vi Keys

The following vi keys are supported for navigating and editing, after setting vi Mode in the options. Most keys follow the open group specifations for vi and ex

key	action
motion commands
b	move left one word
e	move word right end
f	find char
h	move left
j	move down
k	move up
l	move right
n	repeat the most recent search, in the same direction
t	find char, no selection
w	move right one word
E	word right end (same as e)
F	find char backwards
G	goto end or line number if prefixed
H	goto first line of the screen
L	goto last line of the screen
M	goto middle line of the screen
N	repeat the most recent search, in the same direction
T	find char backwards, no selection
/	find next word
?	find previous word
'?	goto marker ?
,	repeat last find char in the reverse direction
space	right one character
0	begin of line
[	move to previous "{...}" section
]	move to next "{...}" section
(	paragraph up, in visual mode adds to selection (same as {)
)	paragraph down, in visual mode adds to selection (same as })
{	paragraph up, in visual mode adds to selection
}	paragraph down, in visual mode adds to selection
^	begin of line
+	move to first character on the next line
\|	goto column number specified by prefix
-	move to first character on the previous line
$	end of line
%	matching brace, in visual mode selects with matching brace
_	next line
;	repeat last find char
!	see ex :! command
ctrl b	page up
ctrl f	page down
ctrl p	scroll up
ctrl q	scroll down

key	action
other commands
m?	mark current line (one letter marker)
p	put after cursor
q	stop macro recording
qx	record macro x
qX	record macro x (appends to x)
r?	replace current character only
u	undo
x	delete
B	find previous tag and open page
D	delete line right
J	join lines
N	repeat the most recent search, in the opposite direction from original search
P	put before cursor
Q	find tag under cursor (or next tag) and open page
S	go back to page active before Q
U	internet search of word under cursor, or selected text
W	find next tag and open page
X	delete backwards
Y	yank current line
d	delete selection
dd	delete line
dgg	delete from start of the file until current line
gg	goto begin
y	yank selection
yy	yank line
zc	fold close
zf	fold enable
zo	fold open
zE	fold disable
zM	close all folds
zR	open all folds
ZZ	save and quit
.	repeat last action
~	toggle case
*	next occurrence of word under cursor, or selected text
#	previous occurrence of word under cursor, or selected text
>	increase indent for current line, selection or visual area
<	decrease indent for current line, selection or visual area
tab	indents selection (if on pos 0)
TAB	dedents selection
@x	execute buffer: plays back macro x (register)
@@	execute last buffer: plays back last macro
@Xx@	plays back macro Xx (several characters, starting uppercase)
"x	prepares register x for receiving clipboard for next command instead of unnamed register
"X	see previous, now appends contents of clipboard to register x

key	action
mode change commands
a	insert after cursor
i	insert before cursor
o	insert after line
v	enter visual mode
A	insert after end of line
c	changes selection
C	change to end of line
I	insert at begin
K	enter visual rectangular mode
O	insert before line
R	replace many chars, enters overtype mode
V	enter visual line mode
ESC	escape goes back to normal mode
control char commands
key	action
ctrl e	increment word under cursor
ctrl g	shows filename and state
ctrl j	decrement word under cursor
ctrl r?	inserts contents of register ?
ctrl r%	inserts contents of % register, or copies contents to clipboard if not in insert mode
ctrl r=	enters register calculation mode
ctrl [	jumps to previous tag
ctrl ]	jumps to the tag underneath the cursor, or next tag

command	keys	action
ex commands
abbreviate	:ab [lhs rhs]	Abbreviate lhs for rhs
adjust window	:[1addr]z[type][count][flags]	Print the specified line with context. If count is not specified, it default is 2. Type can be: - : The specified line shall be decremented by the following value: (((number of "-" characters) x count) -1) + : The specified line shall be incremented by the following value: (((number of "+" characters) -1) x count) + ^ : The specified line shall be decremented by the following value: (((number of "^" characters) +1) x count) -1 = : Embed context into lines of 40 - characters, with (count -1) / 2 around match . : show context with (count -1) / 2 around match
append	:[1addr]a	Enter ex text input mode; the input text is placed after the specified line.
arguments	:ar	Shows command line arguments, if provided
change	:[2addr]c	The input text replaces the specified lines
close	:close	Closes current document
copy	:[2addr]t 1addr	Copy the specified lines after the specified destination line
de	:de debug	Performs debug action, as available in debug menu from menus.xml
delete	:[2addr]d[buffer]	Delete the specified lines into a buffer (defaulting to the unnamed buffer)
edit	:e [+command][file]	If no file is specified shows select file dialog, otherwise edits file and performs specified command on it (you can use tab key for autocomplete).
escape	:!command :[2addr]!command	If no lines are specified executes command and shows output. If lines are specified, they are passed to the program as standard input, and the standard output and standard error of the program replaces those lines in the edit buffer.
file	:f	shows filename and state
global	:[2addr]g/pattern/[commands] :[2addr]v/pattern/[commands]	If pattern and commands are empty: remove all markers otherwise if commands are empty: mark lines containing pattern otherwise executes all commands for each line matching pattern, commands separated by \|, or (for v) executes all commands for each line not matching pattern
goto	:[1addr]	Goto specified address
goto link	:gt	If text is selected and is a link, goes to link, otherwise goes to link on current line
grep	:grep [match][extension][folder][options]	If nothing specified shows find in files dialog, otherwise greps for match in folder matching file extension using options: /r: recursive
help	:help	Shows help
indent	:[2addr][>\|<]	Increase, decrease indent for range
insert	:[1addr]i	Enter ex text input mode; the input text is placed before the specified line.
join	:[2addr]j	Joins lines
mark	:[1addr]kcharacter	Marks address with character
map	:map[new<command]	Maps new command to command, or shows current maps. String map. Maps strings to other strings Key map. Map an ascii key to a sequence Alt key map. Map an alt key to a sequence Control key map. Map a control key to a sequence, for control chars outside normal range
move	:[2addr]m 1addr	Move the specified lines after the specified destination line x
new	:new	New document (dialog)
print	:[2addr]p[flags] :print [file]	Write the addressed lines If the # flag is specified, each line is preceded by line number. The second synopsis shows print dialog if file is not spcified, otherwise prints file.
put	:[1addr]pu[buffer]	Append text from the specified buffer (by default, the unnamed buffer) to the specified line
quit	:q [!]	Quit unless modified, quit forced
read	:[1addr]r [!][file]	If ! not specified insert contents of file below cursor, otherwise inserts output or running file command below cursor
register	:reg	Shows registers (buffers) and variables from calculation mode
sed	:sed [match replace][extension][folder][options]	If nothing specified shows replace in files dialog, otherwise replaces match by replace in folder matching file extension using options: /r: recursive
set	:set [options]	If options not specified shows options dialog, otherwise sets specified options
sort	:[2addr]S[options]	Sorts range by lines using options: r: reverse u: unique x,y: use columns
source	:so file	Executes all commands from file
substitute	:[2addr]s/pattern/repl/[options] :[2addr]&[options] :[2addr]~[options]	Replace the first instance of the pattern pattern by the string repl on each specified line. If both pattern and repl are not specified or are empty (for example, "//" ), the last s command is repeated. If only pattern is not specified or is empty, the last regular expression used in the editor is used as the pattern. Supported options: i: ignore case c: ask for confirmation g: global, otherwise only first match on line When substituting you can use: & or \0 to represent the target, \U to convert to uppercase, \L to convert to lowercase, $ to match a line end, e.g. %s/$/EOL appends the string EOL at the end of each line. ~ to match against a previous replacement string. Merging is not yet possible using a \n target, you can create a macro for that.
syntax	:syntax options	Use syntax highlighting, options are on or off
tab	:n :prev	Next or previous
tag	:ta tag	Jumps to tag
unabbreviate	:una lhs	Unabbreviate lhs
unmap	:unm lhs	Unmaps lhs
version	:ve	Shows version
write	:[2addr]w [>>][file]	If no lines are specified, the entire file is used. If the >> argument is specified, and the file already exists, the lines are appended to the file instead of replacing its contents.
write and exit	:x	Save and quit
write line	:[1addr]=	Shows line number
yank	:[2addr]y[buffer]	Copy the specified lines to the specified buffer (by default, the unnamed buffer)

Each motion command can be prefixed with a multidigit number, that takes care of repeating that command the number specified, and by a c, d, y character that changes, deletes or yanks the specified motion.

Where:

[1addr]

A single line address

chars range

. current line

$ last line

'character line that contains mark character

line no line number

chars	range
.	current line
$	last line
'character	line that contains mark character
line no	line number

[2addr]

Two addresses specifying an inclusive range of lines.

chars range

% entire document

* visible area

'<,'> visual (selected) area

[1addr],[1addr] inclusive range of lines

chars	range
%	entire document
*	visible area
'<,'>	visual (selected) area
[1addr],[1addr]	inclusive range of lines

[buffer]

name purpose explanation

. insert register last inserted text

0 yank register (or unnamed buffer) last yank value

1 - 9 delete registers queue of 9 last deleted values

a - z standard registers normal register

* clipboard register contents of clipboard

% filename register current filename

_ black hole register anything written to it is not kept

name	purpose	explanation
.	insert register	last inserted text
0	yank register (or unnamed buffer)	last yank value
1 - 9	delete registers	queue of 9 last deleted values
a - z	standard registers	normal register
*	clipboard register	contents of clipboard
%	filename register	current filename
_	black hole register	anything written to it is not kept

[Calculation mode]

operator description

+ add

- subtract

* multiply
/ divide
<< shift left

>> shift right

. current line

$ line count

% modulo

| bitwise or

& bitwise and

^ bitwise xor

XXX=2 assigns to variable XXX

You can also insert contents of markers, or of registers, or use parenthesis to group expressions.

operator	description
+	add
-	subtract
*	multiply
/	divide
<<	shift left
>>	shift right
.	current line
$	line count
%	modulo
\|	bitwise or
&	bitwise and
^	bitwise xor
XXX=2	assigns to variable XXX

[Edit Options]

all set commands can be entered as modeline as well, at begin or end of file

command purpose

:set ac toggles auto complete

:set ai toggles auto indentation

:set eb toggles error bells

:set el toggles edge line

:set ic toggles ignore case

:set mw toggles match words

:set nu toggles line numbers

:set re toggles regular expression

:set sm toggles showing vi mode

:set ut toggles use tabs

:set wl toggles wrap line

:set ws toggles whitespace

:set ec=no sets edge column

:set rp=no sets reported lines

:set sw=no sets indentation

:set sy=lexer sets lexer

:set ts=no sets tabstop at every no

command	purpose
:set ac	toggles auto complete
:set ai	toggles auto indentation
:set eb	toggles error bells
:set el	toggles edge line
:set ic	toggles ignore case
:set mw	toggles match words
:set nu	toggles line numbers
:set re	toggles regular expression
:set sm	toggles showing vi mode
:set ut	toggles use tabs
:set wl	toggles wrap line
:set ws	toggles whitespace
:set ec=no	sets edge column
:set rp=no	sets reported lines
:set sw=no	sets indentation
:set sy=lexer	sets lexer
:set ts=no	sets tabstop at every no

Replace uses regular expressions from std::regex or from scintilla (if compiler flag NO_CXX11_REGEX is defined, which is the default):

char purpose

. Matches any character

$ This marks the start of a region for tagging a match.

$ This marks the end of a tagged region.

\n Where n is 1 through 9 refers to the first through ninth tagged region when replacing. For example, if the search string was Fred$[1-9]$XXX and the replace string was Sam\1YYY, when applied to Fred2XXX this would generate Sam2YYY. \0 refers to all of the matching text.

\< This matches the start of a word using Scintilla's definitions of words.

\> This matches the end of a word using Scintilla's definition of words.

\x This allows you to use a character x that would otherwise have a special meaning. For example, \[ would be interpreted as [ and not as the start of a character set.

[...] This indicates a set of characters, for example, [abc] means any of the characters a, b or c. You can also use ranges, for example [a-z] for any lower case character.

[^...] The complement of the characters in the set. For example, [^A-Za-z] means any character except an alphabetic character.

^ This matches the start of a line (unless used inside a set, see above).

$ This matches the end of a line.

* This matches 0 or more times. For example, Sa*m matches Sm, Sam, Saam, Saaam and so on.

+ This matches 1 or more times. For example, Sa+m matches Sam, Saam, Saaam and so on.

char	purpose
.	Matches any character
\(	This marks the start of a region for tagging a match.
\)	This marks the end of a tagged region.
\n	Where n is 1 through 9 refers to the first through ninth tagged region when replacing. For example, if the search string was Fred\([1-9]\)XXX and the replace string was Sam\1YYY, when applied to Fred2XXX this would generate Sam2YYY. \0 refers to all of the matching text.
\<	This matches the start of a word using Scintilla's definitions of words.
\>	This matches the end of a word using Scintilla's definition of words.
\x	This allows you to use a character x that would otherwise have a special meaning. For example, \[ would be interpreted as [ and not as the start of a character set.
[...]	This indicates a set of characters, for example, [abc] means any of the characters a, b or c. You can also use ranges, for example [a-z] for any lower case character.
[^...]	The complement of the characters in the set. For example, [^A-Za-z] means any character except an alphabetic character.
^	This matches the start of a line (unless used inside a set, see above).
$	This matches the end of a line.
*	This matches 0 or more times. For example, Sa*m matches Sm, Sam, Saam, Saaam and so on.
+	This matches 1 or more times. For example, Sa+m matches Sam, Saam, Saaam and so on.

Regular expressions will only match ranges within a single line, never matching over multiple lines.