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vi – Powerful Plain Text Editor

Vi is a powerful and widely used plain text editor in Linux and Unix systems. It is a command-line tool that allows users to create, edit, and modify text files. Vi is a lightweight, fast, and flexible editor that provides users with a wide range of editing commands and features.

Overview

Vi is a powerful text editor that provides users with a wide range of editing commands and features. To use Vi, open a terminal window and type the following command:

vi filename

This will open the specified file in Vi. If the file does not exist, Vi will create a new file with the specified name.

Once the file is open, you can start editing the file. Vi has two modes: command mode and insert mode. In command mode, you can use various commands to manipulate the text. In insert mode, you can insert text into the file.

To switch between modes, press the Esc key to enter command mode. To enter insert mode, press the i key. To save changes and exit Vi, press the Esc key to enter command mode, then type :wq and press Enter.

Here are some common commands and use cases for Vi:

  • i: Enter insert mode and start inserting text.
  • Esc: Exit insert mode and enter command mode.
  • :w: Save changes to the file.
  • :q: Exit Vi.
  • :wq: Save changes and exit Vi.
  • yy: Copy the current line.
  • p: Paste the copied line.
  • /search: Search for a specific word or phrase in the file.

Options

Here are some available options for the Vi command:

Option Description
-c command Executes the specified command before entering command mode.
-R Opens the file in read-only mode.
-s Runs Vi in script mode.
-v Starts Vi in visual mode.

Troubleshooting Tips

Here are some common issues and troubleshooting tips for Vi:

  • If you accidentally delete text, press u to undo the last change.
  • If you are having trouble saving changes, make sure the file is not read-only. You can check this by typing ls -l filename and looking for the w permission in the file’s permissions.
  • If you are having trouble finding a specific word or phrase in the file, try using the / command followed by the word or phrase you are searching for.

Notes

  • Vi is a powerful and flexible text editor that can take some time to master, but it is worth the effort.
  • Many Linux and Unix systems come with Vi pre-installed, so it is readily available for use.

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