Using a Text Editor
Text Editors in Unix
Being able to use a text editor is probably one of the most critical skills to have as a system administrator. You constantly need to edit con fig files, write scripts or make changes to system files …….. all of which require you to use a text editor.
- The three most popular editors available today include
Vi(or) Vim: Text editor with great flexibility.
Emacs : similar to vi, an advanced text editor with many features.
Nano : A basic text editor for quick editing
- Vi (or) Vim Editor:
- Using this editor to create new files, open the files and modifying the data into a existing files.
- The Vi Editor is most popular
- It has three modes:
- Command mode
- Insert mode
- Execution (or) colon mode
- By default mode is command mode
Syn: Vim [arguments] [file]
Arguments: - R -----> opens a file in read –only mode
- o -----> Open two files at a time
+ -----> Starts at the end of the file
+ <rum> -----> Start at line <num>
Insert mode options:
i --------> To begin insert mode at the current cursor position.
I -------->To Insert at the beginning of the current line
a-------->To append to the next word’s letter.
A --------> To append at the end of the line
o -------->To insert a new line below the cursor position.
O --------> To Insert a new line above the cursor position.
Commands for command mode:
e --------> Moves to the end of a word
b --------> Moves to the beginning of a word.
$ -------->Moves to the end of a line.
˄ -------->Moves to the beginning of a line
H -------->Moves to the first line onscreen
M --------> Moves to the middle line onscreen
L -------->Moves to the last line onscreen
x (nx) -------->Deletes current character.
dd (ndd)-------->Deletes the current line
dw (ndw)-------->Deletes current word.
Yy(nyy) --------> yanks (copies) the current line
p -------->paste below the cursor line
P -------->paste above the cursor line
U-------->undo the last action.
gg(ngg)-------->go to beginning of the file
G -------->End of the file.
W (n)-------->To move the cursor forward, word by word.
b(n) --------> To move the cursor back word, word by word
Ctrl +f -------->To forward one page.
Ctrl +b -------->To back word one page.
/ -------->To search a word in the file.
n -------->Find next occurrence of search word.
N --------> find previous occurrence of search word.
. --------> Repeat last command action.
Commands for last line mode:
:q -------->To quit without saving
:w -------->To save the changes
:wq -------->To save & quit
:wq! (or) :x --------> To save & quit with forcefully.
:set nu (or) :se nu -------> To setting line numbers.
:set nonu (or) :se nonu------> To remove line numbers.
:n ------>Jumps to line n
:$d ------>To delete last line
:! <unixcmd> ------> To execute unix cmds
:x ------>To give password to the file and remove password.
:/storing / ------>search a word in the file.
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- To find & Replace:
: % S/root/dog/ To replace storing “dog” for the first instance
: %s/root/dog/g For each instance of a line.
: %s/root/dog/gi To ignore case sensitive
: %s/root/dog/gc ask for confirmation
- Executing unix commands in vi:
Any unix command can be Executed from the vi command line by typing an “!” before the unix command.
EX:
: ! Pwd
: r ! data Reads the results from the date command into a new line following the cursor
: r ! cat file1
- I want to copy 1,4 lines to paste after 10th line:
: 1,4 CO 10
- I want to move 3,7 lines after 8th line:
: 3,7 mo 8
- I want to copy 1,30 lines create a new file:
: 1,30 w test1
- I want to append the data into a existing file:
: 8,20 w >> test1
- I want to insert end of the line (or) we require line
: r/etc/passwd
Managing two files at time:
$vim -0 file1 file2
(or)
$vim file1 file2
Options:
:n ----> edit next file (file2)
:rew ----> Rewind to the file (file1)
(or)
- To move one file to another file (ctrl + W)
Press two times
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