaults to
                   "AztecC.Err" for the Amiga, "errors.err" on other systems).  Further errors can be jumped  to
                   with the ":cn" command.  See ":help quickfix".

       Vim  behaves  differently,  depending  on  the  name of the command (the executable may still be the same
       file).

       vim       The "normal" way, everything is default.

       ex        Start in Ex mode.  Go to Normal mode with the ":vi" command.  Can also be done  with  the  "-e"
                 argument.

       view      Start  in read-only mode.  You will be protected from writing the files.  Can also be done with
                 the "-R" argument.

       gvim gview
                 The GUI version.  Starts a new window.  Can also be done with the "-g" argument.

       evim eview
                 The GUI version in easy mode.  Starts a new window.  Can also be done with the "-y" argument.

       rvim rview rgvim rgview
                 Like the above, but with restrictions.  It will not be possible to  start  shell  commands,  or
                 suspend Vim.  Can also be done with the "-Z" argument.

OPTIONS

       The  options  may  be  given in any order, before or after filenames.  Options without an argument can be
       combined after a single dash.

       +[num]      For the first file the cursor will be positioned on line "num".  If  "num"  is  missing,  the
                   cursor will be positioned on the last line.

       +/{pat}     For  the  first  file  the cursor will be positioned in the line with the first occurrence of
                   {pat}.  See ":help search-pattern" for the available search patterns.

       +{command}

       -c {command}
                   {command} will be executed after the first file has been read.  {command} is  interpreted  as
                   an  Ex  command.  If the {command} contains spaces it must be enclosed in double quotes (this
                   depends on the shell that is used).  Example: vim "+set si" main.c
                   Note: You can use up to 10 "+" or "-c" commands.

       -A          If Vim has been compiled with ARABIC support for editing  right-to-left  oriented  files  and
                   Arabic  keyboard  mapping,  this  option  starts  Vim  in  Arabic mode, i.e. 'arabic' is set.
                   Otherwise an error message is given and Vim aborts.

       -b          Binary mode.  A few options will be set that makes it possible to edit a binary or executable
                   file.

       -C          Compatible.   Set  the  'compatible'  option.  This will make Vim behave mostly like Vi, even
                   though a .vimrc file exists.

       -d          Start in diff mode.  There should between two to eight file name arguments.   Vim  will  open
                   all the files and show differences between them.  Works like vimdiff(1).

       -d {device}, -dev {device}
                   Open {device} for use as a terminal.  Only on the Amiga.  Example: "-d con:20/30/600/150".

       -D          Debugging.  Go to debugging mode when executing the first command from a script.

       -e          Start Vim in Ex mode, just like the executable was called "ex".

       -E          Start Vim in improved Ex mode, just like the executable was called "exim".

       -f          Foreground.   For the GUI version, Vim will not fork and detach from the shell it was started
                   in.  On the Amiga, Vim is not restarted to open a new window.  This  option  should  be  used
                   when  Vim is executed by a program that will wait for the edit session to finish (e.g. mail).
                   On the Amiga the ":sh" and ":!" commands will not work.

       -F          If Vim has been compiled with FKMAP support for  editing  right-to-left  oriented  files  and
                   Farsi  keyboard  mapping,  this option starts Vim in Farsi mode, i.e. 'fkmap' and 'rightleft'
                   are set.  Otherwise an error message is given and Vim aborts.
                   Note: Farsi support has been removed in patch 8.1.0932.

       -g          If Vim has been compiled with GUI support, this option enables the GUI.  If  no  GUI  support
                   was compiled in, an error message is given and Vim aborts.

       -H          If  Vim has been compiled with RIGHTLEFT support for editing right-to-left oriented files and
                   Hebrew keyboard mapping, this option starts Vim in Hebrew mode, i.e. 'hkmap' and  'rightleft'
                   are set.  Otherwise an error message is given and Vim aborts.

       -i {viminfo}
                   Specifies  the  filename  to  use  when  reading  or writing the viminfo file, instead of the
                   default "~/.viminfo".  This can also be used to skip the use of the .viminfo file, by  giving
                   the name "NONE".

       -l          Lisp mode.  Sets the 'lisp' and 'showmatch' options on.

       -L          Same as -r.

       -m          Modifying  files  is  disabled.  Resets the 'write' option.  You can still modify the buffer,
                   but writing a file is not possible.

       -M          Modifications not allowed.  The 'modifiable' and 'write'  options  will  be  unset,  so  that
                   changes  are not allowed and files can not be written.  Note that these options can be set to
                   enable making modifications.

       -n          No swap file will be used.  Recovery after a crash will be impossible.  Handy if you want  to
                   edit  a file on a very slow medium (e.g. floppy).  Can also be done with ":set uc=0".  Can be
                   undone with ":set uc=200".

       -N          No-compatible mode.  Resets the 'compatible' option.  This will make Vim behave a bit better,
                   but less Vi compatible, even though a .vimrc file does not exist.

       -nb         Become an editor server for NetBeans.  See the docs for details.

       -o[N]       Open N windows stacked.  When N is omitted, open one window for each file.

       -O[N]       Open N windows side by side.  When N is omitted, open one window for each file.

       -p[N]       Open N tab pages.  When N is omitted, open one tab page for each file.

       -P {parent-title}
                   Win32  GUI only: Specify the title of the parent application.  When possible, Vim will run in
                   an MDI window inside the application. {parent-title} must appear in the window title  of  the
                   parent  application.   Make  sure that it is specific enough. Note that the implementation is
                   still primitive.  It won't work with all applications and the menu doesn't work.

       -r          List swap files, with information about using them for recovery.

       -r {file}   Recovery mode.  The swap file is used to recover a crashed editing session.  The swap file is
                   a file with the same filename as the text file with ".swp" appended.  See ":help recovery".

       -R          Read-only  mode.  The 'readonly' option will be set.  You can still edit the buffer, but will
                   be prevented from accidentally overwriting a file.  If you do want to overwrite a  file,  add
                   an exclamation mark to the Ex command, as in ":w!".  The -R option also implies the -n option
                   (see above).  The 'readonly' option can be reset with ":set noro".  See ":help 'readonly'".

       -s          Silent mode.  Only when started as "Ex" or when the "-e" option was  given  before  the  "-s"
                   option.

       -s {scriptin}
                   The script file {scriptin} is read.  The characters in the file are interpreted as if you had
                   typed them.  The same can be done with the command ":source! {scriptin}".  If the end of  the
                   file is reached before the editor exits, further characters are read from the keyboard.

       -S {file}   {file}  will be sourced after the first file has been read.  This is equivalent to -c "source
                   {file}".  {file} cannot start with '-'.  If {file} is omitted  "Session.vim"  is  used  (only
                   works when -S is the last argument).

       -T {terminal}
                   Tells  Vim  the  name  of  the  terminal you are using.  Only required when the automatic way
                   doesn't work.  Should be a terminal known to Vim (builtin)  or  defined  in  the  termcap  or
                   terminfo file.

       -u {vimrc}  Use  the commands in the file {vimrc} for initializations.  All the other initializations are
                   skipped.  Use this to edit a special kind of  files.   It  can  also  be  used  to  skip  all
                   initializations  by  giving  the name "NONE".  See ":help initialization" within vim for more
                   details.

       -U {gvimrc} Use the  commands  in  the  file  {gvimrc}  for  GUI  initializations.   All  the  other  GUI
                   initializations  are  skipped.  It can also be used to skip all GUI initializations by giving
                   the name "NONE".  See ":help gui-init" within vim for more details.

       -v          Start Vim in Vi mode, just like the executable was called "vi".  This only  has  effect  when
                   the executable is called "ex".

       -V[N]       Verbose.   Give  messages about which files are sourced and for reading and writing a viminfo
                   file.  The optional number N is the value for 'verbose'.  Default is 10.

       -V[N]{filename}
                   Like -V and set 'verbosefile' to {filename}.  The result is that messages are  not  displayed
                   but written to the file {filename}.  {filename} must not start with a digit.

       -w{number}  Set the 'window' option to {number}.

       -w {scriptout}
                   All  the  characters  that you type are recorded in the file {scriptout}, until you exit Vim.
                   This is useful if you want to create a script file to be used with "vim  -s"  or  ":source!".
                   If the {scriptout} file exists, characters are appended.

       -W {scriptout}
                   Like -w, but an existing file is overwritten.

       -x          If  Vim  has  been compiled with encryption support, use encryption when writing files.  Will
                   prompt for a crypt key.

       -X          Don't connect to the X server.  Shortens startup time in a terminal, but the window title and
                   clipboard will not be used.

       -y          Start  Vim  in  easy  mode, just like the executable was called "evim" or "eview".  Makes Vim
                   behave like a click-and-type editor.

       -Z          Restricted mode.  Works like the executable starts with "r".

       --          Denotes the end of the options.  Arguments after this will be handled as a file  name.   This
                   can be used to edit a filename that starts with a '-'.

       --clean     Do  not  use  any  personal configuration (vimrc, plugins, etc.).  Useful to see if a problem
                   reproduces with a clean Vim setup.

       --cmd {command}
                   Like using "-c", but the command is executed just before processing any vimrc file.  You  can
                   use up to 10 of these commands, independently from "-c" commands.

       --echo-wid  GTK GUI only: Echo the Window ID on stdout.

       --gui-dialog-file {name}
                   When using the GUI, instead of showing a dialog, write the title and message of the dialog to
                   file {name}.  The file is created or appended to.  Only useful for testing, to avoid that the
                   test gets stuck on a dialog that can't be seen.  Without the GUI the argument is ignored.

       --help, -h, -?
                   Give a bit of help about the command line arguments and options.  After this Vim exits.

       --literal   Take  file  name  arguments  literally,  do not expand wildcards.  This has no effect on Unix
                   where the shell expands wildcards.

       --log {filename}
                   If Vim has been compiled with eval and channel feature, start logging and  write  entries  to
                   {filename}. This works like calling ch_logfile({filename}, 'ao') very early during startup.

       --nofork    Foreground.   For the GUI version, Vim will not fork and detach from the shell it was started
                   in.

       --noplugin  Skip loading plugins.  Implied by -u NONE.

       --not-a-term
                   Tells Vim that the user knows that the input and/or output is not connected  to  a  terminal.
                   This will avoid the warning and the two second delay that would happen.

       --remote    Connect to a Vim server and make it edit the files given in the rest of the arguments.  If no
                   server is found a warning is given and the files are edited in the current Vim.

       --remote-expr {expr}
                   Connect to a Vim server, evaluate {expr} in it and print the result on stdout.

       --remote-send {keys}
                   Connect to a Vim server and send {keys} to it.

       --remote-silent
                   As --remote, but without the warning when no server is found.

       --remote-wait
                   As --remote, but Vim does not exit until the files have been edited.

       --remote-wait-silent
                   As --remote-wait, but without the warning when no server is found.

       --serverlist
                   List the names of all Vim servers that can be found.

       --servername {name}
                   Use {name} as the server name.  Used for  the  current  Vim,  unless  used  with  a  --remote
                   argument, then it's the name of the server to connect to.

       --socketid {id}
                   GTK GUI only: Use the GtkPlug mechanism to run gVim in another window.

       --startuptime {file}
                   During startup write timing messages to the file {fname}.

       --ttyfail   When stdin or stdout is not a a terminal (tty) then exit right away.

       --version   Print version information and exit.

       --windowid {id}
                   Win32 GUI only: Make gVim try to use the window {id} as a parent, so that it runs inside that
                   window.

ON-LINE HELP

       Type ":help" in Vim to get started.  Type ":help subject"  to  get  help  on  a  specific  subject.   For
       example:  ":help ZZ" to get help for the "ZZ" command.  Use <Tab> and CTRL-D to complete subjects (":help
       cmdline-completion").  Tags are present to jump from one place to another (sort of hypertext  links,  see
       ":help").  All documentation files can be viewed in this way, for example ":help syntax.txt".

FILES

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/doc/*.txt
                      The Vim documentation files.  Use ":help doc-file-list" to get the complete list.
                      vim??  is short version number, like vim91 for Vim 9.1

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/doc/tags
                      The tags file used for finding information in the documentation files.

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/syntax/syntax.vim
                      System wide syntax initializations.

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/syntax/*.vim
                      Syntax files for various languages.

       /usr/local/share/vim/vimrc
                      System wide Vim initializations.

       ~/.vimrc, ~/.vim/vimrc, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim/vimrc
                      Your personal Vim initializations (first one found is used).

       /usr/local/share/vim/gvimrc
                      System wide gvim initializations.

       ~/.gvimrc, ~/.vim/gvimrc, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim/gvimrc
                      Your personal gVim initializations (first one found is used).

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/optwin.vim
                      Script used for the ":options" command, a nice way to view and set options.

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/menu.vim
                      System wide menu initializations for gVim.

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/bugreport.vim
                      Script to generate a bug report.  See ":help bugs".

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/filetype.vim
                      Script to detect the type of a file by its name.  See ":help 'filetype'".

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/scripts.vim
                      Script to detect the type of a file by its contents.  See ":help 'filetype'".

       /usr/local/share/vim/vim??/print/*.ps
                      Files used for PostScript printing.

       For recent info read the VIM home page:
       <URL:http://www.vim.org/>

SEE ALSO

       vimtutor(1)

AUTHOR

       Most of Vim was made by Bram Moolenaar, with a lot of help from others.  See ":help credits" in Vim.
       Vim is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson, Tony Andrews and G.R. (Fred) Walter.  Although hardly
       any of the original code remains.

BUGS

       Probably.  See ":help todo" for a list of known problems.

       Note that a number of things that may be regarded as bugs by some, are in fact caused by  a  too-faithful
       reproduction of Vi's behaviour.  And if you think other things are bugs "because Vi does it differently",
       you should take a closer look at the vi_diff.txt file (or type :help vi_diff.txt when in Vim).  Also have
       a look at the 'compatible' and 'cpoptions' options.

                                                   2024 Aug 12                                            VIM(1)