vi command help

 vim - Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor
 

SYNOPSIS

 vim [options] [file ..]
 vim [options] -
 vim [options] -t tag
 vim [options] -q [errorfile]
 
 ex
 view
 gvim gview
 rvim rview rgvim rgview
 

DESCRIPTION

 Vim is a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi. It
 can be used to edit any ASCII text. It is especially useュ
 ful for editing programs.
 
 There are a lot of enhancements above Vi: multi level
 undo, multi windows and buffers, syntax highlighting, comュ
 mand 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.
 
 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 funcュ
 tion 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.vim" on
 other systems). Further errors can be jumped
 to with the ":cn" command. See ":help quickュ
 fix".
 
 Vim behaves differently, depending on the name of the comュ
 mand (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.
 
 rvim rview rgvim rgview
 Like the above, but with restrictions. It will
 not be possible to start shell commands, or susュ
 pend Vim. Can also be done with the "-Z" arguュ
 ment.
 

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 posiュ
 tioned on line "num". If "num" is missing,
 the cursor will be positioned on the last
 line.
 tioned on 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" comュ
 mands.
 
 -b Binary mode. A few options will be set that
 makes it possible to edit a binary or exeュ
 cutable file.
 
 -C Compatible. Set the 'compatible' option.
 This will make Vim behave mostly like Vi, even
 though a .vimrc file exists.
 
 -d {device} Open {device} for use as a terminal. Only on
 the Amiga. Example: "-d con:20/30/600/150".
 
 -e Start Vim in Ex mode, just like the executable
 was called "ex".
 
 -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 ":!" comュ
 mands 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.
 
 -g If Vim has been compiled with GUI support,
 this option enables the GUI. If no GUI supュ
 port was compiled in, an error message is
 given and Vim aborts.
 
 -h Give a bit of help about the command line
 port 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 mesュ
 sage is given and Vim aborts.
 
 -i {viminfo}
 When using the viminfo file is enabled, this
 option sets the filename to use, instead of
 the default "~/.viminfo". This can also be
 used to skip the use of the .viminfo 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, so that writing files is not
 possible.
 
 -N No-compatible mode. Reset the 'compatible'
 option. This will make Vim behave a bit betュ
 ter, 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".
 
 -o[N] Open N windows. When N is omitted, open one
 window for each file.
 
 -R Read-only 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 -R option also implies the -n
 option (see below). The 'readonly' option can
 be reset with ":set noro". See ":help 'readュ
 only'".
 
 -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
 
 -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 charュ
 acters 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 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 iniュ
 tializations. 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 initialュ
 izations 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 Verbose. Give messages about which files are
 sourced and for reading and writing a viminfo
 file.
 
 -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}
 prompt for a crypt key.
 
 -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 '-'.
 

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/vim57/doc/*.txt
 The Vim documentation files. Use ":help
 doc-file-list" to get the complete list.
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/doc/tags
 The tags file used for finding information
 in the documentation files.
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/syntax/syntax.vim
 System wide syntax initializations.
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/syntax/*.vim
 Syntax files for various languages.
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/macros/vimrc
 System wide Vim initializations.
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/macros/gvimrc
 System wide gvim initializations.
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/optwin.vim
 Script used for the ":options" command, a
 nice way to view and set options.
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/menu.vim
 System wide menu initializations for gvim.
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/bugreport.vim
 Script to generate a bug report. See
 ":help bugs".
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/filetype.vim
 
 /usr/share/vim/vim57/scripts.vim
 Script to detect the type of a file by its
 contents. See ":help 'filetype'".
 
 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".
 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.