I have been told on serveral occasions by rackshack support not to use pico to edit files but to use vi . Anybody know any good tutorials on vi that are fairly thorough but simplified.

Thanks

Here is a link for the first 20 of 149,000 entries for VI tutorial :-)

http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=VI+Tutorial&hc=0&hs=1

I use VI and only VI. My problem is when I am on a Windows PC and try edinging a file at the command promt using VI... I get mad when I can't figure out why it is saying no such progam (or something similar) :)

Vi is very easy to use. Here is some good info that may help you.

vim [options] [file ..]
vim [options] -
vim [options] -t tag
vim [options] -q [errorfile]

ex
view
gvim gview
rvim rview rgvim rgview

DESCRIPTION
Vim is a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi. It
can be used to edit any ASCII text. It is especially use<AD>
ful for editing programs.

There are a lot of enhancements above Vi: multi level


OPTIONS
The options may be given in any order, before or after
filenames. Options without an argument can be combined
after a single dash.

+[num] For the first file the cursor will be posi<AD>
tioned on line "num". If "num" is missing,
the cursor will be positioned on the last
line.

+/{pat} For the first file the cursor will be posi<AD>
tioned on the first occurrence of {pat}. See
":help search-pattern" for the available
search patterns.

+{command}

-c {command}
{command} will be executed after the first
file has been read. {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
Note: You can use up to 10 "+" or "-c" com<AD>
mands.

-b Binary mode. A few options will be set that
makes it possible to edit a binary or exe<AD>
cutable file.

-C Compatible. Set the 'compatible' option.
This will make Vim behave mostly like Vi, even
though a .vimrc file exists.

-d {device} Open {device} for use as a terminal. Only on
the Amiga. Example: "-d con:20/30/600/150".

-e Start Vim in Ex mode, just like the executable
was called "ex".

-f Foreground. For the GUI version, Vim will not
fork and detach from the shell it was started
in. On the Amiga, Vim is not restarted to
open a new window. This option should be used
when Vim is executed by a program that will
wait for the edit session to finish (e.g.
mail). On the Amiga the ":sh" and ":!" com<AD>
mands will not work.

-F If Vim has been compiled with FKMAP support
for editing right-to-left oriented files and
Farsi keyboard mapping, this option starts Vim
in Farsi mode, i.e. 'fkmap' and 'rightleft'
are set. Otherwise an error message is given
and Vim aborts.

-g If Vim has been compiled with GUI support,
this option enables the GUI. If no GUI sup<AD>
port was compiled in, an error message is
given and Vim aborts.

-h Give a bit of help about the command line
arguments and options. After this Vim exits.

-H If Vim has been compiled with RIGHTLEFT sup<AD>
port for editing right-to-left oriented files
and Hebrew keyboard mapping, this option
starts Vim in Hebrew mode, i.e. 'hkmap' and
'rightleft' are set. Otherwise an error mes<AD>
sage is given and Vim aborts.

-i {viminfo}
When using the viminfo file is enabled, this
option sets the filename to use, instead of
the default "~/.viminfo". This can also be
used to skip the use of the .viminfo file, by
giving the name "NONE".

-L Same as -r.

-l Lisp mode. Sets the 'lisp' and 'showmatch'
options on.

-m Modifying files is disabled. Resets the
'write' option, so that writing files is not
possible.

-N No-compatible mode. Reset the 'compatible'
option. This will make Vim behave a bit bet<AD>
ter, but less Vi compatible, even though a
.vimrc file does not exist.

-n No swap file will be used. Recovery after a
crash will be impossible. Handy if you want
to edit a file on a very slow medium (e.g.
floppy). Can also be done with ":set uc=0".
Can be undone with ":set uc=200".

-o[N] Open N windows. When N is omitted, open one
window for each file.

-R Read-only mode. The 'readonly' option will be
set. You can still edit the buffer, but will
be prevented from accidently overwriting a
file. If you do want to overwrite a file, add
an exclamation mark to the Ex command, as in
":w!". The -R option also implies the -n
option (see below). The 'readonly' option can
be reset with ":set noro". See ":help 'read<AD>
only'".

-r List swap files, with information about using
them for recovery.

-r {file} Recovery mode. The swap file is used to
recover a crashed editing session. The swap
file is a file with the same filename as the
text file with ".swp" appended. See ":help
recovery".

-s Silent mode. Only when started as "Ex" or
when the "-e" option was given before the "-s"
option.

-s {scriptin}
The script file {scriptin} is read. The char<AD>
acters in the file are interpreted as if you
had typed them. The same can be done with the
command ":source! {scriptin}". If the end of
the file is reached before the editor exits,
further characters are read from the keyboard.

-T {terminal}
Tells Vim the name of the terminal you are
using. Only required when the automatic way
doesn't work. Should be a terminal known to
Vim (builtin) or defined in the termcap or
terminfo file.

-u {vimrc} Use the commands in the file {vimrc} for ini<AD>
tializations. All the other initializations
are skipped. Use this to edit a special kind
of files. It can also be used to skip all
initializations by giving the name "NONE".
See ":help initialization" within vim for more
details.

-U {gvimrc} Use the commands in the file {gvimrc} for GUI
initializations. All the other GUI initial<AD>
izations are skipped. It can also be used to
skip all GUI initializations by giving the
name "NONE". See ":help gui-init" within vim
for more details.

-V Verbose. Give messages about which files are
sourced and for reading and writing a viminfo
file.

-v Start Vim in Vi mode, just like the executable
was called "vi". This only has effect when
the executable is called "ex".

-w {scriptout}
All the characters that you type are recorded
in the file {scriptout}, until you exit Vim.
This is useful if you want to create a script
file to be used with "vim -s" or ":source!".
If the {scriptout} file exists, characters are
appended.

-W {scriptout}
Like -w, but an existing file is overwritten.


-w {scriptout}
All the characters that you type are recorded
in the file {scriptout}, until you exit Vim.
This is useful if you want to create a script
file to be used with "vim -s" or ":source!".
If the {scriptout} file exists, characters are
appended.

-W {scriptout}
Like -w, but an existing file is overwritten.

-x Use encryption when writing files. Will
prompt for a crypt key.

-Z Restricted mode. Works like the executable
starts with "r".

-- Denotes the end of the options. Arguments
after this will be handled as a file name.
This can be used to edit a filename that
starts with a '-'.

Thanks guys! Very Helpful! Thanks again.