Korn Shell Programming by Example

Appendix B. vi Tutorial

You wouldn't be reading this appendix if you were comfortable with the vi editor. The vi editor has many fans and many detractors. The detractors tend to be those who don't completely understand the way it works. My goal here is to explain the way vi works so you can use this editor in peace rather than in pain.

This appendix teaches you the following:

• Where vi came from

• How to start an edit session

• The modes of operation within vi

• Inserting and appending text

• Last line mode

• Exit options

• Cursor movement

• Cutting and pasting

• Searching and replacing

• How to use vi buffers

• How to change the vi environment settings