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VIM(1)			     General Commands Manual			  VIM(1)

NAME
     vim - Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor

SYNOPSIS
     vim [options] [file ..]
     vim [options] -
     vim [options] -t tag
     vim [options] -q [errorfile]

     ex
     view
     gvim gview
     rvim rview rgvim rgview

DESCRIPTION
     Vim  is  a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi.  It can be used to
     edit all kinds of plain text.  It is especially  useful  for  editing  pro-
     grams.

     There  are  a lot of enhancements above Vi: multi level undo, multi windows
     and buffers, syntax highlighting, command line  editing,  filename  comple-
     tion,  on-line help, visual selection, etc..  See ":help vi_diff.txt" for a
     summary of the differences between Vim and Vi.

     While running Vim a lot of help can be obtained from the on-line help  sys-
     tem, with the ":help" command.  See the ON-LINE HELP section below.

     Most often Vim is started to edit a single file with the command

	  vim file

     More generally Vim is started with:

	  vim [options] [filelist]

     If  the  filelist	is  missing, the editor will start with an empty buffer.
     Otherwise exactly one out of the following four may be used to  choose  one
     or more files to be edited.

     file ..	 A  list  of  filenames.  The first one will be the current file
		 and read into the buffer.  The cursor will be positioned on the
		 first line of the buffer.  You can get to the other files  with
		 the  ":next"  command.  To edit a file that starts with a dash,
		 precede the filelist with "--".

     -		 The file to edit is read from stdin.  Commands  are  read  from
		 stderr, which should be a tty.

     -t {tag}	 The  file  to edit and the initial cursor position depends on a
		 "tag", a sort of goto label.  {tag} is looked up  in  the  tags
		 file,	the associated file becomes the current file and the as-
		 sociated command is executed.	Mostly this is used for  C  pro-
		 grams,  in  which case {tag} could be a function name.  The ef-
		 fect is that the file containing that function becomes the cur-
		 rent file and the cursor is positioned  on  the  start  of  the
		 function.  See ":help tag-commands".

     -q [errorfile]
		 Start	in  quickFix mode.  The file [errorfile] is read and the
		 first error is displayed.  If [errorfile] is omitted, the file-
		 name is obtained  from  the  'errorfile'  option  (defaults  to
		 "AztecC.Err"  for  the  Amiga,  "errors.err" on other systems).
		 Further errors can be jumped to with the  ":cn"  command.   See
		 ":help quickfix".

     Vim  behaves  differently,  depending  on the name of the command (the exe-
     cutable may still be the same file).

     vim       The "normal" way, everything is default.

     ex        Start in Ex mode.  Go to Normal mode with the ":vi" command.  Can
	       also be done with the "-e" argument.

     view      Start in read-only mode.  You will be protected from writing  the
	       files.  Can also be done with the "-R" argument.

     gvim gview
	       The GUI version.  Starts a new window.  Can also be done with the
	       "-g" argument.

     rvim rview rgvim rgview
	       Like  the  above, but with restrictions.  It will not be possible
	       to start shell commands, or suspend Vim.  Can also be  done  with
	       the "-Z" argument.

OPTIONS
     The  options may be given in any order, before or after filenames.  Options
     without an argument can be combined after a single dash.

     +[num]	 For the first file the cursor will be positioned on line "num".
		 If "num" is missing, the cursor will be positioned on the  last
		 line.

     +/{pat}	 For  the  first file the cursor will be positioned on the first
		 occurrence of {pat}.  See ":help search-pattern" for the avail-
		 able search patterns.

     +{command}

     -c {command}
		 {command} will be executed after the first file has been  read.
		 {command}  is	interpreted  as an Ex command.	If the {command}
		 contains spaces it must be enclosed in double quotes (this  de-
		 pends	on  the  shell	that  is  used).  Example: Vim "+set si"
		 main.c
		 Note: You can use up to 10 "+" or "-c" commands.

     --cmd {command}
		 Like using "-c", but the command is executed just  before  pro-
		 cessing  any  vimrc  file.   You can use up to 10 of these com-
		 mands, independently from "-c" commands.

     -A 	 If Vim has been compiled with ARABIC support for editing right-
		 to-left oriented files and Arabic keyboard mapping, this option
		 starts Vim in Arabic mode, i.e. 'arabic' is set.  Otherwise  an
		 error message is given and Vim aborts.

     -b 	 Binary  mode.	A few options will be set that makes it possible
		 to edit a binary or executable file.

     -C 	 Compatible.  Set the 'compatible' option.  This will  make  Vim
		 behave mostly like Vi, even though a .vimrc file exists.

     -d 	 Start in diff mode.  There should be two or three file name ar-
		 guments.   Vim will open all the files and show differences be-
		 tween them.  Works like vimdiff(1).

     -d {device}
		 Open {device} for use as a terminal.  Only on the Amiga.  Exam-
		 ple: "-d con:20/30/600/150".

     -e 	 Start Vim in Ex mode, just like the executable was called "ex".

     -f 	 Foreground.  For the GUI version, Vim will not fork and  detach
		 from  the  shell  it  was started in.	On the Amiga, Vim is not
		 restarted to open a new window.  This	option	should	be  used
		 when  Vim  is executed by a program that will wait for the edit
		 session to finish (e.g. mail).  On the Amiga the ":sh" and ":!"
		 commands will not work.

     --nofork	 Foreground.  For the GUI version, Vim will not fork and  detach
		 from the shell it was started in.

     -F 	 If  Vim has been compiled with FKMAP support for editing right-
		 to-left oriented files and Farsi keyboard mapping, this  option
		 starts Vim in Farsi mode, i.e. 'fkmap' and 'rightleft' are set.
		 Otherwise an error message is given and Vim aborts.

     -g 	 If  Vim has been compiled with GUI support, this option enables
		 the GUI.  If no GUI support was compiled in, an  error  message
		 is given and Vim aborts.

     -h 	 Give  a  bit  of  help about the command line arguments and op-
		 tions.  After this Vim exits.

     -H 	 If Vim has been compiled with	RIGHTLEFT  support  for  editing
		 right-to-left	oriented files and Hebrew keyboard mapping, this
		 option starts Vim in Hebrew mode, i.e. 'hkmap' and  'rightleft'
		 are set.  Otherwise an error message is given and Vim aborts.

     -i {viminfo}
		 When  using  the  viminfo file is enabled, this option sets the
		 filename to use, instead of the default "~/.viminfo".	This can
		 also be used to skip the use of the .viminfo  file,  by  giving
		 the name "NONE".

     -L 	 Same as -r.

     -l 	 Lisp mode.  Sets the 'lisp' and 'showmatch' options on.

     -m 	 Modifying  files  is  disabled.   Resets the 'write' option, so
		 that writing files is not possible.

     -N 	 No-compatible mode.  Reset the 'compatible' option.  This  will
		 make  Vim  behave  a  bit  better, but less Vi compatible, even
		 though a .vimrc file does not exist.

     -n 	 No swap file will be used.  Recovery after a crash will be  im-
		 possible.   Handy  if	you  want  to edit a file on a very slow
		 medium (e.g. floppy).	Can also be done with ":set uc=0".   Can
		 be undone with ":set uc=200".

     -o[N]	 Open N windows stacked.  When N is omitted, open one window for
		 each file.

     -O[N]	 Open  N windows side by side.	When N is omitted, open one win-
		 dow for each file.

     -R 	 Read-only mode.  The 'readonly' option will be  set.	You  can
		 still	edit  the  buffer, but will be prevented from accidently
		 overwriting a file.  If you do want to overwrite a file, add an
		 exclamation mark to the Ex command, as in ":w!".  The -R option
		 also implies the -n option (see below).  The 'readonly'  option
		 can be reset with ":set noro".  See ":help 'readonly'".

     -r 	 List  swap  files, with information about using them for recov-
		 ery.

     -r {file}	 Recovery mode.  The swap file is  used  to  recover  a  crashed
		 editing  session.   The swap file is a file with the same file-
		 name as the text file with ".swp" appended.  See ":help  recov-
		 ery".

     -s 	 Silent mode.  Only when started as "Ex" or when the "-e" option
		 was given before the "-s" option.

     -s {scriptin}
		 The script file {scriptin} is read.  The characters in the file
		 are interpreted as if you had typed them.  The same can be done
		 with the command ":source! {scriptin}".  If the end of the file
		 is reached before the editor exits, further characters are read
		 from the keyboard.

     -T {terminal}
		 Tells	Vim  the  name	of the terminal you are using.	Only re-
		 quired when the automatic way doesn't work.  Should be a termi-
		 nal known to Vim (builtin) or defined in the  termcap	or  ter-
		 minfo file.

     -u {vimrc}  Use  the commands in the file {vimrc} for initializations.  All
		 the other initializations are skipped.  Use this to edit a spe-
		 cial kind of files.  It can also be used to skip  all	initial-
		 izations by giving the name "NONE".  See ":help initialization"
		 within vim for more details.

     -U {gvimrc}
		 Use  the commands in the file {gvimrc} for GUI initializations.
		 All the other GUI initializations are skipped.  It can also  be
		 used to skip all GUI initializations by giving the name "NONE".
		 See ":help gui-init" within vim for more details.

     -V 	 Verbose.   Give  messages about which files are sourced and for
		 reading and writing a viminfo file.

     -v 	 Start Vim in Vi mode, just like the executable was called "vi".
		 This only has effect when the executable is called "ex".

     -w {scriptout}
		 All the characters that you  type  are  recorded  in  the  file
		 {scriptout}, until you exit Vim.  This is useful if you want to
		 create  a  script  file to be used with "vim -s" or ":source!".
		 If the {scriptout} file exists, characters are appended.

     -W {scriptout}
		 Like -w, but an existing file is overwritten.

     -x 	 Use encryption when writing files.   Will prompt  for	a  crypt
		 key.

     -X 	 Don't connect to the X server.  Shortens startup time in a ter-
		 minal, but the window title and clipboard will not be used.

     -Z 	 Restricted mode.  Works like the executable starts with "r".

     -- 	 Denotes  the  end of the options.  Arguments after this will be
		 handled as a file name.  This can be used to  edit  a	filename
		 that starts with a '-'.

     --help	 Give a help message and exit, just like "-h".

     --version	 Print version information and exit.

     --remote	 Connect to a Vim server and make it edit the files given in the
		 rest  of  the	arguments.   If  no server is found a warning is
		 given and the files are edited in the current Vim.

     --remote-expr {expr}
		 Connect to a Vim server, evaluate {expr} in it  and  print  the
		 result on stdout.

     --remote-send {keys}
		 Connect to a Vim server and send {keys} to it.

     --remote-silent
		 As --remote, but without the warning when no server is found.

     --remote-wait
		 As  --remote,	but  Vim does not exit until the files have been
		 edited.

     --remote-wait-silent
		 As --remote-wait, but without the warning  when  no  server  is
		 found.

     --serverlist
		 List the names of all Vim servers that can be found.

     --servername {name}
		 Use  {name}  as the server name.  Used for the current Vim, un-
		 less used with a --remote argument, then it's the name  of  the
		 server to connect to.

     --socketid {id}
		 GTK  GUI only: Use the GtkPlug mechanism to run gvim in another
		 window.

     --echo-wid  GTK GUI only: Echo the Window ID on stdout

ON-LINE HELP
     Type ":help" in Vim to get started.  Type ":help subject" to get help on  a
     specific  subject.   For  example: ":help ZZ" to get help for the "ZZ" com-
     mand.  Use <Tab> and CTRL-D to complete  subjects	(":help  cmdline-comple-
     tion").  Tags are present to jump from one place to another (sort of hyper-
     text  links,  see	":help").  All documentation files can be viewed in this
     way, for example ":help syntax.txt".

FILES
     /usr/share/vim/vim62/doc/*.txt
		    The Vim documentation files.  Use ":help  doc-file-list"  to
		    get the complete list.

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/doc/tags
		    The tags file used for finding information in the documenta-
		    tion files.

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/syntax/syntax.vim
		    System wide syntax initializations.

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/syntax/*.vim
		    Syntax files for various languages.

     /usr/share/vim/vimrc
		    System wide Vim initializations.

     /usr/share/vim/gvimrc
		    System wide gvim initializations.

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/optwin.vim
		    Script  used  for the ":options" command, a nice way to view
		    and set options.

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/menu.vim
		    System wide menu initializations for gvim.

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/bugreport.vim
		    Script to generate a bug report.  See ":help bugs".

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/filetype.vim
		    Script to detect the type of a file by its name.  See ":help
		    'filetype'".

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/scripts.vim
		    Script to detect the type of a file by  its  contents.   See
		    ":help 'filetype'".

     /usr/share/vim/vim62/*.ps
		    Files used for PostScript printing.

     For recent info read the VIM home page:
     <URL:http://www.vim.org/>

SEE ALSO
     vimtutor(1)

AUTHOR
     Most  of  Vim  was  made by Bram Moolenaar, with a lot of help from others.
     See ":help credits" in Vim.
     Vim is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson, Tony Andrews  and  G.R.
     (Fred) Walter.  Although hardly any of the original code remains.

BUGS
     Probably.	See ":help todo" for a list of known problems.

     Note  that  a number of things that may be regarded as bugs by some, are in
     fact caused by a too-faithful reproduction of Vi's behaviour.  And  if  you
     think  other  things  are bugs "because Vi does it differently", you should
     take a closer look at the vi_diff.txt file (or type :help vi_diff.txt  when
     in Vim).  Also have a look at the 'compatible' and 'cpoptions' options.

				   2002 Feb 22				  VIM(1)
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