VI Text Editor Commands Flashcards
vi filename
Start a vi session with document filename
vi
Start a vi session
User must type :w filename in order to save file
command mode
default mode when starting vi, user presses a letter for a command
input mode
allows user to enter or modify text.
press ESC to return to command mode
last-line mode
opens prompt to enter letter or word commands for more complex operations, such as search and replace
h
left (command mode)
j
down (command mode)
k
up (command mode)
l
right (command mode)
w
right one word to special character (command mode)
W
right one word including special character (command mode)
b
left one word to special character (command mode)
B
left one word including special character (command mode)
0
beginning of line (command mode)
$
end of line (command mode)
i
insert to left of cursor (command > input mode)
I
insert at beginning of line (command > input mode)
o
insert below current line (command > input mode)
O
insert line above current line (command > input mode)
a
append to right of cursor (command > input mode)
A
append at end of current line (command > input mode)
r
replace character (command > input mode)
R
overwrite text (command > input mode)
x
delete single character (editing)
d
delete (editing)
c
change (editing)
y
yank, or copy (editing)
p
paste below cursor (editing)
P
paste above cursor (editing)
u
undo previous edit (editing)
.
repeat previous edit (editing)
editing command
editing commands may be preceeded by a number, to affect the extent of the command
dd
delete multiple lines
/pattern
search forward for pattern (command mode)
?pattern
search backwards for pattern (command mode)
n
display next match (command mode)
//
repeat previous search (command mode)
return to command mode
ZZ
Save work and exit from command mode
:x
Save work and exit from last line mode
:w
save without exiting (command mode)
:q!
abort current editing session
