Vim documentation: howto

main help file

*howto.txt*	For Vim version 5.8.  Last change: 2000 Feb 07


		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL	  by Bram Moolenaar



How to ...				*howdoi* *how-do-i* *howto* *how-to*

|tutor|			get started
|:quit|			exit?  I'm trapped, help me!
|initialization|	initialize Vim
|vimrc-intro|		write a Vim script file (vimrc)
|suspend|		suspend Vim
|crash-recovery|	recover after a crash
|backup|		keep a backup of my file when writing over it

|edit-files|		edit files
|edit-binary|		edit binary files
|inserting|		insert text
|deleting|		delete text
|changing|		change text
|copy-move|		copy and move text
|formatting|		format text
|format-comments|	format comments
|C-indenting|		indent C programs
|'autoindent'|		automatically set indent

|repeating|		repeat commands
|undo-redo|		undo and redo

|cursor-motions|	move around
|word-motions|		word motions
|left-right-motions|	left-right motions
|up-down-motions|	up-down motions
|object-motions|	text-object motions
|various-motions|	various motions
|object-select|		text-object selection
|'whichwrap'|		move freely beyond beginning/end of line
|pattern-searches|	specify pattern for searches
|tags-and-searches|	do tags and special searches
|include-search|	search in include'd files used to find
			variables, functions, or macros
|K|			look up manual for the keyword under cursor

|scrolling|		scroll
|'sidescroll'|		scroll horizontally/sideways
|'scrolloff'|		set scroll boundary

|mode-switching|	change modes
|Visual-mode|		use Visual mode
|'insertmode'|		start Vim in Insert mode

|key-mapping|		map keys
|abbreviations|		create abbreviations

|ins-expandtab|		expand a tab to spaces in Insert mode
|i_CTRL-R|		insert contents of a register in Insert mode
|ins-completion|	complete words in Insert mode
|ins-textwidth|		break a line before it gets too long

|cmdline-editing|	do command-line editing
|cmdline-completion|	do command-line completion
|'cmdheight'|		increase the height of command-line
|cmdline-ranges|	specify command-line ranges
|autocommand|		specify commands to be executed automatically
			before/after reading/writing entering/leaving a
			buffer/window

|'autowrite'|		write automatically
|quickfix|		speedup edit-compile-edit cycle or compile and fix
			errors within Vim

|options|		set options
|auto-setting|		set options automatically
|term-dependent-settings| set options depending on terminal name
|save-settings|		save settings
|:quote|		comment my exrc/vimrc/gvimrc files
|'helpheight'|		change the default help height
|'highlight'|		set various highlighting modes
|'title'|		set the window title
|'icon'|		set window icon title
|'report'|		avoid seeing the change messages on every line
|'shortmess'|		avoid |hit-return| prompts

|mouse-using|		use mouse with Vim
|windows.txt|		manage multiple windows and buffers
|gui.txt|		use the gui
|:sleep|		catch 40 (or more!) winks, or take a catnap!
|You can't! (yet)|	do dishes using Vim

|:syn-on|		switch on syntax highlighting
|2html.vim|		convert a colored file to HTML


							*tutor*
To get started with Vim:  There is a 30 minute tutorial that teaches the most
basic Vim functionality.  The name of the file is "$VIMRUNTIME/tutor/tutor".
Make a copy of the file (so you can mess with it), and take a little time to
learn your first Vim commands.

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