Elvis 1.4               COLON MODE COMMANDS                Page 3-1


E3.  COLON MODE COMMANDSF

        -1lines           command         arguments                    -0
        [line]          -1a-0ppend
                        -1ar-0gs            [files]
                        -1cc-0              [files]
                        -1cd-0              [directory]
        [line][,line]   -1c-0hange
                        -1chd-0ir           [directory]
        [line][,line]   -1co-0py            line
        [line][,line]   -1d-0elete          ["x]
                        -1di-0graph[!]      [XX [Y]]
                        -1e-0dit[!]         [file]
                        -1er-0rlist[!]      [errlist]
                        -1e-0x[!]           [file]
                        -1f-0ile            [file]
        [line][,line]   -1g-0lobal          /regexp/ command
        [line]          -1i-0nsert
        [line][,line]   -1j-0oin
        [line][,line]   -1l-0ist
                        -1mak-0e            [target]
                        -1ma-0p[!]          key mapped_to
        [line]          mar-1k-0            x
                        -1mk-0exrc
        [line][,line]   -1m-0ove            line
                        -1n-0ext[!]         [files]
                        -1N-0ext[!]
        [line][,line]   -1nu-0mber
                        -1pre-0vious[!]
        [line][,line]   -1p-0rint
        [line]          -1pu-0t             ["x]
                        -1q-0uit[!]
        [line]          -1r-0ead            file
                        -1rew-0ind[!]
                        -1se-0t             [options]
                        -1so-0urce          file
        [line][,line]   -1s-0ubstitute      /regexp/replacement/[p][g][c]
                        -1ta-0g[!]          tagname
        [line][,line]   -1t-0o              line
                        -1u-0ndo
                        -1unm-0ap[!]        key
                        -1ve-0rsion
        [line][,line]   -1v-0global         /regexp/ command
                        -1vi-0sual
                        -1wq-0
        [line][,line]   -1w-0rite[!]        [[>>]file]
                        -1x-0it[!]
        [line][,line]   -1y-0ank            ["x]
        [line][,line]   -1!-0               command
        [line][,line]   -1<-0
        [line][,line]   -1=-0
        [line][,line]   -1>-0
        [line][,line]   -1&-0
                        -1@-0               "x









     Elvis 1.4               COLON MODE COMMANDS                Page 3-2


        To  use colon mode commands, you must switch from visual command
     mode to colon command mode.  The visual mode commands  to  do  this
     are  ":"  for  a  single  colon command, or "Q" for many colon mode
     commands.  


   E3.1  Line SpecifiersF

        Line specifiers are always optional.  The first  line  specifier
     of most  commands usually defaults to the current line.  The second
     line specifier usually defaults to be the same as  the  first  line
     specifier.  Exceptions are :write, :global, and :vglobal, which act 
     on all lines of the file by default, and :!, which acts on no lines 
     by default.  

        Line  specifiers  consist  of  an  absolute  part and a relative
     part.  The absolute part of a  line  specifier  may  be  either  an
     explicit  line  number, a mark, a dot to denote the current line, a
     dollar sign to denote the last line of the file, or  a  forward  or
     backward search.  

        An explicit line number is simply a decimal number, expressed as 
     a string of digits.  

        A mark is typed in as an apostrophe followed by a letter.  Marks 
     must be  set before they can be used.  You can set a mark in visual
     command mode by typing "m" and a letter, or you can set it in colon 
     command mode via the "mark" command.  

        A forward search is typed in as a regular expression  surrounded
     by slash  characters;  searching  begins  at  the  default line.  A
     backward search is typed in as a regular expression  surrounded  by
     question  marks;  searching  begins  at the line before the default
     line.  

        If you omit the absolute part, then the default line is used.  

        The relative part of a line specifier is typed as a "+"  or  "-"
     character followed  by a decimal number.  The number is added to or
     subtracted from the absolute part of the line specifier to  produce
     the final line number.  

        As  a  special  case, the % character may be used to specify all
     lines of the file.  It is roughly equivelent to saying 1,$.    This
     can be a handy shortcut.  

        Some examples: 

            :p              print the current line
            :37p            print line 37
            :'gp            print the line which contains mark g
            :/foo/p         print the next line that contains "foo"
            :$p             print the last line of the file
            :20,30p         print lines 20 through 30
            :1,$p           print all lines of the file
            :%p             print all lines of the file
            :/foo/-2,+4p    print 5 lines around the next "foo"






     Elvis 1.4               COLON MODE COMMANDS                Page 3-3


   E3.2  Text Entry CommandsF

            [line] append
            [line][,line] change ["x]
            [line] insert

        The -1a-0ppend command inserts text after the specified line.  

        The -1i-0nsert command inserts text before the specified line.  

        The  -1c-0hange command copies the range of lines into a cut buffer,
     deletes them, and inserts new text where the old text used to be.  

        For all of these commands, you indicate  the  end  of  the  text
     you're inserting by hitting ^D or by entering a line which contains 
     only a period.  


   E3.3  Cut & Paste CommandsF

            [line][,line] delete ["x]
            [line][,line] yank ["x]
            [line] put ["x]
            [line][,line] copy line
            [line][,line] to line
            [line][,line] move line

        The  -1d-0elete  command  copies the specified range of lines into a
     cut buffer, and then deletes them.  

        The -1y-0ank command copies the specified range of lines into a  cut
     buffer, but does *not* delete them.  

        The  -1pu-0t  command  inserts  text  from  a  cut  buffer after the
     specified line.  

        The -1co-0py and -1t-0o commands yank the specified range of  lines  and
     then immediately paste them after some other line.  

        The  -1m-0ove  command deletes the specified range of lines and then
     immediately pastes them after some other line.  If the  destination
     line  comes  after  the  deleted  text,  then  it  will be adjusted
     automatically to account for the deleted lines.  


   E3.4  Display Text CommandsF

            [line][,line] print
            [line][,line] list
            [line][,line] number

        The -1p-0rint command displays the specified range of lines.  

        The -1nu-0mber command displays the lines, with line numbers.  









     Elvis 1.4               COLON MODE COMMANDS                Page 3-4


        The -1l-0ist command also displays them, but it is careful  to  make
     control characters visible.  


   E3.5  Global Operations CommandsF

            [line][,line] global /regexp/ command
            [line][,line] vglobal /regexp/ command

        The  -1g-0lobal  command searches through the lines of the specified
     range (or through the whole file if  no  range  is  specified)  for
     lines that  contain  a given regular expression.  It then moves the
     cursor to each of these lines and runs some other command on them.  

        The -1v-0global command is similar, but it searches for  lines  that
     -1don't-0 contain the regular expression.  


   E3.6  Line Editing CommandsF

            [line][,line] join
            [line][,line] ! program
            [line][,line] <
            [line][,line] >
            [line][,line] substitute /regexp/replacement/[p][g][c]
            [line][,line] &

        The  -1j-0oin  command  catenates  all  lines in the specified range
     together to form one big line.  If only a single line is specified, 
     then the following line is catenated onto it.  

        The -1!-0 command runs an external filter  program,  and  feeds  the
     specified range  of  lines  to  it's  stdin.    The  lines are then
     replaced by the output of the filter.  A typical example  would  be
     ":'a,'z!sort" to sort the lines 'a,'z.  

        The  -1<-0 and -1>-0 commands shift the specified range of lines left or
     right, normally by the width of 1 tab character.  The  "shiftwidth"
     option determines the shifting amount.  

        The  -1s-0ubstitute  command  finds  the  regular expression in each
     line, and replaces it with the replacement text.   The  "p"  option
     causes the altered lines to be printed.  The "g" option permits all 
     instances  of  the  regular  expression  to  be  found  & replaced.
     (Without "g", only the first occurrence in each line is  replaced.)
     The "c" option asks for confirmation before each substitution.  

        The   -1&-0  command  repeats  the  previous  substitution  command.
     Actually, "&" is equivelent to "s//~/" with  the  same  options  as
     last time.    It  searches for the last regular expression that you
     specified for any purpose, and replaces it with the the  same  text
     that was used in the previous substitution.  











     Elvis 1.4               COLON MODE COMMANDS                Page 3-5


   E3.7  Undo CommandF

            undo

        The -1u-0ndo command restores the file to the state it was in before 
     your most recent command which changed text.  


   E3.8  Configuration & Status CommandsF

            map[!] [key mapped_to]
            unmap[!] key
            abbr [word expanded_form_of_word]
            unabbr word
            digraph[!] [XX [Y]]
            set [options]
            mkexrc
            [line] mark "x
            visual
            version
            [line][,line] =
            file [file]
            source file
            @ "x

        The  -1ma-0p command allows you to configure Elvis to recognize your
     function keys, and treat them as though they transmitted some other 
     sequence of characters.  Normally this mapping is done only when in 
     the visual command mode, but with the [!] present it will map  keys
     under all  contexts.  When this command is given with no arguments,
     it prints a table showing all mappings currently in effect.    When
     called  with  two  arguments,  the  first is the sequence that your
     function key really sends, and the second is the sequence that  you
     want Elvis to treat it as having sent.  

        The -1unm-0ap command removes key definitions that were made via the 
     map command.  

        The   -1ab-0br   command   is   used   to  define/list  a  table  of
     abbreviations.  The table contains both the  abbreviated  form  and
     the fully  spelled-out form.  When you're in visual input mode, and
     you  type  in  the  abbreviated  form,  Elvis  will   replace   the
     abbreviated form  with  the  fully  spelled-out  form.    When this
     command is called without arguments, it lists the table;  with  two
     or  more  arguments, the first argument is taken as the abbreviated
     form, and the rest of the command line  is  the  fully-spelled  out
     form.  

        The -1una-0bbr command deletes entries from the abbr table.  

        The  -1di-0graph  command  allows you to display the set of digraphs
     that Elvis is using, or add/remove a digraph.  To list the  set  of
     digraphs, use  the  digraph  command  with  no arguments.  To add a
     digraph, you should give the digraph command two  arguments.    The
     first argument is the two ASCII characters that are to be combined; 
     the second  is  the  non-ASCII  character that they represent.  The
     non-ASCII character's most significant bit is automatically set  by
     the digraph  command,  unless  to  append a !  to the command name.





     Elvis 1.4               COLON MODE COMMANDS                Page 3-6


     Removal of a digraph is similar to adding a  digraph,  except  that
     you should leave off the second argument.  

        The -1se-0t command allows you examine or set various options.  With 
     no  arguments,  it  displays  the  values of options that have been
     changed.  With the single argument "all" it displays the values  of
     all  options,  regardless of whether they've been explicitly set or
     not.  Otherwise, the arguments are treated as options to be set.  

        The -1mk-0exrc command saves the current  configuration  to  a  file
     called ".exrc" in the current directory.  

        The  mar-1k-0  command  defines  a named mark to refer to a specific
     place in the file.  This mark may be used later  to  specify  lines
     for other commands.  

        The -1vi-0sual command puts the editor into visual mode.  Instead of 
     emulating ex, Elvis will start emulating vi.  

        The  -1ve-0rsion  command  tells you that what version of Elvis this
     is.  

        The -1=-0 command tells you what line  you  specified,  or,  if  you
     specified a range of lines, it will tell you both endpoints and the 
     number of lines included in the range.  

        The  -1f-0ile command tells you the name of the file, whether it has
     been modified, the number of lines in the  file,  and  the  current
     line number.  You can also use it to change the name of the current 
     file.  

        The  -1so-0urce command reads a sequence of colon mode commands from
     a file, and interprets them.  

        The -1@-0 command executes  the  contents  of  a  cut-buffer  as  EX
     commands.  


   E3.9  Multiple File CommandsF

            args [files]
            next[!] [files]
            Next[!]
            previous[!]
            rewind[!]

        When  you  invoke  Elvis  from  your  shell's  command line, any
     filenames that you give to Elvis as arguments  are  stored  in  the
     args list.    The  -1ar-0gs command will display this list, or define a
     new one.  

        The -1n-0ext command switches from the current file to the next  one
     in the args list.  You may specify a new args list here, too.  

        The  -1N-0ext  and -1pre-0vious commands (they're really aliases for the
     same command) switch from the current file to the preceding file in 
     the args list.  






     Elvis 1.4               COLON MODE COMMANDS                Page 3-7


        The -1rew-0ind command switches from the current file to  the  first
     file in the args list.  


   E3.10  Switching FilesF

            edit[!] [file]
            tag[!] tagname

        The  -1e-0dit command allows to switch from the current file to some
     other file.  This has nothing to do with  the  args  list,  by  the
     way.  

        The  -1ta-0g  command  looks  up  a  given  tagname in a file called
     "tags".  This tells it which file the tag is in, and how to find it 
     in that file.  Elvis then switches to the tag's file and finds  the
     tag.  


   E3.11  Working with a CompilerF

            cc [files]
            make [target]
            errlist[!] [errlist]

        The -1cc-0 and -1mak-0e commands execute your compiler or "make" utility 
     and redirect  any  error messages into a file called "errlist".  By
     default, cc is run on the current  file.    (You  should  write  it
     before  running  cc.)  The  contents of the "errlist" file are then
     scanned for error messages.  If an error message is found, then the 
     cursor is moved to the line where the error was detected,  and  the
     description of the error is displayed on the status line.  

        After  you've fixed one error, the -1er-0rlist command will move the
     cursor to the next error.  In visual command mode, hitting `*' will 
     do this, too.  

        You can also create an "errlist" file from outside of Elvis, and 
     use "elvis -m" to start elvis and have  the  cursor  moved  to  the
     first error.    Note  that you don't need to supply a filename with
     "elvis -m" because the error messages always say which source  file
     an error is in.  

        Note: When you use errlist repeatedly to fix several errors in a 
     single file, it will attempt to adjust the reported line numbers to 
     allow for   lines  that  you  have  inserted  or  deleted.    These
     adjustments are made with the assumption that you will work  though
     the file from the beginning to the end.  


   E3.12  Exit CommandsF

            quit[!]
            wq
            xit








     Elvis 1.4               COLON MODE COMMANDS                Page 3-8


        The  -1q-0uit  command  exits  from  the  editor without saving your
     file.  

        The -1wq-0 command writes your file out, then then exits.  

        The -1x-0it command is similar to the -1wq-0 command,  except  that  -1x-0it
     won't bother to write your file if you haven't modified it.  


   E3.13  File I/O CommandsF

            [line] read file
            [line][,line] write[!] [[>>]file]

        The  -1r-0ead  command  gets  text  from another file and inserts it
     after the specified line.   It  can  also  read  the  output  of  a
     program;  simply  precede  the  program name by a '!' and use it in
     place of the file name.  

        The -1w-0rite command writes the whole file, or just part of it,  to
     some other  file.    The !, if present, will permit the lines to be
     written even if you've set the readonly option.  If you precede the 
     filename by >> then the lines will be appended to the file.  


   E3.14  Directory CommandsF

            cd [directory]
            chdir [directory]
            shell

        The -1cd-0 and -1chd-0ir commands (really two  names  for  one  command)
     switch the current working directory.  

        The -1sh-0ell command starts an interactive shell.  


   E3.15  Debugging CommandsF

            [line][,line] debug[!]
            validate[!]

        These  commands are only available if you compile Elvis with the
     -DDEBUG flag.  

        The de-1b-0ug command lists statistics for the blocks which  contain
     the specified range  of  lines.    If  the  !  is present, then the
     contents of those blocks is displayed, too.  

        The -1va-0lidate  command  checks  certain  variables  for  internal
     consistency.  Normally it doesn't output anything unless it detects 
     a problem.    With  the  !,  though,  it will always produce *some*
     output.