This post will guide you how to create a file named mytest.bak and save/close it using vi or vim text editor in Apple Mac OS operating system. How do I save a file in Vim/vi and quit editor in Mac OS system.
Vim is a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi. It can be used to edit all kinds of plain text. It is especially useful for editing programs.
- Open a File Using Vi/Vim
- Save a File Using Vi/Vim
- Save/Quit a File Using Vi/Vim
- Exit without Saving Changes
Open a File Using Vi/Vim
If you wish to open a file named mytest.txt using vi/vim text editor in your Apple Mac os operating system, and you can type vim command followed by the name of the file that you want to open:
$ vim mytest.txt
Note: if you want to type the text in your file, and you need to enter the insert mode by pressing the i key in your keyboard. And if you want to back to the normal mode, and you just need to press the Esc key.
Save a File Using Vi/Vim
if you need to save the file that you have opened, and you need to back to normal mode by pressing Esc key, and type the below command, and then press Enter key.
:w
Save/Quit a File Using Vi/Vim
If you want to save and exit the current file in vi or vim text editor, and you need to press Esc key to back to normal mode, and type :wq command, then press Enter key in your keyboard.
:wq
Exit without Saving Changes
If you want to exit the vi or vim text editor without saving the changes, and you need to switch to normal mode by pressing Esc key, and type :q! command, then press Enter key.
:q!
If you want to see more info about the vi or vim command, just type the following command:
$ vim --help
Outputs:
[devops@mydevops ~]$ vim --help VIM - Vi IMproved 8.0 (2016 Sep 12, compiled May 11 2019 16:00:09) usage: vim [arguments] [file ..] edit specified file(s) or: vim [arguments] - read text from stdin or: vim [arguments] -t tag edit file where tag is defined or: vim [arguments] -q [errorfile] edit file with first error Arguments: -- Only file names after this -v Vi mode (like "vi") -e Ex mode (like "ex") -E Improved Ex mode -s Silent (batch) mode (only for "ex") -d Diff mode (like "vimdiff") -y Easy mode (like "evim", modeless) -R Readonly mode (like "view") -Z Restricted mode (like "rvim") -m Modifications (writing files) not allowed -M Modifications in text not allowed -b Binary mode -l Lisp mode -C Compatible with Vi: 'compatible' -N Not fully Vi compatible: 'nocompatible' -V[N][fname] Be verbose [level N] [log messages to fname] -D Debugging mode -n No swap file, use memory only -r List swap files and exit -r (with file name) Recover crashed session -L Same as -r -A start in Arabic mode -H Start in Hebrew mode -F Start in Farsi mode -T <terminal> Set terminal type to <terminal> --not-a-term Skip warning for input/output not being a terminal --ttyfail Exit if input or output is not a terminal -u <vimrc> Use <vimrc> instead of any .vimrc --noplugin Don't load plugin scripts -p[N] Open N tab pages (default: one for each file) -o[N] Open N windows (default: one for each file) -O[N] Like -o but split vertically + Start at end of file +<lnum> Start at line <lnum> --cmd <command> Execute <command> before loading any vimrc file -c <command> Execute <command> after loading the first file -S <session> Source file <session> after loading the first file -s <scriptin> Read Normal mode commands from file <scriptin> -w <scriptout> Append all typed commands to file <scriptout> -W <scriptout> Write all typed commands to file <scriptout> -x Edit encrypted files --startuptime <file> Write startup timing messages to <file> -i <viminfo> Use <viminfo> instead of .viminfo --clean 'nocompatible', Vim defaults, no plugins, no viminfo -h or --help Print Help (this message) and exit --version Print version information and exit
Conclusion
You should know that how to open/save/close a file in vi or vim text editor in your Apple Mac os operating system.