File and Buffer Handling

4.4: File and Buffer Handling

In all file handling commands, space should be typed before entering the file name. If you need to type a modifier, such as >> or !, don't put any space between the command and the modifier.

`:q`	Quit buffer except if modified.
`:q!`	Quit buffer without checking. In Viper, these two commands are identical. Confirmation is required if exiting modified buffers that visit files.
`:suspend`
`:stop`	Suspend Viper
`:[x,y] w`	Write the file. Viper makes sure that a final newline is always added to any file where this newline is missing. This is done by setting Emacs variable `require-final-newline` to `t`. If you don't like this feature, use `setq-default` to set `require-final-newline` to `nil`. This must be done in ``.viper`' file.
`:[x,y] w <name>`	Write to the file <name>.
`:[x,y] w>> <name>`	Append the buffer to the file <name>. There should be no space between `w` and `>>`. Type space after the `>>` and see what happens.
`:w! <name>`	Overwrite the file <name>. In Viper, `:w` and `:w!` are identical. Confirmation is required for writing to an existing file (if this is not the file the buffer is visiting) or to a read-only file.
`:x,y w <name>`	Write lines x through y to the file <name>.
`:wq`	Write the file and kill buffer.
`:r <file> [<file> ...]`	Read file into a buffer, inserting its contents after the current line.
`:xit`	Same as `:wq`.
`:Write` `:W`	Save all unsaved buffers, asking for confirmation.
`:WWrite` `:WW`	Like `W`, but without asking for confirmation.
`ZZ`	Save current buffer and kill it. If user level is 1, then save all files and kill Emacs. Killing Emacs is the wrong way to use it, so you should switch to higher user levels as soon as possible.
`:x [<file>]`	Save and kill buffer.
`:x! [<file>]`	`:w![<file>]` and `:q`.
`:pre`	Preserve the file -- autosave buffers.
`:rec`	Recover file from autosave.
`:f`	Print file name and lines.
`:cd [<dir>]`	Set the working directory to <dir> (default home directory).
`:pwd`	Print present working directory.
`:e [+<cmd>] <files>`	Edit files. If no filename is given, edit the file visited by the current buffer. If buffer was modified or the file changed on disk, ask for confirmation. Unlike Vi, Viper allows `:e` to take multiple arguments. The first file is edited the same way as in Vi. The rest are visited in the usual Emacs way.
`:e! [+<cmd>] <files>`	Re-edit file. If no filename, re-edit current file. In Viper, unlike Vi, `e!` is identical to `:e`. In both cases, the user is asked to confirm if there is a danger of discarding changes to a buffer.
`:q!`	Quit Vi without writing.
`C-^`	Edit the alternate (normally the previous) file.
`:rew`	Obsolete
`:args`	List files not shown anywhere with counts for next
`:n [count] [+<cmd>] [<files>]`	Edit <count> file, or edit files. The count comes from `:args`.
`:N [count] [+<cmd>] [<files>]`	Like `:n`, but the meaning of the variable `ex-cycle-other-window` is reversed.
`:b`	Switch to another buffer. If `ex-cycle-other-window` is `t`, switch in another window. Buffer completion is supported.
`:B`	Like `:b`, but the meaning of `ex-cycle-other-window` is reversed.
`:<address>r <name>`	Read the file <name> into the buffer after the line <address>.
`v, V, C-v`	Edit a file in current or another window, or in another frame. File name is typed in Minibuffer. File completion and history are supported.

Display

Commands

Mapping