Re: Any non-programmer users of Vim here?

On Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 3:59 PM, David Ohlemacher <dohlemacher@scisol.com> wrote:

The way I learned vi:

1. Start a cheatsheet.  Don't download one.  Make your own.  Making it will help you learn.  I use Tomboy Notes, but at the beginning, paper is better.

Agreed... I copied and pasted to an ugly text file but it worked! But using others sheets wholesale didnt.
 

2. Every time you find you don't know how to do something, like joining lines, look it up  (  use :help join  or google vim join ), and then add it to your list.   Once you really know the basic commands, remove it from your sheet.
3. Start vim and then enter :help tutor.  The ':' puts you in command mode so you can run the help command.  If it does not work, hit <ESC> and try again.
4. Learn what the modes mean (input, command, visual).   Without understanding them, everything else will be confusing.  Commands do not work if you aren't in the right mode first.
5. Use it.  Your fingers will get the habit.
6. The Vim book is helpful.
7. Once you get going, this mail list is very helpful.

After a fairly short time, you'll start getting irritated with all the rest of the apps that make you pick up the mouse.  You'll start to hit 'i' out of habit in your email app....and not like seeing an i.

I cracked up the first time I found myself trying to use 'k' to move up a cell in a spreadsheet :)

I actually have used vim for many years, but only the bare basics.   I used it to tweak a file here or there, but never to write anything.   Then KDE came out with Kdevelop 4.  Uggg!   After using KDevelop since 2.0, I gave up on it.  I looked for other IDEs and liked none.    So I started learning vim.    I love it and no longer miss KDevelop.    Especially since I am finding myself writing code on a machine across the country through ssh.

My favorite thing about it is to be able open any number of windows in one pane ( see :sp and :vsp  and CTRL-W to navigate between windows).

Amen!

vim turns my keyboard into a 200+ key text editing gamepad.

Good luck,
-d

--
David Ohlemacher
Senior Software Engineer
Scientific Solutions Inc.
99 Perimeter Rd Nashua New Hampshire 03063
603-880-3784

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