Suppresses all interactive user feedback. This is useful when processing editor scripts.

Encryption option. Same as the -x option, except that vi simulates the C command of ex. The C command is like the X command of ex, except that all text read in is assumed to have been encrypted.

Sets up for editing LISP programs.

Lists the name of all files saved as the result of an editor or system crash.

Edits filename after an editor or system crash. (Recovers the version of filename that was in the buffer when the crash occurred.)

Readonly mode. The readonly flag is set, preventing accidental overwriting of the file.

This option is used in conjunction with the -t tag option to tell vi that the tags file can not be sorted and that, if the binary search (which relies on a sorted tags file) for tag fails to find it, the much slower linear search should also be done. Since the linear search is slow, users of large tags files should ensure that the tags files are sorted rather than use this flag. Creation of tags files normally produces sorted tags files. See ctags(1) for more information on tags files.

Edits the file containing tag and position the editor at its definition. It is an error to specify more than one -t option.

Starts up in display editing state, using vi. You can achieve the same effect by typing the vi command itself.

Verbose. When ex commands are read by means of standard input, the input is echoed to standard error. This can be useful when processing ex commands within shell scripts.

Sets the default window size to n. This is useful when using the editor over a slow speed line.

Encryption option. When used, vi simulates the X command of ex and prompts the user for a key. This key is used to encrypt and decrypt text using the algorithm of the crypt command. The X command makes an educated guess to determine whether text read in is encrypted or not. The temporary buffer file is encrypted also, using a transformed version of the key typed in for the -x option. If an empty encryption key is entered (that is, if the return key is pressed right after the prompt), the file is not encrypted. This is a good way to decrypt a file erroneously encrypted with a mistyped encryption key, such as a backspace or undo key.

Begins editing by executing the specified editor command (usually a search or positioning command).

A file to be edited.

Normal and initial mode. Other modes return to command mode upon completion. ESC (escape) is used to cancel a partial command.

Entered by setting any of the following options:

a A i I o O c C s S R

Reading input for : / ? or !. Terminate by typing a carriage return. An interrupt cancels termination.

arrow keys move the cursor

same as arrow keys

insert text

change word to new

pluralize word (end of word; append s; escape from input state)

delete a character

delete a word

delete a line

delete 3 lines

undo previous change

exit vi, saving changes

quit, discarding changes

search for text

scroll up or down

any ex or ed command

z G |

^D ^U

most of the rest

end insert or incomplete command

(delete or rubout) interrupts

if file modified, write and exit; otherwise, exit

write back changes

forced write, if permission originally not valid

quit

quit, discard changes

edit file name

reedit, discard changes

edit, starting at end

edit, starting at line n

edit alternate file

edit alternate file, discard changes

write file name

overwrite file name

run shell, then return

run cmd, then return

edit next file in arglist

specify new arglist

show current file and line

position cursor to tag

forward screen

backward screen

scroll down half screen

scroll up half screen

go to the beginning of the specified line (end default), where n is a line number

next line matching pat

previous line matching pat

repeat last / or ? command

reverse last / or ? command

nth line after pat

nth line before pat

next section/function

previous section/function

beginning of sentence

end of sentence

beginning of paragraph

end of paragraph

find matching ( ) or { }

clear and redraw window

clear and redraw window if ^L is \(-> key

redraw screen with current line at top of window

redraw screen with current line at bottom of window

redraw screen with current line at center of window

move pat line to bottom of window

use n-line window

scroll window down one line

scroll window up one line

move cursor to previous context

move cursor to first non-white space in line

mark current position with the ASCII lower-case letter x

move cursor to mark x

move cursor to first non-white space in line marked by x

top line on screen

last line on screen

middle line on screen

next line, at first non-white space character

previous line, at first non-white space character

return, same as +

next line, same column

previous line, same column

first non-white space character

beginning of line

end of line

forward

backward

same as \(<- (backspace)

same as \(-> (space bar)

find next x

find previous x

move to character following the next x

move to character following the previous x

repeat last f, F, t, or T

repeat inverse of last f, F, t, or T

move to column n

find matching ( ) or { }

forward a word

back a word

end of word

to next sentence

to next paragraph

back a sentence

back a paragraph

forward a blank-delimited word

back a blank-delimited word

end of a blank-delimited word

erase last character (backspace)

erase last word

your erase character, same as ^H (backspace)

your kill character, erase this line of input

quotes your erase and kill characters

ends insertion, back to command mode

interrupt, suspends insert mode

backtab one character; reset left margin of autoindent

caret (^) followed by control-d (^D); backtab to beginning of line; do not reset left margin of autoindent

backtab to beginning of line; reset left margin of autoindent

quote non-printable character

append after cursor

append at end of line

insert before cursor

insert before first non-blank

open line below

open line above

replace single character with x

replace characters

delete

change

yank lines to buffer

left shift

right shift

filter through command

change rest of line (c$)

delete rest of line (d$)

substitute characters (cl)

substitute lines (cc)

join lines

delete characters (dl)

delete characters before cursor dh)

yank lines (yy)

yank 3 lines

yank 3 characters

put back text after cursor

put back text before cursor

put from buffer x

yank to buffer x

delete into buffer x

undo last change

restore current line

repeat last change

retrieve d'th last delete

Override the system-selected horizontal screen size.

Determine a list of ex commands that are executed on editor start-up, before reading the first file. The list can contain multiple commands by separating them using a vertical-line (|) character.

Override the system-selected vertical screen size, used as the number of lines in a screenful and the vertical screen size in visual mode.

default directory where temporary work files are placed; it can be changed using the directory option (see the ex(1) command)

compiled terminal description database

subset of compiled terminal description database

It must exist.

It must be owned by the same userid as the real userid of the process, or the process has appropriate privileges.

It is not writable by anyone other than the owner.

1. Lines, including the trailing NEWLINE character, can contain no more than 4096 bytes. If a longer line is found, Line too long is displayed in the status line.

2. The editor's temporary work file can be no larger than 128Mb. If a larger temporary file is needed, Tmp file too large is displayed in the status line.