vim manpage

[lark@world.std.com (Lar Kaufman)]

     VIM(1)	      UNIX System V (1994 August 12)		VIM(1)



     NAME
	  vim -	Vi IMproved, a programmers text	editor

     SYNOPSIS
	  vim [options]	[file ..]
	  vim [options]	-t tag
	  vim [options]	-e [errorfile]

     DESCRIPTION
	  Vim is a text	editor that is upwards compatible to vi. It
	  can be used to edit any ASCII	text. It is especially useful
	  for editing programs.

	  There	are a lot of enhancements above	vi: multi level	undo,
	  multi	windows	and buffers, command line editing, filename
	  completion, on-line help, visual selection, etc..  Read
	  difference.doc for a summary of the differences between vi
	  and Vim.

	  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
	  three	may be used to choose one or more files	to be edited.

	  file ..     A	list of	file names. The	first one
		      (alphabetically) 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.

	  -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.	{tag} then should 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
		      reference.doc, section "tag searches").

	  -e [errorfile]
		      Start in quickFix	mode. The file [errorfile] is



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     VIM(1)	      UNIX System V (1994 August 12)		VIM(1)



		      read and the first error is displayed. If
		      [errorfile] is omitted the file name is obtained
		      from the 'errorfile' option (defaults to
		      "AztecC.Err" for the Amiga, "errors" on other
		      systems).	Further	errors can be jumped to	with
		      the ":cn"	command. See reference.doc section
		      5.5.

     OPTIONS
	  The options, if present, must	precede	the filelist. The
	  options may be given in any order.

	  -r	      Recovery mode. The swap file is used to recover
		      a	crashed	editing	session. The swap file is a
		      file with	the same file name as the text file
		      with ".swp" appended. See	reference.doc, chapter
		      "Recovery	after a	crash".

	  -v	      View mode. The 'readonly'	option will be set.
		      You can still edit the buffer, but will be
		      prevented	from accidently	overwriting a file. If
		      you do want to overwrite a file, add an
		      exclamation mark to the Ex command, as in	":w!".
		      The -v option also implies the -n	option (see
		      below).  The 'readonly' option can be reset with
		      ":set noro" (see reference.doc, options
		      chapter).

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

	  +[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
		      on the first occurrence of "pat" (see
		      reference.doc, section "pattern searches"	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

	  -x	      (Amiga only) Vim is not restarted	to open	a new
		      window. This option should be used when Vim is



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     VIM(1)	      UNIX System V (1994 August 12)		VIM(1)



		      executed by a program that will wait for the
		      edit session to finish (e.g. mail). The ":sh"
		      and ":!" commands	will not work.

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

	  -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".

	  -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.

	  -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!".

	  -T terminal Tells Vim	the name of the	terminal you are
		      using. Should be a terminal known	to Vim
		      (builtin)	or defined in the termcap file.

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

     SEE ALSO
	  Vim documentation:

	  reference.doc:
		      A	complete reference of Vim (long)

	  windows.doc:
		      Explanation of the multi windows and buffers
		      commands and options

	  index:      Overview of all command characters (useful when
		      adding new mappings)

	  difference.doc:
		      Overview of the differences between vi and Vim

	  unix.doc:   Unix-specific comments




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	  vim.hlp:    File used	by the on-line help (short)

     AUTHOR
	  Most of VIM was made by Bram Moolenaar.
	  VIM is based on Stevie, worked on by:	Tim Thompson, Tony
	  Andrews and G.R. (Fred) Walter

     BUGS
	  Probably.














































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"This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around. No
time for dancing or lovey-dovey, I ain't got time for that now. I sent a
message through the receiver, hope to get an answer someday. Why stay in
college? Why go to night school? Thought I'd be different this time." -D. Byrne