VI Editor Commands

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For vi this is how you can select all text and write it into a new file:

• shift v -- visual mode

• shift g -- jump to eof

•  "*y -- yank select text

•  :e my_new_file -- create a new file

•  "*p -- paste into a new file

 

Other way 

• Shift  +v press down arrow to select all and then just use up arrow to unselect the line you need
• "*y - copy the lines u selected
• Open a new file
• "*p -- to paste the input
  

 

 

Moving to the top of the line , Moving to the end of the line

Press ^ to move the cursor to the start of the current line. Press $ to move the cursor to the end of the current line.

VI Editing commands

• i – Insert at cursor (goes into insert mode)
• a – Write after cursor (goes into insert mode)
• A – Write at the end of line (goes into insert mode)
• ESC – Terminate insert mode
• u – Undo last change
• U – Undo all changes to the entire line
• o – Open a new line (goes into insert mode)
• dd – Delete line
• 3dd – Delete 3 lines.
• D – Delete contents of line after the cursor
• C – Delete contents of a line after the cursor and insert new text. Press ESC key to end insertion.
• dw – Delete word
• 4dw – Delete 4 words
• cw – Change word
• x – Delete character at the cursor
• r – Replace character
• R – Overwrite characters from cursor onward
• s – Substitute one character under cursor continue to insert
• S – Substitute entire line and begin to insert at the beginning of the line
• ~ – Change case of individual character

 

Moving within a file

• k – Move cursor up
• j – Move cursor down
• h – Move cursor left
• l – Move cursor right

 

Saving and Closing the file

• Shift+zz – Save the file and quit
• :w – Save the file but keep it open
• :q! – Quit vi and do not save changes
• :wq – Save the file and quit
• gg  - to move to the top of the file
• shift +gg to move to the end of the file
  

Copying (Yanking)

To copy text, place the cursor in the desired location and press the y key followed by the movement command. Below are some helpful yanking commands:

• yy - Yank (copy) the current line, including the newline character.
• 3yy - Yank (copy) three lines, starting from the line where the cursor is positioned.
• y$ - Yank (copy) everything from the cursor to the end of the line.
• y^ - Yank (copy) everything from the cursor to the start of the line.
• yw - Yank (copy) to the start of the next word.
• yiw – Yank (copy) the current word.
• y% - Yank (copy) to the matching character. By default supported pairs are (), {}, and []. Useful to copy text between matching brackets.