NAME

vi − screen oriented (visual) display editor based on ex

SYNOPSIS

vi [ options ] [ files ]

DESCRIPTION

Vi (visual) is a display oriented text editor based on ex(1).  Ex and vi run the same code.  The user can access the command mode of ex from within vi and vice-versa. 

The Vi Quick Reference card and the Introduction to Display Editing with Vi provide full details on using vi. 

OPTIONS

+pos Positions the file at pos (end of the file default).  Pos is any editor command which does not contain a space. 

−l Sets options appropriately for editing LISP. 

−r Retrieves last saved version of file after a system or editor crash.  (List of all saved files is the default.) 

−t tag Edits file containing tag and positions editor at its definition. 

−wn Sets default window size to n. 

FILES

See ex(1). 

SEE ALSO

ex(1), edit(1),
Vi Quick Referencecard, An Introduction to Display Editing with Vi.

BUGS

Software tabs using ^T work only immediately after the autoindent. 

Left and right shifts on intelligent terminals don’t make use of insert and delete character operations in the terminal. 

The wrapmargin option can be fooled since it looks at output columns when blanks are typed.  If a long word passes through the margin and onto the next line without a break, then the line won’t be broken. 

Insert/delete within a line can be slow if tabs are present on intelligent terminals, since the terminals need help in doing this correctly. 

Saving text on deletes in the named buffers is somewhat inefficient. 

The source command does not work when executed as :source; there is no way to use the :append, :change, and :insert commands, since it is not possible to give more than one line of input to a : escape.  To use these on a :global you must Q to ex command mode, execute them, and then reenter the screen editor with vi or open. 

3rd Berkeley Distribution  —  April 29, 1985