*starting.txt*  For Vim version 5.8.  Last change: 2000 Nov 16		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL    by Bram MoolenaarStarting Vim						*starting*1. Vim arguments		|vim-arguments|2. Vim on the Amiga		|starting-amiga|3. Running Vim from xargs	|xargs|4. Initialization		|initialization|5. Suspending			|suspend|6. The vimrc file		|vimrc-intro|7. The viminfo file		|viminfo-file|==============================================================================1. Vim arguments					*vim-arguments*Most often, Vim is started to edit a single file with the command	vim filename					*-vim*More generally, Vim is started with:	vim [option | filename] ..Option arguments and file name arguments can be mixed, and any number of themcan be given.  However, watch out for options that take an argument.For compatibility with various Vi versions, see	|cmdline-arguments|.Exactly one out of the following five items may be used to choose how tostart editing:							*-file* *---*filename	One or more file names.  The first one will be the current		file and read into the buffer.  The cursor will be positioned		on the first line of the buffer.		To avoid a file name starting with a '-' being interpreted as		an option, precede the arglist with "--", e.g.:			Vim -- -filename		All arguments after the "--" will be interpreted as file names,		no other options or "+command" argument can follow.							*--*-		This argument can mean two things, depending on whether Ex		mode is to be used.		Starting in Normal mode:>	vim -   or  ex -v -		Start editing a new buffer, which is filled with text		that is read from stdin.  The commands that would normally be		read from stdin will now be read from stderr.  Example:>			find . -name "*.c" -print | vim -		The buffer will be marked modified, because it contains text		that needs to be saved.  Except when in readonly mode, then		the buffer is not marked modified.  Example:>			ls | view -		Starting in Ex mode:>	ex -    or   vim -e -		Start editing in silent mode.  See |-s-ex|.							*-t* *-tag*-t {tag}	A tag.  "tag" is looked up in the tags file, the associated		file becomes the current file, and the associated command is		executed.  Mostly this is used for C programs, in which case		"tag" often is a function name.  The effect is that the file		containing that function becomes the current file and the		cursor is positioned on the start of the function (see		|tags|).							*-q* *-qf*-q [errorfile]	QuickFix mode.  The file with the name [errorfile] is read		and the first error is displayed.  See |quickfix|.		If [errorfile] is not given, the 'errorfile' option is used		for the file name.  See 'errorfile' for the default value.		{not in Vi}(nothing)	Without one of the four items above, Vim will start editing a		new buffer.  It's empty and doesn't have a file name.The startup mode can be changed by using another name instead of "vim", whichis equal to giving options:ex	vim -e	    Start in Ex mode (see |Ex-mode|).		    *ex*view	vim -R	    Start in read-only mode (see |-R|).		    *view*gvim	vim -g	    Start the GUI (see |gui|).			    *gvim*gex	vim -eg	    Start the GUI in Ex mode.			    *gex*gview	vim -Rg	    Start the GUI in read-only mode.		    *gview*rvim	vim -Z	    Like "vim", but in restricted mode (see |-Z|)   *rvim*rview	vim -RZ	    Like "view", but in restricted mode.	    *rview*rgvim	vim -gZ	    Like "gvim", but in restricted mode.	    *rgvim*rgview	vim -RgZ    Like "gview", but in restricted mode.	    *rgview*Additional characters may follow, they are ignored.  For example, you can have"gvim-5" to start the GUI.  You must have an executable by that name then, ofcourse.On Unix, you would normally have one executable called Vim, and links from thedifferent startup-names to that executable.  If your system does not supportlinks and you do not want to have several copies of the executable, you coulduse an alias instead.  For example:>	alias view   vim -R>	alias gvim   vim -g							*startup-options*The option arguments may be given in any order.  Single-letter options can becombined after one dash.  There can be no option arguments after the "--"argument.--help							*-h* *--help*-h		Give usage (help) message and exit.  {not in Vi}							*--version*--version	Print version information and exit.  Same output as for		|:version| command.  {not in Vi}							*-+*+[num]		The cursor will be positioned on line "num" for the first		file being edited.  If "num" is missing, the cursor will be		positioned on the last line.							*-+/*+/{pat}		The cursor will be positioned on the first line containing		"pat" in the first file being edited (see |pattern| for the		available search patterns).+{command}						*-+c* *-c*-c {command}	"command" will be executed after the first file has been		read (and after autocommands and modelines for that file have		been processed).  "command" is interpreted as an Ex command.		If the "command" contains spaces, it must be enclosed in		double quotes (this depends on the shell that is used).		Example:>			vim  "+set si"  main.c>			vim  -c "set ff=dos"  -c wq  mine.mak		Note: You can use up to 10 "+" or "-c" arguments in a Vim		command.  They are executed in the order given. {Vi only		allows one command}							*-r*-r		Recovery mode.  Without a file name argument, a list of		existing swap files is given.  With a file name, a swap file		is read to recover a crashed editing session.  See		|crash-recovery|.							*-L*-L		Same as -r.  {only in some versions of Vi: "List recoverable		edit sessions"}							*-R*-R		Readonly mode.  The 'readonly' option will be set for all the		files being edited.  You can still edit the buffer, but will		be prevented from accidentally overwriting a file.  If you		forgot that you are in View mode and did make some changes,		you can overwrite a file by adding an exclamation mark to		the Ex command, as in ":w!".  The 'readonly' option can be		reset with ":set noro" (see the options chapter, |options|).		Subsequent edits will not be done in readonly mode.  Calling		the executable "view" has the same effect as the -R argument.		The 'updatecount' option will be set to 10000, meaning that		the swap file will not be updated automatically very often.							*-m*-m		Modifications not allowed.  The 'write' option will be reset,		so that writing files is disabled.  The 'write' option can be		set to enable writing again.							*-Z* *restricted-mode*-Z		Restricted mode.  All commands that make use of an external		shell are disabled.  This includes suspending with CTRL-Z,		":sh", filtering, the system() function, backtick expansion,		etc.							*-g*-g		Start Vim in GUI mode.  See |gui|.							*-v*-v		Start Ex in Vi mode.  Only makes a difference when the		executable is called "ex" or "gvim".  For gvim the GUI is not		started if possible.							*-e*-e		Start Vim in Ex mode.  Only makes a difference when the		executable is not called "ex".							*-s-ex*-s		Silent or batch mode.  Only when Vim was started as "ex" or		when preceded with the "-e" argument.  Otherwise see |-s|.		To be used when Vim is used to execute Ex commands from a file		instead of a terminal.  Switches off most prompts and		informative messages.  But not warning and error messages, and		the output from commands that print text lines, like ":print"		and ":list".		Initializations are skipped (except the ones given with the		"-u" argument).							*-b*-b		Binary mode.  File I/O will only recognize <NL> to separate		lines. The 'expandtab' option will be reset.  The 'textwidth'		option is set to 0.  'modeline' is reset.  The 'binary' option		is set.  This is done after reading the vimrc/exrc files but		before reading any file in the arglist.  See also		|edit-binary|.  {not in Vi}							*-l*-l		Lisp mode.  Sets the 'lisp' and 'showmatch' options on.							*-F*-F		Farsi mode.  Sets the 'fkmap' and 'rightleft' options on.		(Only when compiled with |+rightleft| and |+farsi| features,		otherwise Vim gives an error message and exits).  {not in Vi}							*-H*-H		Hebrew mode.  Sets the 'hkmap' and 'rightleft' options on.		(Only when compiled with the |+rightleft| feature, otherwise		Vim gives an error message and exits).  {not in Vi}							*-V* *verbose*-V[n]		Verbose.  Sets the 'verbose' option to [n][ (default: 10).		Messages will be given for each file that is ":source"d and		for reading or writing a viminfo file.  Can be used to find		out what is happening upon startup and exit.  {not in Vi}							*-C*-C		Compatible mode.  Sets the 'compatible' option.  You can use		this to get 'compatible', even though there is a .vimrc file.		Also see |compatible-default|.  {not in Vi}							*-N*-N		Not compatible mode.  Resets the 'compatible' option.  You can		use this to get 'nocompatible', when there is no .vimrc file.		Also see |compatible-default|.  {not in Vi}							*-n*-n		No swap file will be used.  Recovery after a crash will be		impossible.  Handy if you want to view or edit a file on a		very slow medium (e.g., a floppy).		Can also be done with ":set updatecount=0".  You can switch it		on again by setting the 'updatecount' option to some value,		e.g., ":set uc=100".		'updatecount' is set to 0 AFTER executing commands from a		vimrc file, but before the GUI initializations.  Thus it		overrides a setting for 'updatecount' in a vimrc file, but not		in a gvimrc file.  See |startup|.  {not in Vi}		When you want to reduce accesses to the disk (e.g., for a		laptop), don't use "-n", but set 'updatetime' and		'udpatecount' to very big numbers, and type ":preserve" when		you want to save your work.  This way you keep the possibility		for crash recovery.							*-o*-o[N]		Open N windows.  If [N] is not given, one window is opened		for every file given as argument.  If there is not enough		room, only the first few files get a window.  If there are		more windows than arguments, the last few windows will be		editing an empty file.  {not in Vi}							*-T*-T {terminal}	Set the terminal type to "terminal".  This influences the		codes that Vim will send to your terminal.  This is normally		not needed, because Vim will be able to find out what type		of terminal you are using (See |terminal-info|).  {not in Vi}							*-d*-d {device}	Amiga only: The "device" is opened to be used for editing.		Normally you would use this to set the window position and		size: "-d con:x/y/width/height", e.g.,		"-d con:30/10/600/150".  But you can also use it to start		editing on another device, e.g., AUX:.  {not in Vi}							*-f*-f		Amiga: Do not restart Vim to open a new window.  This		option should be used when Vim is started by a program that		will wait for the edit session to finish (e.g., mail or		readnews).  See |amiga-window|.  {not in Vi}		GUI: Do not disconnect from the program that started Vim.		'f' stands for "foreground".  If omitted, the GUI forks a new		process and exits the current one.  "-f" should be used when		gvim is started by a program that will wait for the edit		session to finish (e.g., mail or readnews).  If you want gvim		never to fork, include 'f' in 'guioptions' in your .gvimrc.		Careful: You can use "-gf" to start the GUI in the foreground,		but "-fg" is used to specify the foreground color.  {not in		Vi} |gui-fork|							*-u*-u {vimrc}	The file "vimrc" is read for initializations.  Other		initializations are skipped; see |initialization|.  This can		be used to start Vim in a special mode, with special		mappings and settings.  A shell alias can be used to make		this easy to use.  For example:>			alias vimc vim -u ~/.c_vimrc !*