Skip to main content

By clicking Submit, you agree to the developerWorks terms of use.

The first time you sign into developerWorks, a profile is created for you. Select information in your developerWorks profile is displayed to the public, but you may edit the information at any time. Your first name, last name (unless you choose to hide them), and display name will accompany the content that you post.

All information submitted is secure.

  • Close [x]

The first time you sign in to developerWorks, a profile is created for you, so you need to choose a display name. Your display name accompanies the content you post on developerworks.

Please choose a display name between 3-31 characters. Your display name must be unique in the developerWorks community and should not be your email address for privacy reasons.

By clicking Submit, you agree to the developerWorks terms of use.

All information submitted is secure.

  • Close [x]

Select a language:

  • Close [x]
  • Close [x]

UNIX tips and tricks for a new user, Part 2: The vi text editor

Tim McIntire, Consultant, Freelance Writer
Photo of Tim McIntire
Tim McIntire works as a consultant and co-founder of Cluster Corporation, a market leader in HPCC software, support, and consulting. He also contributes periodically to IBM developerWorks and Apple Developer Connection. Tim's research, conducted while leading the computer science effort at Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Digital Image Analysis Lab, has been published in a variety of journals, including Concurrency and Computation and IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing. You can visit TimMcIntire.net to learn more.

Summary:  The vi text editor might seem counterintuitive to new users but, make no mistake, there is a good reason this 30-year old tool is still widely used by many of the best developers in the world. The vi text editor separates operations into insert mode and command mode, which gives you ultrafast access to key commands that can edit, insert, and move text in on-the-fly, user-defined segments.

View more content in this series

Date:  07 Nov 2006
Level:  Intermediate
PDF:  A4 and Letter (495 KB | 22 pages)Get Adobe® Reader®

Activity:  19322 views
Comments:  

Resources

Learn

  • UNIX tips and tricks for a new user: Check out other parts in this series.

  • vi reference sheet: Explore this reference sheet and keep it handy during the tutorial.

  • Paper for freebsd.org: Bill Joy, the creator of the original version of vi, wrote this paper, which includes a complete reference of vi commands.

  • vim.org: Learn more about vi from this site. vim is a modern version of vi, which is included in many Linux and UNIX-like operating systems.

  • Bram Moolenaar: Learn more about vi from one of vim's developers.

  • vi Lover's homepage: This site has extensive version information and links to complete vi references.

  • Unix.org: The Open Group's site can teach you more about UNIX and UNIX certifications.

  • Linux.org: Learn more about Linux, an open source UNIX-like operating system.

  • AIX and UNIX: Visit the developerWorks AIX and UNIX zone to expand your UNIX skills.

  • New to AIX and UNIX: Visit the New to AIX and UNIX page to learn more about AIX and UNIX.

  • developerWorks technical events and webcasts: Stay current with developerWorks technical events and webcasts.

  • AIX 5L Wiki: A collaborative environment for technical information related to AIX.

  • Podcasts: Tune in and catch up with IBM technical experts.

Get products and technologies

  • IBM trial software: Build your next development project with software for download directly from developerWorks.

Discuss

7 of 8 | Previous | Next

Comments

Back to top

Close [x]

Help: Update or add to My dW interests

What's this?

This little timesaver lets you update your My developerWorks profile with just one click! The general subject of this content (AIX and UNIX, Information Management, Lotus, Rational, Tivoli, WebSphere, Java, Linux, Open source, SOA and Web services, Web development, or XML) will be added to the interests section of your profile, if it's not there already. You only need to be logged in to My developerWorks.

And what's the point of adding your interests to your profile? That's how you find other users with the same interests as yours, and see what they're reading and contributing to the community. Your interests also help us recommend relevant developerWorks content to you.

View your My developerWorks profile

Return from help

Close [x]

Help: Remove from My dW interests

What's this?

Removing this interest does not alter your profile, but rather removes this piece of content from a list of all content for which you've indicated interest. In a future enhancement to My developerWorks, you'll be able to see a record of that content.

View your My developerWorks profile

Return from help

static.content.url=http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/js/artrating/
SITE_ID=1
Zone=AIX and UNIX, Linux
ArticleID=172992
TutorialTitle=UNIX tips and tricks for a new user, Part 2: The vi text editor
publish-date=11072006
author1-email=tm@timmcintire.net
author1-email-cc=

Table of contents

7 of 8 | Previous | Next

Local resources

Tags

Help
Use the search field to find all types of content in My developerWorks with that tag.

Use the slider bar to see more or fewer tags.

Popular tags shows the top tags for this particular content zone (for example, Java technology, Linux, WebSphere).

My tags shows your tags for this particular content zone (for example, Java technology, Linux, WebSphere).

Use the search field to find all types of content in My developerWorks with that tag. Popular tags shows the top tags for this particular content zone (for example, Java technology, Linux, WebSphere). My tags shows your tags for this particular content zone (for example, Java technology, Linux, WebSphere).

 

Dig deeper into AIX and UNIX on developerWorks

Try IBM PureSystems. No charge.

IBM PureSystems on a kaleideoscope background

Experience today!

Get started with the cloud-based trial and pattern development kit.

Share this page:

  • Close [x]

Follow developerWorks:

  • Close [x]