Linux in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition

vi Configuration

This section describes the following:

• The :set command

• Options available with :set

• Sample ~/.exrc file

The :set Command

The :set command lets you specify options that change characteristics of your editing environment. Options may be put in the ~/.exrc file or set during a vi session.

The colon should not be typed if the command is put in ~/.exrc.

Command	Action
:set x	Enable option x.
:set no x	Disable option x.
:set x=val	Give value to option x.
:set	Show changed options.
:set all	Show all options.
:set x?	Show value of option x.

Options Used by :set

The following table describes the options to :set. The first column includes the optional abbreviation, if there is one, and uses an equals sign to show that the option takes a value. The second column gives the default, and the third column describes the behavior of the enabled option.

Option	Default	Description
autoindent (ai)	noai	In insert mode, indent each line to the same level as the line above or below.
autoprint (ap)	ap	Display changes after each editor command. (For global replacement, display last replacement.)
autowrite (aw)	noaw	Automatically write (save) file if changed, before opening another file with :n or before giving a Linux command with :!.
background (bg)		Describe the background so the editor can choose appropriate highlighting colors. Default value of dark or light depends on the environment in which the editor is invoked. {vim}