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diff --git a/runtime/doc/usr_07.txt b/runtime/doc/usr_07.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2be3062 --- /dev/null +++ b/runtime/doc/usr_07.txt @@ -0,0 +1,479 @@ +*usr_07.txt* For Vim version 9.0. Last change: 2020 Mar 23 + + VIM USER MANUAL - by Bram Moolenaar + + Editing more than one file + + +No matter how many files you have, you can edit them without leaving Vim. +Define a list of files to work on and jump from one to the other. Copy text +from one file and put it in another one. + +|07.1| Edit another file +|07.2| A list of files +|07.3| Jumping from file to file +|07.4| Backup files +|07.5| Copy text between files +|07.6| Viewing a file +|07.7| Changing the file name + + Next chapter: |usr_08.txt| Splitting windows + Previous chapter: |usr_06.txt| Using syntax highlighting +Table of contents: |usr_toc.txt| + +============================================================================== +*07.1* Edit another file + +So far you had to start Vim for every file you wanted to edit. There is a +simpler way. To start editing another file, use this command: > + + :edit foo.txt + +You can use any file name instead of "foo.txt". Vim will close the current +file and open the new one. If the current file has unsaved changes, however, +Vim displays an error message and does not open the new file: + + E37: No write since last change (use ! to override) ~ + + Note: + Vim puts an error ID at the start of each error message. If you do + not understand the message or what caused it, look in the help system + for this ID. In this case: > + + :help E37 + +At this point, you have a number of alternatives. You can write the file +using this command: > + + :write + +Or you can force Vim to discard your changes and edit the new file, using the +force (!) character: > + + :edit! foo.txt + +If you want to edit another file, but not write the changes in the current +file yet, you can make it hidden: > + + :hide edit foo.txt + +The text with changes is still there, but you can't see it. This is further +explained in section |22.4|: The buffer list. + +============================================================================== +*07.2* A list of files + +You can start Vim to edit a sequence of files. For example: > + + vim one.c two.c three.c + +This command starts Vim and tells it that you will be editing three files. +Vim displays just the first file. After you have done your thing in this +file, to edit the next file you use this command: > + + :next + +If you have unsaved changes in the current file, you will get an error +message and the ":next" will not work. This is the same problem as with +":edit" mentioned in the previous section. To abandon the changes: > + + :next! + +But mostly you want to save the changes and move on to the next file. There +is a special command for this: > + + :wnext + +This does the same as using two separate commands: > + + :write + :next + + +WHERE AM I? + +To see which file in the argument list you are editing, look in the window +title. It should show something like "(2 of 3)". This means you are editing +the second file out of three files. + If you want to see the list of files, use this command: > + + :args + +This is short for "arguments". The output might look like this: + + one.c [two.c] three.c ~ + +These are the files you started Vim with. The one you are currently editing, +"two.c", is in square brackets. + + +MOVING TO OTHER ARGUMENTS + +To go back one file: > + + :previous + +This is just like the ":next" command, except that it moves in the other +direction. Again, there is a shortcut command for when you want to write the +file first: > + + :wprevious + +To move to the very last file in the list: > + + :last + +And to move back to the first one again: > + + :first + +There is no ":wlast" or ":wfirst" command though! + +You can use a count for ":next" and ":previous". To skip two files forward: > + + :2next + + +AUTOMATIC WRITING + +When moving around the files and making changes, you have to remember to use +":write". Otherwise you will get an error message. If you are sure you +always want to write modified files, you can tell Vim to automatically write +them: > + + :set autowrite + +When you are editing a file which you may not want to write, switch it off +again: > + + :set noautowrite + + +EDITING ANOTHER LIST OF FILES + +You can redefine the list of files without the need to exit Vim and start it +again. Use this command to edit three other files: > + + :args five.c six.c seven.h + +Or use a wildcard, like it's used in the shell: > + + :args *.txt + +Vim will take you to the first file in the list. Again, if the current file +has changes, you can either write the file first, or use ":args!" (with ! +added) to abandon the changes. + + +DID YOU EDIT THE LAST FILE? + *arglist-quit* +When you use a list of files, Vim assumes you want to edit them all. To +protect you from exiting too early, you will get this error when you didn't +edit the last file in the list yet: + + E173: 46 more files to edit ~ + +If you really want to exit, just do it again. Then it will work (but not when +you did other commands in between). + +============================================================================== +*07.3* Jumping from file to file + +To quickly jump between two files, press CTRL-^ (on English-US keyboards the ^ +is above the 6 key). Example: > + + :args one.c two.c three.c + +You are now in one.c. > + + :next + +Now you are in two.c. Now use CTRL-^ to go back to one.c. Another CTRL-^ and +you are back in two.c. Another CTRL-^ and you are in one.c again. If you now +do: > + + :next + +You are in three.c. Notice that the CTRL-^ command does not change the idea +of where you are in the list of files. Only commands like ":next" and +":previous" do that. + +The file you were previously editing is called the "alternate" file. When you +just started Vim CTRL-^ will not work, since there isn't a previous file. + + +PREDEFINED MARKS + +After jumping to another file, you can use two predefined marks which are very +useful: > + + `" + +This takes you to the position where the cursor was when you left the file. +Another mark that is remembered is the position where you made the last +change: > + + `. + +Suppose you are editing the file "one.txt". Somewhere halfway through the +file you use "x" to delete a character. Then you go to the last line with "G" +and write the file with ":w". You edit several other files, and then use +":edit one.txt" to come back to "one.txt". If you now use `" Vim jumps to the +last line of the file. Using `. takes you to the position where you deleted +the character. Even when you move around in the file `" and `. will take you +to the remembered position. At least until you make another change or leave +the file. + + +FILE MARKS + +In section |03.10| was explained how you can place a mark in a file with "mx" +and jump to that position with "`x". That works within one file. If you edit +another file and place marks there, these are specific for that file. Thus +each file has its own set of marks, they are local to the file. + So far we were using marks with a lowercase letter. There are also marks +with an uppercase letter. These are global, they can be used from any file. +For example suppose that we are editing the file "foo.txt". Go to halfway +down the file ("50%") and place the F mark there (F for foo): > + + 50%mF + +Now edit the file "bar.txt" and place the B mark (B for bar) at its last line: +> + GmB + +Now you can use the "'F" command to jump back to halfway foo.txt. Or edit yet +another file, type "'B" and you are at the end of bar.txt again. + +The file marks are remembered until they are placed somewhere else. Thus you +can place the mark, do hours of editing and still be able to jump back to that +mark. + It's often useful to think of a simple connection between the mark letter +and where it is placed. For example, use the H mark in a header file, M in +a Makefile and C in a C code file. + +To see where a specific mark is, give an argument to the ":marks" command: > + + :marks M + +You can also give several arguments: > + + :marks MCP + +Don't forget that you can use CTRL-O and CTRL-I to jump to older and newer +positions without placing marks there. + +============================================================================== +*07.4* Backup files + +Usually Vim does not produce a backup file. If you want to have one, all you +need to do is execute the following command: > + + :set backup + +The name of the backup file is the original file with a ~ added to the end. +If your file is named data.txt, for example, the backup file name is +data.txt~. + If you do not like the fact that the backup files end with ~, you can +change the extension: > + + :set backupext=.bak + +This will use data.txt.bak instead of data.txt~. + Another option that matters here is 'backupdir'. It specifies where the +backup file is written. The default, to write the backup in the same +directory as the original file, will mostly be the right thing. + + Note: + When the 'backup' option isn't set but the 'writebackup' is, Vim will + still create a backup file. However, it is deleted as soon as writing + the file was completed successfully. This functions as a safety + against losing your original file when writing fails in some way (disk + full is the most common cause; being hit by lightning might be + another, although less common). + + +KEEPING THE ORIGINAL FILE + +If you are editing source files, you might want to keep the file before you +make any changes. But the backup file will be overwritten each time you write +the file. Thus it only contains the previous version, not the first one. + To make Vim keep the original file, set the 'patchmode' option. This +specifies the extension used for the first backup of a changed file. Usually +you would do this: > + + :set patchmode=.orig + +When you now edit the file data.txt for the first time, make changes and write +the file, Vim will keep a copy of the unchanged file under the name +"data.txt.orig". + If you make further changes to the file, Vim will notice that +"data.txt.orig" already exists and leave it alone. Further backup files will +then be called "data.txt~" (or whatever you specified with 'backupext'). + If you leave 'patchmode' empty (that is the default), the original file +will not be kept. + +============================================================================== +*07.5* Copy text between files + +This explains how to copy text from one file to another. Let's start with a +simple example. Edit the file that contains the text you want to copy. Move +the cursor to the start of the text and press "v". This starts Visual mode. +Now move the cursor to the end of the text and press "y". This yanks (copies) +the selected text. + To copy the above paragraph, you would do: > + + :edit thisfile + /This + vjjjj$y + +Now edit the file you want to put the text in. Move the cursor to the +character where you want the text to appear after. Use "p" to put the text +there. > + :edit otherfile + /There + p + +Of course you can use many other commands to yank the text. For example, to +select whole lines start Visual mode with "V". Or use CTRL-V to select a +rectangular block. Or use "Y" to yank a single line, "yaw" to yank-a-word, +etc. + The "p" command puts the text after the cursor. Use "P" to put the text +before the cursor. Notice that Vim remembers if you yanked a whole line or a +block, and puts it back that way. + + +USING REGISTERS + +When you want to copy several pieces of text from one file to another, having +to switch between the files and writing the target file takes a lot of time. +To avoid this, copy each piece of text to its own register. + A register is a place where Vim stores text. Here we will use the +registers named a to z (later you will find out there are others). Let's copy +a sentence to the f register (f for First): > + + "fyas + +The "yas" command yanks a sentence like before. It's the "f that tells Vim +the text should be placed in the f register. This must come just before the +yank command. + Now yank three whole lines to the l register (l for line): > + + "l3Y + +The count could be before the "l just as well. To yank a block of text to the +b (for block) register: > + + CTRL-Vjjww"by + +Notice that the register specification "b is just before the "y" command. +This is required. If you would have put it before the "w" command, it would +not have worked. + Now you have three pieces of text in the f, l and b registers. Edit +another file, move around and place the text where you want it: > + + "fp + +Again, the register specification "f comes before the "p" command. + You can put the registers in any order. And the text stays in the register +until you yank something else into it. Thus you can put it as many times as +you like. + +When you delete text, you can also specify a register. Use this to move +several pieces of text around. For example, to delete-a-word and write it in +the w register: > + + "wdaw + +Again, the register specification comes before the delete command "d". + + +APPENDING TO A FILE + +When collecting lines of text into one file, you can use this command: > + + :write >> logfile + +This will write the text of the current file to the end of "logfile". Thus it +is appended. This avoids that you have to copy the lines, edit the log file +and put them there. Thus you save two steps. But you can only append to the +end of a file. + To append only a few lines, select them in Visual mode before typing +":write". In chapter 10 you will learn other ways to select a range of lines. + +============================================================================== +*07.6* Viewing a file + +Sometimes you only want to see what a file contains, without the intention to +ever write it back. There is the risk that you type ":w" without thinking and +overwrite the original file anyway. To avoid this, edit the file read-only. + To start Vim in readonly mode, use this command: > + + vim -R file + +On Unix this command should do the same thing: > + + view file + +You are now editing "file" in read-only mode. When you try using ":w" you +will get an error message and the file won't be written. + When you try to make a change to the file Vim will give you a warning: + + W10: Warning: Changing a readonly file ~ + +The change will be done though. This allows for formatting the file, for +example, to be able to read it easily. + If you make changes to a file and forgot that it was read-only, you can +still write it. Add the ! to the write command to force writing. + +If you really want to forbid making changes in a file, do this: > + + vim -M file + +Now every attempt to change the text will fail. The help files are like this, +for example. If you try to make a change you get this error message: + + E21: Cannot make changes, 'modifiable' is off ~ + +You could use the -M argument to setup Vim to work in a viewer mode. This is +only voluntary though, since these commands will remove the protection: > + + :set modifiable + :set write + +============================================================================== +*07.7* Changing the file name + +A clever way to start editing a new file is by using an existing file that +contains most of what you need. For example, you start writing a new program +to move a file. You know that you already have a program that copies a file, +thus you start with: > + + :edit copy.c + +You can delete the stuff you don't need. Now you need to save the file under +a new name. The ":saveas" command can be used for this: > + + :saveas move.c + +Vim will write the file under the given name, and edit that file. Thus the +next time you do ":write", it will write "move.c". "copy.c" remains +unmodified. + When you want to change the name of the file you are editing, but don't +want to write the file, you can use this command: > + + :file move.c + +Vim will mark the file as "not edited". This means that Vim knows this is not +the file you started editing. When you try to write the file, you might get +this message: + + E13: File exists (use ! to override) ~ + +This protects you from accidentally overwriting another file. + +============================================================================== + +Next chapter: |usr_08.txt| Splitting windows + +Copyright: see |manual-copyright| vim:tw=78:ts=8:noet:ft=help:norl: |