Sometimes you need to edit a new or existing file while looking at a separate file using VI. This can be very useful and a powerful time saver. Fortunately you can do this using some simple commands.
First go ahead and edit a file with VI
shellprompt$ vi test-1.txt |
while in VI enter the following
:new |
This will open a new split screen session, in order to navigate between the two windows in VI do the following
<ctrl-w> j |
Or
<ctrl-w> k |
Using the first will move you to the lower window and using the latter will move you to the upper window.
To make one of the windows full screen and out of the dual screen mode use the following
:only |
*Important Side Notes
If you used :new and opened up a new window session it will not have a name so you cannot save it without entering the following
:wq whatevername.txt |
Also if you want to open a file in split screen mode that is not new and exists you can enter the following
:new /path/to/whateverfile |
Happy Editing!
Thanks.
Thank you for the tip! Previously, I’ve covered searching text inside a list of text files: Search inside text files in Linux
Hope it also helps this blog readers.
really awsome!!
i was expecting same and i got this one
cool!
Else without a SPLIT Window one can do the following to edit 2 files in full screen mode.
a. Open the first_file
b. :e second_file
c. :e# will enable switch between first and second file
d. just doing “:e” also restores the file to original mode unless “:w” or any kind of write has been done already.
Thanks for the tips. If you want to split the window, you can use :vsplit and switch between the windows using TRL-w l and CTRL-w h.