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nview

VI(1)                                                                    VI(1)



NAME
       ex, vi, view - text editors

SYNOPSIS
       ex [-eFRrSsv] [-c cmd] [-t tag] [-w size] [file ...]
       vi [-eFlRrSv] [-c cmd] [-t tag] [-w size] [file ...]
       view [-eFRrSv] [-c cmd] [-t tag] [-w size] [file ...]

LICENSE
       The  vi  program  is  freely redistributable.  You are welcome to copy,
       modify and share it with others under  the  conditions  listed  in  the
       LICENSE  file.   If any company (not individual!) finds vi sufficiently
       useful that you would have purchased it, or if any  company  wishes  to
       redistribute it, contributions to the authors would be appreciated.

DESCRIPTION
       Vi  is  a screen oriented text editor.  Ex is a line-oriented text edi-
       tor.  Ex and vi are different interfaces to the same program, and it is
       possible  to switch back and forth during an edit session.  View is the
       equivalent of using the -R (read-only) option of vi.

       This manual page is the one provided with the nex/nvi versions  of  the
       ex/vi  text  editors.   Nex/nvi  are intended as bug-for-bug compatible
       replacements for the original  Fourth  Berkeley  Software  Distribution
       (4BSD)  ex  and vi programs.  For the rest of this manual page, nex/nvi
       is used only when it's necessary to distinguish it  from  the  historic
       implementations of ex/vi.

       This  manual  page  is  intended for users already familiar with ex/vi.
       Anyone else should almost certainly read a good tutorial on the  editor
       before  this  manual page.  If you're in an unfamiliar environment, and
       you absolutely have to get work  done  immediately,  read  the  section
       after  the options description, entitled ``Fast Startup''.  It's proba-
       bly enough to get you going.

       The following options are available:

       -c     Execute cmd immediately after starting the edit  session.   Par-
              ticularly  useful  for  initial positioning in the file, however
              cmd is not limited to positioning commands.  This is  the  POSIX
              1003.2 interface for the historic ``+cmd'' syntax.  Nex/nvi sup-
              ports both the old and new syntax.

       -e     Start editing in ex mode, as if the command name were ex.

       -F     Don't copy the entire file when first starting  to  edit.   (The
              default is to make a copy in case someone else modifies the file
              during your edit session.)

       -l     Start editing with the lisp and showmatch options set.

       -R     Start editing in read-only mode, as  if  the  command  name  was
              view, or the readonly option was set.

       -r     Recover the specified files, or, if no files are specified, list
              the files that could be recovered.  If no recoverable  files  by
              the specified name exist, the file is edited as if the -r option
              had not been specified.

       -S     Run with the secure edit option set, disallowing all  access  to
              external programs.

       -s     Enter  batch  mode;  applicable only to ex edit sessions.  Batch
              mode is useful when running ex  scripts.   Prompts,  informative
              messages  and other user oriented message are turned off, and no
              startup files or environmental variables are read.  This is  the
              POSIX 1003.2 interface for the historic ``-'' argument.  Nex/nvi
              supports both the old and new syntax.

       -t     Start editing at the specified tag.  (See ctags(1)).

       -w     Set the initial window size to the specified number of lines.

       -v     Start editing in vi mode, as if the command name was vi or view.

       Command  input  for  ex/vi  is read from the standard input.  In the vi
       interface, it is an error if standard input is not a terminal.  In  the
       ex  interface,  if  standard input is not a terminal, ex will read com-
       mands from it regardless, however, the session will  be  a  batch  mode
       session, exactly as if the -s option had been specified.

       Ex/vi exits 0 on success, and greater than 0 if an error occurs.

FAST STARTUP
       This  section will tell you the minimum amount that you need to do sim-
       ple editing tasks using vi.  If you've never  used  any  screen  editor
       before,  you're likely to have problems even with this simple introduc-
       tion.  In that case you should find someone that already knows  vi  and
       have them walk you through this section.

       Vi  is  a screen editor.  This means that it takes up almost the entire
       screen, displaying part of the file on each screen line, except for the
       last  line  of the screen.  The last line of the screen is used for you
       to give commands to vi, and for vi to give information to you.

       The other fact that you need to understand is that vi is a modeful edi-
       tor,  i.e.  you are either entering text or you are executing commands,
       and you have to be in the right mode to do one or the other.  You  will
       be in command mode when you first start editing a file.  There are com-
       mands that switch you into input mode.  There  is  only  one  key  that
       takes  you out of input mode, and that is the <escape> key.  (Key names
       are written using less-than  and  greater-than  signs,  e.g.   <escape>
       means  the  ``escape''  key, usually labeled ``esc'' on your terminal's
       keyboard.)  If you're ever confused as to which mode  you're  in,  keep
       entering  the  <escape> key until vi beeps at you.  (Generally, vi will
       beep at you if you try and do something that's not  allowed.   It  will
       also display error messages.)

       To  start  editing  a  file, enter the command ``vi file_name<carriage-
       return>''.  The command you should enter as soon as you  start  editing
       is ``:set verbose showmode<carriage-return>''.  This will make the edi-
       tor give you verbose error messages and display the current mode at the
       bottom of the screen.

       The commands to move around the file are:

       h      Move the cursor left one character.

       j      Move the cursor down one line.

       k      Move the cursor up one line.

       l      Move the cursor right one character.

       <cursor-arrows>
              The cursor arrow keys should work, too.

       /text<carriage-return>
              Search  for the string ``text'' in the file, and move the cursor
              to its first character.

       The commands to enter new text are:

       a      Append new text, after the cursor.

       i      Insert new text, before the cursor.

       o      Open a new line below the line  the  cursor  is  on,  and  start
              entering text.

       O      Open  a  new  line  above  the  line the cursor is on, and start
              entering text.

       <escape>
              Once you've entered input mode using the one of the a, i, O or o
              commands,  use <escape> to quit entering text and return to com-
              mand mode.

       The commands to copy text are:

       yy     Copy the line the cursor is on.

       p      Append the copied line after the line the cursor is on.

       The commands to delete text are:

       dd     Delete the line the cursor is on.

       x      Delete the character the cursor is on.

       The commands to write the file are:

       :w<carriage-return>
              Write the file back to the file with the name  that  you  origi-
              nally used as an argument on the vi command line.

       :w file_name<carriage-return>
              Write the file back to the file with the name ``file_name''.

       The commands to quit editing and exit the editor are:

       :q<carriage-return>
              Quit  editing and leave vi (if you've modified the file, but not
              saved your changes, vi will refuse to quit).

       :q!<carriage-return>
              Quit, discarding any modifications that you may have made.

       One final caution.  Unusual characters can take up more than one column
       on  the  screen,  and  long lines can take up more than a single screen
       line.  The above commands work on ``physical''  characters  and  lines,
       i.e.  they  affect  the  entire line no matter how many screen lines it
       takes up and the entire character no matter how many screen columns  it
       takes up.

VI COMMANDS
       The  following  section describes the commands available in the command
       mode of the vi editor.  In each entry below, the tag line  is  a  usage
       synopsis for the command character.


       [count] <control-A>
              Search forward count times for the current word.

       [count] <control-B>
              Page backwards count screens.

       [count] <control-D>
              Scroll forward count lines.

       [count] <control-E>
              Scroll  forward count lines, leaving the current line and column
              as is, if possible.

       [count] <control-F>
              Page forward count screens.

       <control-G>
              Display the file information.

       <control-H>

       [count] h
              Move the cursor back count characters in the current line.

       [count] <control-J>

       [count] <control-N>

       [count] j
              Move the cursor down count lines without  changing  the  current
              column.

       <control-L>

       <control-R>
              Repaint the screen.

       [count] <control-M>

       [count] +
              Move the cursor down count lines to the first nonblank character
              of that line.

       [count] <control-P>

       [count] k
              Move the cursor up count lines,  without  changing  the  current
              column.

       <control-T>
              Return to the most recent tag context.

       <control-U>
              Scroll backwards count lines.

       <control-W>
              Switch  to the next lower screen in the window, or, to the first
              screen if there are no lower screens in the window.

       <control-Y>
              Scroll backwards count lines, leaving the current line and  col-
              umn as is, if possible.

       <control-Z>
              Suspend the current editor session.

       <escape>
              Execute ex commands or cancel partial commands.

       <control-]>
              Push a tag reference onto the tag stack.

       <control-^>
              Switch to the most recently edited file.

       [count] <space>

       [count] l
              Move  the  cursor  forward count characters without changing the
              current line.

       [count] ! motion shell-argument(s)
              Replace text with results from a shell command.

       [count] # #|+|-
              Increment or decrement the cursor number.

       [count] $
              Move the cursor to the end of a line.

       %      Move to the matching character.

       &      Repeat the previous substitution command on the current line.

       '<character>

       `<character>
              Return to a context marked by the character <character>.

       [count] (
              Back up count sentences.

       [count] )
              Move forward count sentences.

       [count] ,
              Reverse find character count times.

       [count] -
              Move to first nonblank of the previous line, count times.

       [count] .
              Repeat the last vi command that modified text.

       /RE<carriage-return>

       /RE/ [offset]<carriage-return>

       ?RE<carriage-return>

       ?RE? [offset]<carriage-return>

       N

       n      Search forward or backward for a regular expression.

       0      Move to the first character in the current line.

       :      Execute an ex command.

       [count] ;
              Repeat the last character find count times.

       [count] < motion

       [count] > motion
              Shift lines left or right.

       @ buffer
              Execute a named buffer.

       [count] A
              Enter input mode, appending the text after the end of the  line.

       [count] B
              Move backwards count bigwords.

       [buffer] [count] C
              Change text from the current position to the end-of-line.

       [buffer] D
              Delete text from the current position to the end-of-line.

       [count] E
              Move forward count end-of-bigwords.

       [count] F <character>
              Search  count times backward through the current line for <char-
              acter>.

       [count] G
              Move to line count, or the last line of the file  if  count  not
              specified.

       [count] H
              Move  to  the  screen  line count - 1 lines below the top of the
              screen.

       [count] I
              Enter input mode, inserting the text at  the  beginning  of  the
              line.

       [count] J
              Join lines.

       [count] L
              Move  to the screen line count - 1 lines above the bottom of the
              screen.

        M     Move to the screen line in the middle of the screen.

       [count] O
              Enter input mode, appending text in a new line above the current
              line.

       [buffer] P
              Insert text from a buffer.

       Q      Exit vi (or visual) mode and switch to ex mode.

       [count] R
              Enter  input mode, replacing the characters in the current line.

       [buffer] [count] S
              Substitute count lines.

       [count] T <character>
              Search backwards, count times, through the current line for  the
              character after the specified <character>.

       U      Restore  the  current  line  to its state before the cursor last
              moved to it.

       [count] W
              Move forward count bigwords.

       [buffer] [count] X
              Delete count characters before the cursor.

       [buffer] [count] Y
              Copy (or ``yank'') count lines into the specified buffer.

       ZZ     Write the file and exit vi.

       [count] [[
              Back up count section boundaries.

       [count] ]]
              Move forward count section boundaries.

       ^      Move to first nonblank character on the current line.

       [count] _
              Move down count - 1 lines, to the first nonblank character.

       [count] a
              Enter input mode, appending the text after the cursor.

       [count] b
              Move backwards count words.

       [buffer] [count] c motion
              Change a region of text.

       [buffer] [count] d motion
              Delete a region of text.

       [count] e
              Move forward count end-of-words.

       [count] f<character>
              Search forward, count times, through the  rest  of  the  current
              line for <character>.

       [count] i
              Enter input mode, inserting the text before the cursor.

       m <character>
              Save the current context (line and column) as <character>.

       [count] o
              Enter input mode, appending text in a new line under the current
              line.

       [buffer] p
              Append text from a buffer.

       [count] r <character>
              Replace count characters.

       [buffer] [count] s
              Substitute count characters in the current  line  starting  with
              the current character.

       [count] t <character>
              Search  forward,  count  times, through the current line for the
              character immediately before <character>.

       u      Undo the last change made to the file.

       [count] w
              Move forward count words.

       [buffer] [count] x
              Delete count characters.

       [buffer] [count] y motion
              Copy (or ``yank'') a text region  specified  by  the  count  and
              motion into a buffer.

       [count1] z [count2] -|.|+|^|<carriage-return>
              Redraw, optionally repositioning and resizing the screen.

       [count] {
              Move backward count paragraphs.

       [count] |
              Move to a specific column position on the current line.

       [count] }
              Move forward count paragraphs.

       [count] ~
              Reverse the case of the next count character(s).

       [count] ~ motion
              Reverse the case of the characters in a text region specified by
              the count and motion.

       <interrupt>
              Interrupt the current operation.

VI TEXT INPUT COMMANDS
       The following section describes the  commands  available  in  the  text
       input mode of the vi editor.


       <nul>  Replay the previous input.

       <control-D>
              Erase to the previous shiftwidth column boundary.

       ^<control-D>
              Erase all of the autoindent characters, and reset the autoindent
              level.

       0<control-D>
              Erase all of the autoindent characters.

       <control-T>
              Insert sufficient <tab> and <space> characters to  move  forward
              to the next shiftwidth column boundary.

       <erase>

       <control-H>
              Erase the last character.

       <literal next>
              Quote the next character.

       <escape>
              Resolve  all  text  input  into  the file, and return to command
              mode.

       <line erase>
              Erase the current line.

       <control-W>

       <word erase>
              Erase the last word.  The definition of word is dependent on the
              altwerase and ttywerase options.

       <control-X>[0-9A-Fa-f]+
              Insert a character with the specified hexadecimal value into the
              text.

       <interrupt>
              Interrupt text input mode, returning to command mode.

EX COMMANDS
       The following section describes the commands available in the  ex  edi-
       tor.   In  each  entry  below, the tag line is a usage synopsis for the
       command.


       <end-of-file>
              Scroll the screen.

       ! argument(s)

       [range]! argument(s)
              Execute a shell command, or filter lines through  a  shell  com-
              mand.

       "      A comment.

       [range] nu[mber] [count] [flags]

       [range] # [count] [flags]
              Display  the selected lines, each preceded with its line number.

       @ buffer

       * buffer
              Execute a buffer.

       [line] a[ppend][!]
              The input text is appended after the specified line.

       [range] c[hange][!] [count]
              The input text replaces the specified range.

       cs[cope] add | find | help | kill | reset
              Execute a Cscope command.

       [range] d[elete] [buffer] [count] [flags]
              Delete the lines from the file.

       di[splay] b[uffers] | c[onnections] | s[creens] | t[ags]
              Display buffers, Cscope connections, screens or tags.

       [Ee][dit][!] [+cmd] [file]

       [Ee]x[!] [+cmd] [file]
              Edit a different file.

       exu[sage] [command]
              Display usage for an ex command.

       f[ile] [file]
              Display and optionally change the file name.

       [Ff]g [name]
              Vi mode only.  Foreground the specified screen.

       [range] g[lobal] /pattern/ [commands]

       [range] v /pattern/ [commands]
              Apply commands to lines matching (or not matching) a pattern.

       he[lp] Display a help message.

       [line] i[nsert][!]
              The input text is inserted before the specified line.

       [range] j[oin][!] [count] [flags]
              Join lines of text together.

       [range] l[ist] [count] [flags]
              Display the lines unambiguously.

       map[!] [lhs rhs]
              Define or display maps (for vi only).

       [line] ma[rk] <character>

       [line] k <character>
              Mark the line with the mark <character>.

       [range] m[ove] line
              Move the specified lines after the target line.

       mk[exrc][!] file
              Write the abbreviations, editor options and maps to  the  speci-
              fied file.

       [Nn][ext][!] [file ...]
              Edit the next file from the argument list.

       [line] o[pen] /pattern/ [flags]
              Enter open mode.

       pre[serve]
              Save the file in a form that can later be recovered using the ex
              -r option.

       [Pp]rev[ious][!]
              Edit the previous file from the argument list.

       [range] p[rint] [count] [flags]
              Display the specified lines.

       [line] pu[t] [buffer]
              Append buffer contents to the current line.

       q[uit][!]
              End the editing session.

       [line] r[ead][!] [file]
              Read a file.

       rec[over] file
              Recover file if it was previously saved.

       res[ize] [+|-]size
              Vi mode only.  Grow or shrink the current screen.

       rew[ind][!]
              Rewind the argument list.

       se[t] [option[=[value]] ...] [nooption ...] [option? ...] [all]
              Display or set editor options.

       sh[ell]
              Run a shell program.

       so[urce] file
              Read and execute ex commands from a file.

       [range] s[ubstitute] [/pattern/replace/] [options] [count] [flags]

       [range] & [options] [count] [flags]

       [range] ~ [options] [count] [flags]
              Make substitutions.

       su[spend][!]

       st[op][!]

       <suspend>
              Suspend the edit session.

       [Tt]a[g][!] tagstring
              Edit the file containing the specified tag.

       tagn[ext][!]
              Edit the file containing the next context for the current tag.

       tagp[op][!] [file | number]
              Pop to the specified tag in the tags stack.

       tagp[rev][!]
              Edit the file containing the previous context  for  the  current
              tag.

       unm[ap][!] lhs
              Unmap a mapped string.

       ve[rsion]
              Display the version of the ex/vi editor.

       [line] vi[sual] [type] [count] [flags]
              Ex mode only.  Enter vi.

       [Vi]i[sual][!] [+cmd] [file]
              Vi mode only.  Edit a new file.

       viu[sage] [command]
              Display usage for a vi command.

       [range] w[rite][!] [>>] [file]

       [range] w[rite] [!] [file]

       [range] wn[!] [>>] [file]

       [range] wq[!] [>>] [file]
              Write the file.

       [range] x[it][!] [file]
              Write the file if it has been modified.

       [range] ya[nk] [buffer] [count]
              Copy the specified lines to a buffer.

       [line] z [type] [count] [flags]
              Adjust the window.

SET OPTIONS
       There  are  a  large  number  of  options that may be set (or unset) to
       change the editor's behavior.   This  section  describes  the  options,
       their abbreviations and their default values.

       In each entry below, the first part of the tag line is the full name of
       the option, followed by any  equivalent  abbreviations.   The  part  in
       square  brackets  is  the  default  value  of  the option.  Most of the
       options are boolean, i.e. they are either on or off, and do not have an
       associated value.

       Options apply to both ex and vi modes, unless otherwise specified.


       altwerase [off]
              Vi only.  Select an alternate word erase algorithm.

       autoindent, ai [off]
              Automatically indent new lines.

       autoprint, ap [off]
              Ex only.  Display the current line automatically.

       autowrite, aw [off]
              Write modified files automatically when changing files.

       backup [""]
              Backup files before they are overwritten.

       beautify, bf [off]
              Discard control characters.

       cdpath [environment variable CDPATH, or current directory]
              The directory paths used as path prefixes for the cd command.

       cedit [no default]
              Set the character to edit the colon command-line history.

       columns, co [80]
              Set the number of columns in the screen.

       comment [off]
              Vi  only.   Skip  leading  comments in shell, C and C++ language
              files.

       directory, dir [environment variable TMPDIR, or /tmp]
              The directory where temporary files are created.

       edcompatible, ed [off]
              Remember the values of the ``c'' and ``g'' suffices to the  sub-
              stitute commands, instead of initializing them as unset for each
              new command.

       errorbells, eb [off]
              Ex only.  Announce error messages with a bell.

       exrc, ex [off]
              Read the startup files in the local directory.

       extended [off]
              Regular expressions are extended (i.e.  egrep(1)-style)  expres-
              sions.

       filec [no default]
              Set  the  character to perform file path completion on the colon
              command line.

       flash [on]
              Flash the screen instead of beeping the keyboard on error.

       hardtabs, ht [8]
              Set the spacing between hardware tab settings.

       iclower [off]
              Makes all Regular Expressions case-insensitive, as  long  as  an
              upper-case letter does not appear in the search string.

       ignorecase, ic [off]
              Ignore case differences in regular expressions.

       keytime [6]
              The  10th's of a second ex/vi waits for a subsequent key to com-
              plete a key mapping.

       leftright [off]
              Vi only.  Do left-right scrolling.

       lines, li [24]
              Vi only.  Set the number of lines in the screen.

       lisp [off]
              Vi only.  Modify various search commands  and  options  to  work
              with Lisp.  This option is not yet implemented.

       list [off]
              Display lines in an unambiguous fashion.

       lock [on]
              Attempt  to get an exclusive lock on any file being edited, read
              or written.

       magic [on]
              Treat certain characters specially in regular expressions.

       matchtime [7]
              Vi only.  The 10th's of a second ex/vi pauses  on  the  matching
              character when the showmatch option is set.

       mesg [on]
              Permit messages from other users.

       modelines, modeline [off]
              Read  the first and last few lines of each file for ex commands.
              This option will never be implemented.

       noprint [""]
              Characters that are never handled as printable characters.

       number, nu [off]
              Precede each line displayed with its current line number.

       octal [off]
              Display unknown characters as  octal  numbers,  instead  of  the
              default hexadecimal.

       open [on]
              Ex  only.   If  this option is not set, the open and visual com-
              mands are disallowed.

       optimize, opt [on]
              Vi only.  Optimize text  throughput  to  dumb  terminals.   This
              option is not yet implemented.

       paragraphs, para [IPLPPPQPP LIpplpipbp]
              Vi only.  Define additional paragraph boundaries for the { and }
              commands.

       path []
              Define additional directories to search for files being  edited.

       print [""]
              Characters that are always handled as printable characters.

       prompt [on]
              Ex only.  Display a command prompt.

       readonly, ro [off]
              Mark the file and session as read-only.

       recdir [/var/tmp/vi.recover]
              The directory where recovery files are stored.

       redraw, re [off]
              Vi  only.  Simulate an intelligent terminal on a dumb one.  This
              option is not yet implemented.

       remap [on]
              Remap keys until resolved.

       report [5]
              Set the number of lines about which the editor  reports  changes
              or yanks.

       ruler [off]
              Vi  only.  Display a row/column ruler on the colon command line.

       scroll, scr [window / 2]
              Set the number of lines scrolled.

       searchincr [off]
              Makes the / and ?  commands incremental.

       sections, sect [NHSHH HUnhsh]
              Vi only.  Define additional section boundaries for the [[ and ]]
              commands.

       secure [off]
              Turns off all access to external programs.

       shell, sh [environment variable SHELL, or /bin/sh]
              Select the shell used by the editor.

       shellmeta [~{[*?$`'"\]
              Set the meta characters checked to determine if file name expan-
              sion is necessary.

       shiftwidth, sw [8]
              Set the autoindent and shift command indentation width.

       showmatch, sm [off]
              Vi only.  Note matching ``{'' and  ``(''  for  ``}''  and  ``)''
              characters.

       showmode, smd [off]
              Vi  only.   Display  the  current editor mode and a ``modified''
              flag.

       sidescroll [16]
              Vi only.  Set the amount a left-right scroll will shift.

       slowopen, slow [off]
              Delay display updating during text input.  This  option  is  not
              yet implemented.

       sourceany [off]
              Read  startup  files not owned by the current user.  This option
              will never be implemented.

       tabstop, ts [8]
              This option sets tab widths for the editor display.

       taglength, tl [0]
              Set the number of significant characters in tag names.

       tags, tag [tags /var/db/libc.tags /sys/kern/tags]
              Set the list of tags files.

       term, ttytype, tty [environment variable TERM]
              Set the terminal type.

       terse [off]
              This option has historically made editor messages less  verbose.
              It has no effect in this implementation.

       tildeop [off]
              Modify the ~ command to take an associated motion.

       timeout, to [on]
              Time out on keys which may be mapped.

       ttywerase [off]
              Vi only.  Select an alternate erase algorithm.

       verbose [off]
              Vi only.  Display an error message for every error.

       w300 [no default]
              Vi only.  Set the window size if the baud rate is less than 1200
              baud.

       w1200 [no default]
              Vi only.  Set the window size if the baud rate is equal to  1200
              baud.

       w9600 [no default]
              Vi  only.   Set the window size if the baud rate is greater than
              1200 baud.

       warn [on]
              Ex only.  This option causes a warning message to  the  terminal
              if the file has been modified, since it was last written, before
              a !  command.

       window, w, wi [environment variable LINES]
              Set the window size for the screen.

       windowname [off]
              Change the icon/window name to the current file name even if  it
              can't be restored on editor exit.

       wraplen, wl [0]
              Vi  only.   Break  lines  automatically, the specified number of
              columns from the left-hand margin.   If  both  the  wraplen  and
              wrapmargin edit options are set, the wrapmargin value is used.

       wrapmargin, wm [0]
              Vi  only.   Break  lines  automatically, the specified number of
              columns from the right-hand margin.  If  both  the  wraplen  and
              wrapmargin edit options are set, the wrapmargin value is used.

       wrapscan, ws [on]
              Set searches to wrap around the end or beginning of the file.

       writeany, wa [off]
              Turn off file-overwriting checks.

ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES
       COLUMNS
              The  number  of columns on the screen.  This value overrides any
              system or terminal specific values.  If the COLUMNS  environmen-
              tal  variable  is not set when ex/vi runs, or the columns option
              is explicitly reset by the user, ex/vi enters the value into the
              environment.

       EXINIT A  list  of ex startup commands, read if the variable NEXINIT is
              not set.

       HOME   The user's home directory, used as the  initial  directory  path
              for  the  startup  ``$HOME/.nexrc''  and  ``$HOME/.exrc'' files.
              This value is also used as the default directory for the  vi  cd
              command.

       LINES  The number of rows on the screen.  This value overrides any sys-
              tem or terminal specific values.   If  the  LINES  environmental
              variable  is  not  set  when  ex/vi runs, or the lines option is
              explicitly reset by the user, ex/vi enters the  value  into  the
              environment.

       NEXINIT
              A list of ex startup commands.

       SHELL  The user's shell of choice (see also the shell option).

       TERM   The  user's terminal type.  The default is the type ``unknown''.
              If the TERM environmental variable is not set when  ex/vi  runs,
              or the term option is explicitly reset by the user, ex/vi enters
              the value into the environment.

       TMPDIR The location used to stored temporary files (see also the direc-
              tory edit option).

ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS
       SIGALRM
              Vi/ex  uses  this  signal for periodic backups of file modifica-
              tions and to  display  ``busy''  messages  when  operations  are
              likely to take a long time.

       SIGHUP

       SIGTERM
              If  the  current buffer has changed since it was last written in
              its entirety, the editor attempts to save the modified  file  so
              it  can be later recovered.  See the vi/ex Reference manual sec-
              tion entitled ``Recovery'' for more information.

       SIGINT When an interrupt occurs, the current operation is  halted,  and
              the  editor returns to the command level.  If interrupted during
              text input, the text already input is resolved into the file  as
              if the text input had been normally terminated.

       SIGWINCH
              The  screen  is resized.  See the vi/ex Reference manual section
              entitled ``Sizing the Screen'' for more information.

       SIGCONT

       SIGQUIT

       SIGTSTP
              Vi/ex ignores these signals.

FILES
       /bin/sh
              The default user shell.

       /etc/vi.exrc
              System-wide vi startup file.

       /tmp   Temporary file directory.

       /var/tmp/vi.recover
              The default recovery file directory.

       $HOME/.nexrc
              1st choice for user's home directory startup file.

       $HOME/.exrc
              2nd choice for user's home directory startup file.

       .nexrc 1st choice for local directory startup file.

       .exrc  2nd choice for local directory startup file.

SEE ALSO
       ctags(1), more(3), curses(3), dbopen(3)

       The ``Vi Quick Reference'' card.

       ``An Introduction to Display Editing with Vi'',  found  in  the  ``UNIX
       User's  Manual Supplementary Documents'' section of both the 4.3BSD and
       4.4BSD manual sets.  This document is the closest thing available to an
       introduction to the vi screen editor.

       ``Ex  Reference Manual (Version 3.7)'', found in the ``UNIX User's Man-
       ual Supplementary Documents'' section of both  the  4.3BSD  and  4.4BSD
       manual  sets.   This document is the final reference for the ex editor,
       as distributed in most historic 4BSD and System V systems.

       ``Edit: A tutorial'', found in the ``UNIX User's  Manual  Supplementary
       Documents''  section  of  the  4.3BSD  manual set.  This document is an
       introduction to a simple version of the ex screen editor.

       ``Ex/Vi Reference Manual'', found in the ``UNIX User's  Manual  Supple-
       mentary Documents'' section of the 4.4BSD manual set.  This document is
       the final reference for the nex/nvi text  editors,  as  distributed  in
       4.4BSD and 4.4BSD-Lite.

       Roff  source  for all of these documents is distributed with nex/nvi in
       the nvi/USD.doc directory of the nex/nvi source code.

       The files  ``autowrite'',  ``input'',  ``quoting''  and  ``structures''
       found in the nvi/docs/internals directory of the nex/nvi source code.

HISTORY
       The nex/nvi replacements for the ex/vi editor first appeared in 4.4BSD.

STANDARDS
       Nex/nvi is close to IEEE Std1003.2 (``POSIX'').  That document  differs
       from  historical ex/vi practice in several places; there are changes to
       be made on both sides.



3rd Berkeley Distribution      October 10, 1996                          VI(1)