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VIM(1) General Commands Manual VIM(1)

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 posi‐
tioned 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 dis‐
played. 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 com‐
mands, 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 argu‐
ment 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 oc‐
currence 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 in‐
terpreted 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.

-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 "Ses‐
sion.vim" is used (only works when -S is the last argument).

--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.

-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 vimd‐
iff(1).

-d {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.

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

-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.

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

-H If Vim has been compiled with RIGHTLEFT support for editing right-to-left ori‐
ented 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 .vim‐
info file, by giving the name "NONE".

-L Same as -r.

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

-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-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.

-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".

-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.

-R Read-only mode. The 'readonly' option will be set. You can still edit the buf‐
fer, 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'".

-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".

-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.

-T {terminal}
Tells Vim the name of the terminal you are using. Only required when the auto‐
matic 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 initial‐
izations 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 initial‐
ization" 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[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 Start Vim in Vi mode, just like the executable was called "vi". This only has
effect when the executable is called "ex".

-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 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 win‐
dow 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.

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

--help Give a help message and exit, just like "-h".

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

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

--remote Connect to a Vim server and make it edit the files given in the rest of the argu‐
ments. 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}.

--version Print version information and exit.

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/share/vim/vim82/doc/*.txt
The Vim documentation files. Use ":help doc-file-list" to get the complete
list.

/usr/share/vim/vim82/doc/tags
The tags file used for finding information in the documentation files.

/usr/share/vim/vim82/syntax/syntax.vim
System wide syntax initializations.

/usr/share/vim/vim82/syntax/*.vim
Syntax files for various languages.

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

~/.vimrc Your personal Vim initializations.

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

~/.gvimrc Your personal gvim initializations.

/usr/share/vim/vim82/optwin.vim
Script used for the ":options" command, a nice way to view and set options.

/usr/share/vim/vim82/menu.vim
System wide menu initializations for gvim.

/usr/share/vim/vim82/bugreport.vim
Script to generate a bug report. See ":help bugs".

/usr/share/vim/vim82/filetype.vim
Script to detect the type of a file by its name. See ":help 'filetype'".

/usr/share/vim/vim82/scripts.vim
Script to detect the type of a file by its contents. See ":help 'filetype'".

/usr/share/vim/vim82/print/*.ps
Files used for PostScript printing.

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