Vim Overview
Vim
Vi "Improved"
- "vi" = "visual interface" text editor written by Bill Joy in 1977
- Philosophy: minimize key strokes, maximize productivity
- Structure: modal editor - commands first, text next
Rudimentary workflow:
- Move cursor and manipulate text in command mode
- Press 'i' to enter insert mode
- Insert text, using arrow keys to move if needed.
- Press Esc to exit insert mode. Repeat 1-4 as needed.
- Open menu with ':' Write and quit file with "wq" followed by Enter. Exit without saving as "q!" followed by Enter instead.
Structure of Commands
Vim commands usually have the same basic structure:
(optional action) (optional number of times) (direction)
l # move right one character
h # move left one character
j # move down one line
k # move up one line
3l # move right 3 characters
300j # move down 300 lines
dh # delete the character to the left
d3k # delete three lines going up
dd # delete entire line
yl # yank (copy) character to the right
y3h # yank 3 characters to the left
yy # yank entire line
p # paste last deleted or yanked text
i # enter insert mode
<esc> # escape insert mode to command modeu # undo
Ctrl-r # redoDon't Panic. Just undo if you screw up.
w # move forward one word
b # move back one word
W # move forward one WORD (skips past punctuation)
B # move back one WORD
Ctrl-f # jump forward one page
Ctrl-b # jump backward one page
^ # move to first nonblank character in line
$ # move to end of line
gg or 1G # go to first line
30G # go to line 30
G # go to last line
% # jump to matching bracket
. # repeat last command
o # add new line, then enter insert mode
a # enter insert mode one character to the rightEssentials:
Advanced:
Idea: Keep fingers on keyboard, no mouse, near home row.
Repeating Yourself
Lots of coding involves repetition.
Try typing the following in vim:
30ifoo<enter><esc>What does it do?
How about the following?
i This is text.<enter><esc>50.You can also record key sequences and replay them:
qaThis is a text line.<esc>oThis is a new line.<enter><esc>q@aqa : start recording to register a
<stuff goes here>
q : end recording
@a : replay recording in register a
Accessing Menu
In command mode, ':' opens the menu.
<esc> exits menu back to command mode.
<enter> executes menu command.
:w # write file
:q # quit
:q! # quit without saving
:w! # force write
:wq # write and quit
:qall # quit all panes
:<tab> # see all possible menu commandsProbably this is what you will use most:
.vimrc Configuration
Configuration for vim is stored in the file ~/.vimrc
This is a hidden file in your home directory.
I recommend the following config options:
" Enable syntax-highlighting
syntax on
" Use custom colorscheme
colorscheme desert
" Remap window navigation to avoid Ctrl-w
" for use in MS Windows
nnoremap gh <C-w><C-h>
nnoremap gl <C-w><C-l>
nnoremap gj <C-w><C-j>
nnoremap gk <C-w><C-k>
" File-type specific settings
if has("autocmd")
filetype plugin on
"Python code : use 4 spaces, no tabs
augroup python
autocmd BufReadPre,FileReadPre *.py set tabstop=4
autocmd BufReadPre,FileReadPre *.py set expandtab
augroup END
endifNote: " is a comment in .vimrc
Note: These pane navigation remappings are nice, but are essential when using CoCalc in MS Windows
Note: Never use tabs in Python
Split Windows
Important: In MS Windows, Ctrl-w closes the current window, so this slide uses the .vimrc suggestion in the previous slide for remapping split pane navigation.
Split the window horizontally with:
:split optionalfilename(Without filename, it opens a split view on the same file.)
Split the window vertically with:
:vsplit optionalfilename(Without filename, it opens a split view on the same file.)
Move between panes with:
gl # Go to pane right
gh # Go to pane left
gj # Go one pane down
gk # Go one pane upEach pane acts independently. Close with:
:qFurther Reading
Practice makes perfect.
Keep references handy until you remember commands on command.
Vim Overview
By Justin Dressel
Vim Overview
These slides offer a condensed description of the essentials of using vim inside a bash shell.
