Linux in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition

vi Command-Line Options

The three most common ways of starting a vi session are:

            vi 
            file
            vi +
            n file
            vi +/ 
            pattern 
            file

You can open file for editing, optionally at line n or at the first line matching pattern. If no file is specified, vi opens with an empty buffer. The command-line options that can be used with vi are as follows (vim-only options are labeled):

+[num]

Start editing at line number num, or the last line of the file if num is omitted.

+/ pattern

Start editing at the first line matching pattern. (Fails if nowrapscan is set in your .exrc startup file.)

-b

Edit the file in binary mode. {vim}

-c command

Run the given vi command upon startup. Only one -c option is permitted. ex commands can be invoked by prefixing them with a colon. An older form of this option, + command, is still supported.

--cmd command

Like -c, but execute the command before any resource files are read. {vim}

-d

Run in diff mode. Works like vimdiff. {vim}

-e

Run as ex (line editing rather than full-screen mode).

-h

Print help message, then exit.

-i file

Use the specified file instead of the default .viminfo to save or restore vim’s state. {vim}

-l

Enter LISP mode for running LISP programs (not supported in all versions).

-m

Start the editor with the write option turned off so the user cannot write to files. {vim}

-n

Do not use a swap file; record changes in memory only. {vim}

--noplugin

Do not load any plug-ins. {vim}

-o [ n]

Start vim with n open windows. The default is to open one window for each ...