The VI FAQ

This is the Table of Contents for the VI FAQ with each chapter as a separate HTML page. There is also a Single Page VI FAQ available.

  • 0.0 - Introduction -- How do I use this FAQ?
  • 0.1 - Can I distribute this FAQ?
  • 0.2 - What can you do to help out with this faq?
  • 1.0 - What is vi?
  • 1.1 - What is the big deal about vi? Why does anyone use it?
  • 1.2 - Wow! This sounds great! Is there any reason not to use vi?
  • 1.3 - What different operating systems is vi available for?
  • 1.4 - Okay, you've convinced me. I'm going to learn vi. Where do I Start?
  • 1.5 - What are some of the vi clones that are available?
  • 2.0 - Learning vi.
  • 2.1 - What games will help me learn vi?
  • 2.2 - What is the difference between Command mode & Insert mode?
  • 2.3 - Wait, my keyboard doesn't have a <Esc> key! What should I do?
  • 2.4 - What are all of those ~s?
  • 2.5 - I can't get used to using hjkl, do you have any suggestions?
  • 2.6 - How do I quit without saving?
  • 2.7 - How do I insert a file?
  • 2.8 - How do I search for text?
  • 2.9 - How do I search for a control sequence?
  • 2.10 - How do I reformat text?
  • 2.11 - How do I copy text?
  • 2.12 - Ahhhh!!! I just hit dG and lost my dissertation! What can I do?
  • 2.13 - I've just written my dissertation and have been told that I need to have each section in a different file, what should I do?
  • 2.14 - What's the deal with all of these : commands?
  • 3.0 - How do you do a search and replace?
  • 3.1 - How do I run a program from within vi?
  • 3.2 - Ahhh!! I was writing my dissertation, and the computer crashed!
  • 3.3 - Any tips for making vi programmer friendly?
  • 3.4 - Macros -- How do I write them?
  • 3.5 - How do I make a function key a Macro?
  • 3.6 - Is there anyway to abbreviate text?
  • 3.7 - How do I spell check the current document?
  • 3.8 - I've got a hardcopy terminal, can I still use vi?
  • 3.9 - Oh, okay, is THAT what open mode is? But I don't have a hardcopy terminal, and it still starts in open mode!
  • 4.0 - What's online at the vi archives?
  • 5.0 - Silly vi tricks, and silly macros
  • 5.1 - Silly vi tricks
  • 5.2 - Silly macros
  • 6.0 - Alphabetical vi quick reference
  • 6.1 - Command mode input options ( : commands)
  • 6.2 - set options
  • 7.0 - Setting up .exrc file
  • 7.1 - Sample .exrc file
  • 8.0 - Bugs in vi
  • 9.0 - Glossary of terms
  • 10.0 - Bibliography of Books that cover vi

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