Changes: Saving a file

Revision as of 14:36, 29 July 2015

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created 2004 · complexity basic · version 6.0

To save a file, you would normally first leave insert mode by hitting the Esc key one or more times. Then you type the following (and press Enter):

:w

You can save your file (if modified) and exit Vim at the same time with:

:x

You can save all modified buffers (all open files) with:

:wa

For a tweak, you can set Vim to automatically save the current buffer when you hit Esc twice. This can be done by simply adding the following line to your vimrc:

map <Esc><Esc> :w<CR>

Note: In a console, mapping with a single Esc interferes with the Up/Down/Left/Right arrow keys, since these are actually escape sequences and send an Esc followed by a key id. (The reason that hitting Esc in Vim does not always give an immediate response is that Vim first waits a little to see if a key id is following the Esc.)

Comments

This would also work.

ino <Leader>:w <Esc>:w<CR>a

I use the following:

nmap <c-s> :w<CR>
vmap <c-s> <Esc><c-s>gv
imap <c-s> <Esc><c-s>

nmap <F2> :update<CR>
vmap <F2> <Esc><F2>gv
imap <F2> <c-o><F2>

Control-S always saves the file, and, if called from visual mode, restores the visual selection when done. It does not re-enter insert mode, though, so I use it as my quit-insert-mode-and-save macro.

F2 only saves if necessary, and returns the user to insert mode (or restores their visual selection), as needed.

Under UNIX/Linux, in a console or terminal, CTRL-S sends the signal SIGSTOP, which stops the process in foreground until SIGCONT is sent; this is done by CTRL-Q. This behaviour can usually be disabled by executing

stty -ixon

(add it to your shell's profile or rc file so it will be executed whenever you log in).

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 |previous=802
 |next=804
-|created=October 6, 2004
+|created=2004
 |complexity=basic
-|author=Anon
+|author=
 |version=6.0
 |rating=7/26
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 |category2=
 }}
-To save a file, you would normally first leave insert mode by hitting the Esc key one or more times.
+To save a file, you would normally first leave insert mode by hitting the Esc key one or more times. Then you type the following (and press Enter):
+<pre>
+:w
-Then you type the following (and press Enter):
-<pre>:w</pre>
+</pre>
 You can save your file (if modified) and exit Vim at the same time with:
-<pre>:x</pre>
+<pre>
+:x
+</pre>
 You can save all modified buffers (all open files) with:
-<pre>:wa</pre>
+<pre>
+:wa
+</pre>
 For a tweak, you can set Vim to automatically save the current buffer when you hit Esc twice. This can be done by simply adding the following line to your vimrc:
 <pre>
-map &lt;Esc&gt;&lt;Esc&gt; :w&lt;CR&gt;
+map <Esc><Esc> :w<CR>
 </pre>
@@ Line 32: / Line 35: @@
 ==Comments==
 This would also work.
 <pre>
-ino &lt;leader&gt;:w &lt;esc&gt;:w&lt;cr&gt;a
+ino <Leader>:w <Esc>:w<CR>a
 </pre>
 ----
 I use the following:
 <pre>
-nmap &lt;c-s&gt; :w&lt;CR&gt;
+nmap <c-s> :w<CR>
-vmap &lt;c-s&gt; &lt;esc&gt;&lt;c-s&gt;gv
+vmap <c-s> <Esc><c-s>gv
-imap &lt;c-s&gt; &lt;esc&gt;&lt;c-s&gt;
+imap <c-s> <Esc><c-s>
-nmap &lt;f2&gt; :update&lt;cr&gt;
+nmap <F2> :update<CR>
-vmap &lt;f2&gt; &lt;esc&gt;&lt;f2&gt;gv
+vmap <F2> <Esc><F2>gv
-imap &lt;f2&gt; &lt;c-o&gt;&lt;f2&gt;
+imap <F2> <c-o><F2>
 </pre>
@@ Line 55: / Line 56: @@
 ----
-Under UNIX/Linux, in a console or terminal, CTRL-S sends the signal SIGSTOP, which stops the process in foreground until SIGCONT is sent; this is done by CTRL-Q. I'm not sure whether there exists a workaround, because the system catches the keys before Vim gets them.
+Under UNIX/Linux, in a console or terminal, CTRL-S sends the signal SIGSTOP, which stops the process in foreground until SIGCONT is sent; this is done by CTRL-Q. This behaviour can usually be disabled by executing <pre>stty -ixon</pre> (add it to your shell's profile or rc file so it will be executed whenever you log in).