Vi - Httqm's Docs

vim as :

which vimdiff
/usr/bin/vimdiff
ll /usr/bin/vimdiff
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 25 Jan 16 21:13 /usr/bin/vimdiff -> /etc/alternatives/vimdiff
ll /etc/alternatives/vimdiff
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 18 Jan 16 21:13 /etc/alternatives/vimdiff -> /usr/bin/vim.basic
ll /usr/bin/vim.basic
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4.0M Jan 16 21:13 /usr/bin/vim.basic	see it in file list

This is actually a wrapper for vim -d file1 file2

vimdiff is used to open files side by side and highlight differences with colors :

vimdiff myScript_version1 myScript_version2
works with up to 8 files
examples

Prior to everything, you have to : apt install vim

Create a new encrypted text file / encrypt a clear text file :

vim -x myFile
Enter encryption key: (taptaptap + )
Enter same key again: (taptaptap + again)
Edit the file as you like
Save and exit : :wq
```
"myFile" [crypted] 2L, 9C written
```
The :x shortcut command for "save and exit" doesn't seem to work very well when transcoding between cleartext / encrypted formats. Mind the confirmation message after saving.

check :

cat myFile
```
VimCrypt~01!���
```
file myFile
```
myFile: Vim encrypted file data
```

It's encrypted !

Edit an encrypted text file :

vim myFile

Need encryption key for "myFile"
Enter encryption key: (taptaptap + )

Edit the file as you like
Save and exit : :wq or :x
```
"myFile" [crypted] 3L, 24C written
```
:x works fine here ()
check (same commands) : it's still encrypted !

Remove encryption, i.e. turn an encrypted text file into a clear text file :

vim myFile

Need encryption key for "myFile"
Enter encryption key: (taptaptap + )

:set key=

Save and exit : :wq :

"myFile" 3L, 24C written		Doesn't mention "crypted" anymore

:x saves without removing encryption

Change the password of an encrypted file :

open the file : vim myFile

2 methods :

:X

Enter encryption key: (taptaptap + )
Enter same key again: (taptaptap +  again)

OR : set key=newPassword

Then edit / save / exit as usual

Change the encryption method :

open the file : vim myFile
list available cryptmethods : :help 'cm' (blowfish2 is the recommended method)
leave the help window : :q
set the new encryption method : :setlocal cm=blowfish2
Save and exit : :wq :x doesn't work here.
```
"myFile" [blowfish2] 3L, 24C written
```

Mode	Enter by pressing :	Leave by pressing :
Command or Normal	(at vi startup)
Input	[INSERT] or i	[ESC] (leave to Command mode)
Replace	r	[ESC] (leave to Command mode)

Must-know commands :

i : insert text before cursor [Switches to INPUT mode]
:q! : quit, without saving changes
u : undo last command
:w : save file
:wq or :x : save file and exit
. : repeat the last command

Edition commands :

a : insert text after cursor [Switches to INPUT mode]
D : delete to end of line
dd, ndd : delete current line, n lines starting from the current line
dw, ndw : delete 1 word, n words
O : open new line for text before current line [Switches to INPUT mode]
o : open new line for text after current line [Switches to INPUT mode]
p : paste clipboard after cursor
P : paste clipboard before cursor
x : delete character
yy, nyy : copy the current line (or n lines) into clipboard
ZZ : save file and quit

Movement commands :

b, B : go backward by word
w, W : go forward by word
0 : go to first character of current line
$ : go to last character of current line
:1 : go to first line of file
:$ : go to last line of file
:n : go to line n

Search commands (similar to less search commands) :

/pattern : search pattern forward
?pattern : search pattern backward
n : repeat last search in same direction
N : repeat last search in opposite direction
:noh : un-highlight search results

Search + replace old with new (similar to sed commands) :

:s/old/new : Replace 1st occurrence on current line
:s/old/new/g : Replace ALL occurrences on current line
:%s/old/new/g : Replace ALL occurrences in file
:x,ys/old/new/g : Between two lines x,y

Miscellaneous commands :

vimdiff : show differences between files
vim +n myFile : Open myFile and jump to its n^th line
vim +/search myFile : Open myFile and jump to the 1^st line matching search.
Display line numbers: :set number, hide line numbers : :set nonumber. These commands have short versions being respectively : :set nu and :set nonu.

Vi - The common Unix text editor

vimdiff

Installed with the Debian package

Usage

How to encrypt text files with Vim ?