Comments on: useful simple vi commands for DBAs http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/ Oracle DBA (plus SQL Server) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Andrew Fraser http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-26 Andrew Fraser Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:48:21 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-26 Hi Kedar, 1) :%s changes every line, :$s only changes the last line in the file. 2) $ is end of line rather than new line. ctrl+v ctrl+m is carriage return/line break character. 3) You can include /g if you want, makes no difference to this particular command, since there will be only one end of line marker in each line. 4) Use the "\" character to escape out special vi characters. So this command would change all $ symbols to c: :%s/\$/c/g Andrew. Hi Kedar,

1) :%s changes every line, :$s only changes the last line in the file.
2) $ is end of line rather than new line. ctrl+v ctrl+m is carriage return/line break character.
3) You can include /g if you want, makes no difference to this particular command, since there will be only one end of line marker in each line.
4) Use the “\” character to escape out special vi characters. So this command would change all $ symbols to c:
:%s/\$/c/g

Andrew.

]]> By: kedarm http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-25 kedarm Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:12:12 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-25 I've got some doubts - 1) Difference between :%s and :$s :%s/$/ctrl+v ctrl+m - After every instance of $ (end line), insert ctrl+v ctrl+m (new line)? :$s/$/ctrl+v ctrl+m - Replace every instance of $ (end line) with ctrl+v ctrl+m (new line) Is the above correct? 2) Why use ctrl+v ctrl+m Why doesn't :%s/$/$/g work? This should mean that append after every $ (new line) another $ (new line)? Why should ctrl+v ctrl+m and not another $ - eg, after every instance of an end-line, put another end-line, something analogous to if (s[i]=='\n') s[i+1]='\n'; 3) Why not use /g? Why don't we use the /g after :%s/$/ctrl+v ctrl+m? Doesn't it tell the command to do it for every occurrence of $ (end-line)? 4) Escape sequences If I want to replace the character $ (dollar) by c (cents), is there some escape sequence I can use so that vim doesn't mistakenly hunt for end-of-line characters instead of the '$' character? Thanks Kedar I’ve got some doubts -

1) Difference between :%s and :$s
:%s/$/ctrl+v ctrl+m – After every instance of $ (end line), insert ctrl+v ctrl+m (new line)?
:$s/$/ctrl+v ctrl+m – Replace every instance of $ (end line) with ctrl+v ctrl+m (new line)
Is the above correct?

2) Why use ctrl+v ctrl+m
Why doesn’t :%s/$/$/g work? This should mean that append after every $ (new line) another $ (new line)?
Why should ctrl+v ctrl+m and not another $ – eg, after every instance of an end-line, put another end-line, something analogous to
if (s[i]==’\n’) s[i+1]=’\n’;

3) Why not use /g?
Why don’t we use the /g after :%s/$/ctrl+v ctrl+m? Doesn’t it tell the command to do it for every occurrence of $ (end-line)?

4) Escape sequences
If I want to replace the character $ (dollar) by c (cents), is there some escape sequence I can use so that vim doesn’t mistakenly hunt for end-of-line characters instead of the ‘$’ character?

Thanks
Kedar

]]> By: Andrew Fraser http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-24 Andrew Fraser Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:50:48 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-24 Hi kedarm. :%s/$/ctrl+v ctrl+m Does that. That's how you type it, but it appears as :%s/$/^M On the vi screen. Works because $ is the end of line character in vi. ^ is the equivalent beginning of line character, I sometimes use that instead. Andrew. Hi kedarm.
:%s/$/ctrl+v ctrl+m
Does that. That’s how you type it, but it appears as
:%s/$/^M
On the vi screen.
Works because $ is the end of line character in vi. ^ is the equivalent beginning of line character, I sometimes use that instead.
Andrew.

]]> By: kedarm http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-23 kedarm Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:55:15 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-23 Hey, How does one insert a new line? For instance, if my file is - test 1 test 2 test 3 and I want to make it, test 1 test 2 test 3 Will a simple ':s/test/\n test' work? Hey,

How does one insert a new line?

For instance, if my file is -
test 1
test 2
test 3

and I want to make it,
test 1

test 2

test 3

Will a simple ‘:s/test/\n test’ work?

]]> By: SteveC http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-22 SteveC Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:24:48 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-22 Andrew Many thanks for this page. It's the only place on the web where I could find the commands I needed quickly. Star! Andrew

Many thanks for this page. It’s the only place on the web where I could find the commands I needed quickly.

Star!

]]> By: Kiran http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-21 Kiran Sat, 19 Jan 2008 08:48:01 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-21 Hi, Thanks a ton for this which i really need these commands. Hi,

Thanks a ton for this which i really need these commands.

]]> By: Andrew Fraser http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-20 Andrew Fraser Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:55:46 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-20 Thanks d., I've updated original post with that. Means I think that it is better practice to use shift-z-z. Thanks d., I’ve updated original post with that. Means I think that it is better practice to use shift-z-z.

]]> By: d http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-19 d Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:46:53 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-19 shift z is not equivalent to :wq in that it does not save (write) the file if there are no unsaved changes. shift z is not equivalent to :wq in that it does not save (write) the file if there are no unsaved changes.

]]> By: matt http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-18 matt Fri, 19 Jan 2007 14:45:01 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-18 A couple of other useful-sh things: % (i.e. shift-5) - takes you to the matching bracket, if you're on a bracket qx,q,@x - to start recording, stop recording and execute a macro (called x). Probably vim only A couple of other useful-sh things:

% (i.e. shift-5) – takes you to the matching bracket, if you’re on a bracket

qx,q,@x – to start recording, stop recording and execute a macro (called x). Probably vim only

]]> By: Andy Todd http://andrewfraserdba.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-17 Andy Todd Thu, 18 Jan 2007 09:58:43 +0000 http://andrewfraser.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/useful-simple-vi-commands-for-dbas/#comment-17 Oh, and the ultimate list of vi/vim links; http://thomer.com/vi/vi.html Oh, and the ultimate list of vi/vim links;

http://thomer.com/vi/vi.html

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