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11.2. vi Command-Line Options

The three most common ways of starting a vi session are:

vi file
vi + n file
vi +/ pattern file

You can open file for editing, optionally at line n or at the first line matching pattern. If no file is specified, vi opens with an empty buffer. The command-line options that can be used with vi are:

+[num]

Start editing at line number num, or the last line of the file if num is omitted.

+/pattern

Start editing at the first line matching pattern. (Fails if nowrapscan is set in your .exrc startup file.)

-c command

Run the given vi command upon startup. Only one -c option is permitted. ex commands can be invoked by prefixing them with a :. An older form of this option, +command, is still supported.

-e

Run as ex (line editing rather than full-screen mode).

-l

Enter LISP mode for running LISP programs (not supported in all versions).

-r [file]

Recover and resume editing on file after an aborted editor session or system crash. Without file, list files available for recovery.

-t tag

Edit the file containing tag and position the cursor at its definition (see ctags in Chapter 3, "Linux Commands" for more information).

-v

Run in full-screen mode (default).

-w rows

Set the window size so rows lines at a time are displayed; useful when editing over a slow dial-up line.

-x

Prompt for a key that will be used to try to encrypt or decrypt a file using crypt (not supported in all versions).

-C

Same as -x, but assume the file is encrypted already (not supported in all versions).

-L

List files that were saved due to an aborted editor session or system crash (not supported in all versions).

-R

Edit files read-only.

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