[Chapter 8] 8.10 Setting Up Vi
Author: Daniel Gilly & the Staff of O'Reilly & Associates
Date: 1998-08-06T21:59:58Z

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| Chapter 8 The Vi Editor |

## 8.10 Setting Up Vi

This subsection describes the following:

- The `:set` command

- Options available with `:set`

- Example `.exrc` file

### 8.10.1 The :set Command

The `:set` command allows you to specify options that change characteristics of your editing environment. Options may be put in the `.exrc` file or set during a vi session.

The colon should not be typed if the command is put in `.exrc`.

:set `x` | Enable option `x`.
:set no`x` | Disable option `x`.
:set `x`=`val` | Give `value` to option`x`.
:set | Show changed options.
:set all | Show all options.
:set `x`? | Show value of option `x`.

### 8.10.2 Options Used by :set

The following table describes the options to `:set`. The first column includes the optional abbreviation, if there is one, and uses an equal sign to show that the option takes a value. The second column gives the default, and the third column describes the behavior of the enabled option.

Option | Default | Description
--- | --- | ---
autoindent (ai) | noai | In insert mode, indent each line to the same level as the line above or below. Use with `shiftwidth` option.
autoprint (ap) | ap | Display changes after each editor command. (For global replacement, display last replacement.)
autowrite (aw) | noaw | Automatically write (save) file if changed before opening another file with `:n` or before giving UNIX command with `:!`.
beautify (bf) | nobf | Ignore all control characters during input (except tab, newline, or formfeed).
directory= (dir) | /tmp | Name the directory in which ex stores buffer files. (Directory must be writable.)
edcompatible | noed-compatible | Use ed-like features on substitute commands.
errorbells (eb) | errorbells | Sound bell when an error occurs.
exrc (ex) | noexrc | Allow the execution of `.exrc` files that reside outside the user's home directory.
hardtabs= (ht) | 8 | Define boundaries for terminal hardware tabs.
ignorecase (ic) | noic | Disregard case during a search.
lisp | nolisp | Insert indents in appropriate lisp format. ( ), { }, [[, and ]] are modified to have meaning for lisp.
list | nolist | Print tabs as ^I; mark ends of lines with $. (Use `list` to tell if end character is a tab or a space.)
magic | magic | Wildcard characters `.` (dot), `*` (asterisk), and [ ] (brackets) have special meaning in patterns.
mesg | mesg | Permit system messages to display on terminal while editing in vi.
number (nu) | nonu | Display line numbers on left of screen during editing session.
open | open | Allow entry to open mode from ex.
optimize (opt) | noopt | Abolish carriage returns at the end of lines when printing multiple lines, speeds output on dumb terminals when printing lines with leading white space (blanks or tabs).
paragraphs= (para> | IPLPPPQP LIpplpipbp | Define paragraph delimiters for movement by { or }. The pairs of characters in the value are the names of nroff/troff macros that begin paragraphs.
prompt | prompt | Display the ex prompt (:) when vi's `Q` command is given.
readonly (ro) | noro | Any writes (saves) of a file will fail unless you use `!` after the write (works with `w`, `ZZ`, or `autowrite`).
redraw (re) | noredraw | Terminal redraws screen whenever edits are made (in other words, insert mode pushes over existing characters, and deleted lines immediately close up). Default depends on line speed and terminal type. `noredraw` is useful at slow speeds on a dumb terminal: deleted lines show up as , and inserted text appears to overwrite existing text until you press ESC.
remap | remap | Allow nested map sequences.
report= | 5 | Display a message on the prompt line whenever you make an edit that affects at least a certain number of lines. For example, `6dd` reports the message "6 lines deleted."
scroll= | <1/2 window> | Amount of screen to scroll.
sections= (sect) | SHNHH HU | Define section delimiters for [[ ]] movement. The pairs of characters in the value are the names of nroff/troff macros that begin sections.
shell= (sh) | /bin/sh | Pathname of shell used for shell escape (`:!`) and shell command (`:sh`). Default value is derived from SHELL variable, which varies on different systems.
shiftwidth= (sw) | 8 | Define number of spaces in backward (`^D`) tabs when using the `autoindent` option.
showmatch (sm) | nosm | In vi, when ) or } is entered, cursor moves briefly to matching ( or {. (If match is not on the screen, rings the error message bell.) Very useful for programming.
showmode | noshowmode | In insert mode, displays a message on the prompt line indicating the type of insert you are making. For example, "Open Mode," or "Append Mode."
slowopen (slow) |  | Hold off display during insert. Default depends on line speed and terminal type.
tabstop= (ts) | 8 | Define number of spaces that a TAB indents during editing session. (Printer still uses system tab of 8.)
taglength= (tl) | 0 | Define number of characters that are significant for tags. Default (zero) means that all characters are significant.
tags= /usr/lib/tags | tags | Define pathname of files containing tags (see the UNIX `ctags` command.) By default, the system looks for files `tags` (in the current directory) and `/usr/lib/tags`.
term= |  | Set terminal type.
terse | noterse | Display shorter error messages.
timeout (to) | timeout | Keyboard maps "time out" after 1 second.
ttytype= |  | Set terminal type.
warn | warn | Display the message, "No write since last change."
window= (w) |  | Show a certain number of lines of the file on the screen. Default depends on line speed and terminal type.
wrapmargin= (wm) | 0 | Define right margin. If greater than zero, automatically inserts carriage returns to break lines.
wrapscan (ws) | ws | Searches wrap around either end of file.
writeany (wa) | nowa | Allow saving to any file.

### 8.10.3 Example .exrc File

>     set nowrapscan wrapmargin=7
>     set sections=SeAhBhChDh nomesg
>     map q :w^M:n^M
>     map v dwElp
>     ab ORA O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.

8.9 Alphabetical List of Keys |  | 9. The Ex Editor