VIM: The basics

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VIM The basics

• Tang Wai-Chung, Matthew (MaFai)
• 29/12/2006

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Contents

• Why VIM?
• Basic Editing
• Searching
• Copy Paste
• Programmers Tools
• Configuration

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Why VIM?

• VIM is one of the most powerful text editor in
  which you can enter the most letters with less
  number of keystrokes.
• Readers Choice of Linux Journel in 2003.
• Highly configuarable
• Strong support community, including me.

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Modes in VIM

• In normal mode of VIM, you issue commands instead
  of inserting letters.
• You can enter to insert mode by pressing ltigt, ltagt
  ,ltogt, etc ..
• Insert mode, you can type as you do in notepad.
• Return to normal mode by pressing ltESCgt
• Visual mode will be explained later.

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Move around

• You can use cursor keys or lthgt left ltlgt
  right ltjgt down ltkgt up
• ltCtrl-ugt up half pageltCtrl-dgt down half
  pageltCtrl-bgt back 1 pageltCtrl-fgt forward 1
  page

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Move around (cont...)

• ltgt end of line ltgt beginning of line lt0gt
  first position.
• ltnoGgt go to line no
• ltgggt beginning of file
• ltGgt end of file

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To Insert Mode ...

• ltigt insert at current position.
• ltagt insert ONE letter after current position.
• ltIgt insert at beginning of line.
• ltAgt insert at end of line.
• ltogt insert in a new line down.
• ltOgt insert in a new line up.

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Save Quit

• ltZZgt write file and exit (time to sleep!)
• ltwgt save with same name
• ltqgt quit
• ltwqgt save and quit
• When you add ! at the end of w or q, you force
  to execute the command.
• ltsav filenamegt save as.

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Deleting ... Undo / Redo

• ltdtypegt delete 1 object of type
• ltddgt delete a line
• ltdwgt delete one word
• ltdlgt delete one letter ltxgt
• ltctypegt change 1 object
• ltstypegt substitute 1 object
• ltugt undo
• ltCtrl-rgt redo

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Counting in Commands

• Actually you can put numbers in most commands in
  VIM, e.g. ltogt, ltdgt, ltcgt
• ltd3wgt delete 3 words
• lt3dwgt delete 1 word 3 times
• lt10xgt delete 10 letters
• Also, you can repeat the last commands by lt.gt
• ltx..gt will delete 3 letters.

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DEMO TIME!
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Searching

• lt/keygt search the word key in the file
• ltngt next match
• ltNgt last match
• lt?gt Change direction
• lt/.gt any single char (wildcard)e.g. lt/.agt
  search a
• ltgt search the word under the cursor (forward)
• ltgt search the word under the cursor (backward)

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Copy Paste

• Copy is called yank in VIM
• ltyntypegt yank n object
• lty2006ygt yank 2006 lines
• lty2020lgt yank 2020 letters
• ltpgt paste down / after
• ltPgt paste up / in front of
• How about CUT? use ltdntypegt

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Editing More Files

• You can edit several files in one instance of VIM
• ltsplitgt split the window and get one more
  editing space
• ltnew filenamegt edit the file in new space
• ltCtrl-wgt ltngt Open a new horizontal space
• ltCtrl-wgt ltvgt split vertically
• ltCtrl-wgt lth,j,k,lgt (or cursors) move around
  space
• File browser lte directory namegt ? you can get
  a file listing
• O open in last space

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Programmers Tools

• Syntax Highlighting automatically loaded(if you
  have a good .vimrc)ltsyn ongt or ltsyn offgt
• Auto-indentation ltaigt or ltnoaigtindentation
  style for C, C, Javaltset cindentgt
• Finding out variable declaration ltgdgt, ltgDgt
• Checking pairing brackets ltgt

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DEMO TIME!
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Configuration

• VIM reads .vimrc from home directory (or
  installation directory in M) whenever it starts.
• .vimrc contains all basic mapping, declaration
  and setting.
• Initialize the editing environment.
• You can use my .vimrc freely and edit to suit
  your own needs.
• See the contents!

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Finding Help

• http//www.vim.org/Download, install,
  documentation, plugin, tips much more
• Tutorialhttp//www.newriders.com/books/opl/ebooks
  /0735710015.htmlin which this presentation based
  on
• Vi Lovershttp//www.thomer.com/vi/vi.html
• lthelp featuregt show the help content built in.

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Q A

• You may ask anything you want to know about vim.
• I will try to answer as far as I know the
  solution.
• Finally thank you once again your attendance.