Learning the vi Editor: Amazon.ca: Arnold Robbins, Linda Lamb: Books

Product Description

Book Description

For many users, working in the Unix environment means using vi, a full-screen text editor available on most Unix systems. Even those who know vi often make use of only a small number of its features.

Learning the vi Editor is a complete guide to text editing with vi. Topics new to the sixth edition include multiscreen editing and coverage of four viclones: vim, elvis, nvi, and vile and their enhancements to vi, such as multi-window editing, GUI interfaces, extended regular expressions, and enhancements for programmers. A new appendix describes vi's place in the Unix and Internet cultures.

Quickly learn the basics of editing, cursor movement, and global search and replacement. Then take advantage of the more subtle power of vi. Extend your editing skills by learning to use ex, a powerful line editor, from within vi. For easy reference, the sixth edition also includes a command summary at the end of each appropriate chapter.

Topics covered include:

Basic editing
Moving around in a hurry
Beyond the basics
Greater power with ex
Global search and replacement
Customizing vi and ex
Command shortcuts
Introduction to the vi clones' extensions
The nvi, elvis, vim, and vile editors
Quick reference to vi and ex commands
vi and the Internet

From the Publisher

This completely updated guide to editing with vi, the editor available on nearly every Unix system, now covers four popular vi clones and includes command summaries for easy reference. It starts with the basics, followed by more advanced editing tools, such as ex commands, global search and replacement, and a new feature, multiscreen editing.

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Customer Reviews

33 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

4.8 out of 5 stars (33 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars vi is addicting - impress your friends, July 1 2004

By

Alexander E. Paulsen "AlexP" (Jacksonville, Fl United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Learning the vi Editor (Paperback)

When you see someone that knows what they are doing writing with vi you will be amazed. Get a taste of it yourself and you will be hooked.

vi is powerful beyond belief and honestly I had been using it for years before I got this wonderful book from O'Reilly. The power of vi is revealing in this easy to use and well structured reference and learning aid.

Impress your friends with some of the little known and used features and functions. The authio Linda Lamb certainly knows her way around the editor so pay careful attention to the examples she uses to illustrate functions. Many of these can be used almost as-is in your daily work.

I suppose with all the latest WYSWYG word processors vi seems a little dated, but using vi I can create, edit, copy and manipulate documents in a fraction of the time others can by clicking and drilling in a windowed application.

I love vi. It's the raw power thats addicting. Yeah sometimes you can really screw the pooch with a typo but generally vi is fairly forgiving. I should know, my typing stinks but vi is generally kind to me when I mess up.

I rated this book highly in spite of I would have liked a few more examples, but the examples Lamb included are very representative of what you as a user may need and actually use.

This is a typical O'Reilly book - excellent and a worthy addition to any serious compter professionals library.

Hey I just heard that vi is available even to Windows lamers.

Try it guys. Going to vi is like getting out of Chevy Impala into an Indy car. The Chevy may have better seats and A/C, but when you touch that gas pedal you'll be hooked.

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