The vi editor – Cyclades PC400 User Manual

Page 35

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Cyclades-PC400

35

Appendix A - Linux

Installation Manual

Other commands allow the user to change directories and see the contents of a directory.

pwd

Supplies the name of the current directory. While logged in, the user is always
"in" a directory. The default initial directory is the user's home directory,
/home/<username>

ls [options]

directory_name

Lists the files and directories within

directory_name

. Some useful options are -l

for more detailed output and -a which shows hidden system files.

cd

directory_name

Changes the directory to the one specified

cat

file_name

Prints the contents of

file_name

to the screen.

Shortcuts:

. (a dot)

represents the current directory

.. (two dots)

represents one directory above the current directory (i.e. one directory closer to the base
directory).

The vi Editor

To edit a file using the vi editor, type

vi file_name

vi is a three-state line editor: it has a command mode, a line mode and an editing mode. If in doubt as to which
mode you are in, press the <ESC> key which will bring you to the command mode.

Mode

What is done there

How to Get There

command mode

navigation within the open file

Press the <ESC> key.

editing mode

text editing

See list of editing commands below.

line mode

file saving, opening, etc. exiting
from vi

From the command mode, type ":" (the
colon).

Entering the program, the user is automatically in the command mode. To navigate to the part of the file to be

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