Some handy vi args!

Say you compiled a program called test.cpp and the compiler spitted the error

"test.cpp:97: error: ‘itoa’ was not declared in this scope" 

at you!

Mostly, you do one of the following!

Open the file and 

a) Scroll through it!  (See line numbers with :set number  or   :set nu )

b) Jump to line 97 which you can achieve by 

i) 97G   (vi command itself)

ii) :97 enter  (ex editor command inside vi)

You can achieve this easily with the command line args itself (those that are supplied when you open vi. The file name itself is one such arg)!

vi +97 test.cpp will open file with cursor at the 97th line!

Now what if you are like me and are bad with numbers? Can't remember 97?

vi +/itoa test.cpp will perform a pattern matching and will open the file at the first match. You can then use n or N to skim through the matches until you land on your line! 

Bonus tip! :) 

Ever wished vi has alt+tab (on windows/linux) or cmd+tab (on mac) to switch between two files? It has it too! :D

Just open two or more files with all the names as args to the command!

vi file1 file2 file3 file4 file5

You will be editing file1 initially!

Check which file you are editing with ex command :args or :ar 

Vi will print

[file1] file2 file3 file4 file5 

showing the current file in brackets and the entire list that you supplied!

Move around the list with :n and :N. To jump to the first file on list use :rewind or :rew and :last for the last file!

Ooops! Now to issue of concern alt+tab! 

Once you have at least once switched between the 2 files that you need to edit alternatively, use :e # to switch between files!

or simply ^^ (Ctrl + caret)

What if you have find that you need to edit file1 and file7 alternatively but forgot to open file7??? Wait! Don't quit vi!

When you are editing file1 just call in file7 with :e file7 (e for edit) and there you have it! Now use ^^!  

As mentioned in an earlier post, you can use the clipboard to move text around the files!

Though the y (yank) and p(put/paste) commands are handy you can't easily do that for multiple lines!

use :line1,line2ya  c for copying/yanking multiple lines (where line1 = starting line number; line2 = ending line number; cn = a-z one letter clipboard name)

Switch to your file you want now without exiting vi and

then :pu c will put that clipboard c's content into the new file!

(A word of caution! The switching between files can happen only if the file you are editing is saved)

Now that's why vi is a Very Interactive editor!