I'm trying to get into Vim. I'm running it in the terminal on OS X.
Anytime I hit the delete key, it simply changes case of that letter instead of deleting it. When I SSH into my server and use Vim there, it deletes normally.
Any ideas what may be going wrong?
The problem
The Del key generates the code ^[[3~ in my urxvt terminal on GNU/Linux, and might generate a similar code in your OS X terminal.
My theory is that Vim for some reason doesn't recognize any keybinding for the delete key, and simply tries to interpret the string ^[[3~ as input instead. ^[ is the keycode for the Esc key (which puts you in normal mode), and ~ is the Vim command for changing the case of a letter (from normal mode).
You can confirm the keycodes I mentioned by pressing Ctrl+V Esc and Ctrl+V Del from insert mode in Vim. Ctrl+V means that the next character should be inserted as text instead of being interpreted by the editor.
The solution
As for the solution, try editing your Vim configuration file (presumably ~/.vimrc):
vim ~/.vimrc
And append the following code to it:
nmap <Ctrl-V><Del> x
imap <Ctrl-V><Del> <Ctrl-V><Esc>lxi
I hope this helps :)
The problem was that in my .vimrc I had
set term = ansi
Took that out and all was well - sorry about the troubles, thanks!
Well, this took forever for me to resolve. When using vim I was in Iterm2 on macOSx to access a Centos5 system via gnu screen. Not only was the delete key changing the letter case, and causing delays in vim, but also the arrow keys didnt work. I think the problem was simply in the old configuration on the Centos5 machine, but may have had something to also do with either iterm or gnu screen, but i hadnt had this issue at all on any Centos6 systems.
What did Not work:
I compile vim 7.4, that did not resolve it, so don't go down that path.
I also tried these configurations that did not work
"set term=ansi
"set backspace=indent,eol,start
"set nocompatible
"fixdel
":if &term == "xterm"
":if &term == "xterm-256"
": set t_kD=^V<Delete>
":endif
"nmap <Ctrl-V><Del> x
"imap <Ctrl-V><Del> <Ctrl-V><Esc>xi
I finally found the solution.
Solution: Set the following in .vimrc
set term-builtin_xterm
Additionally, you may also notice that 256 colors have an issue on this same system. So if it helps, you can check your TERM environment variable echo $TERM. If it is xterm you can switch it to 256 colors, e.g. export TERM='xterm-256color to get the color schemes back on track for this same system. reference
I had the same issue where vim suddenly interpreted keys differently.
The answer for me was that the environment variable $TERM had somehow been to to 'dumb' in my terminal.
I added
export TERM=xterm-color
to ~/.bashrc (in my case) and that fixed all the issues with keys; DEL worked as expected etc.
I didn't need to add or change anything in ~/.vimrc
I should mention this affected more than just vim for me - if you also see 'less' behave differently for example, you may have the same cause as I did.
I use vim regularly on my OSX machine (vim version 7.2.108), and I do not have this issue. Try renaming your vimrc file and then reload vim, and see if the issue persists. If there is no issue after renaming you vimrc file, then your issue is in that file.
On my machine, my vimrc file is pretty much empty:
set ruler
set tabstop=2
set cindent
set number
syntax on
None of these solutions worked for me, until I found a solution on the vim fandom website.
Those solutions are for a similar problems with arrow keys, which I was experiencing in addition to the delete key problem.
Solution 8 fixed it for me, the problem was that I had remapped <Esc> to <Esc>l in order to move the cursor right every time I entered normal mode, evidently this caused any other key code with included ^[ (which is the escape code) including the arrow keys ( ^[OA ^[OB etc ) and the delete key ( ^[[3~ ) to be misunderstood.
Removing the offending line from my .vimrc fixed the problem.
Related
I'm having a weird issue with vim on Ubuntu. I've been using it for the last few weeks, trying to learn, on Windows and it behaves differently now that I'm using it on Linux.
I noticed that while in insert mode pressing backspace will delete text just like any other editor on Windows, but on Linux the text is "deleted" yet it stays there until I press ESC or write over it.
I was trying to fix this but I'm confused as to whether this is intended behaviour or not. It happens in gvim too.
The reason of this question is this, however:
I deleted my .vimrc file to see if any of my config was at fault and it fixed it. Backspace was now back to its regular self.
But then I tried creating an empty .vimrc file and that made it go back to the delayed delete. It's empty. Why the hell?
So I have no idea what's causing this. Hope my question makes sense my English ain't the best. Thanks.
Alright so looking at :h compatible I found this:
"When a |vimrc| or |gvimrc| file is found while Vim is starting up,
this option is switched off, and all options that have not been
modified will be set to the Vim defaults. Effectively, this means
that when a |vimrc| or |gvimrc| file exists, Vim will use the Vim
defaults, otherwise it will use the Vi defaults. (Note: This doesn't
happen for the system-wide vimrc or gvimrc file, nor for a file given
with the |-u| argument). Also see |compatible-default| and
|posix-compliance|."
So if I'm getting this right, running Vim with a .vimrc file should automatically set nocompatible and running it without one should set compatible... ? Whatever the case, I tried checking with :verbose set compatible? and it always says nocompatible is on so the -N flag shouldn't do anything... Yet it fixes the issue.
Without a vimrc Vim will load /usr/share/vim/vim80/defaults.vim (depending on your vim version). In this file the bs/backspace parameter is set to 2, or actually it is indent,eol,start which is the same as 2 (see :h bs)
Now if you create an empty .vimrc, defaults.vim will not be loaded, so your bs will possibly be 0.
This behaviour is described in :h defaults.vim
So to solve your problem, just put set bs=2 in your .vimrc
Alright I fixed it.
Running vim with the -N command makes it work properly. I'm not sure why but that's what's happening.
I am working with vim on debian.
When I press ctrl-] vim beeps, inserts a new line and goes to "visual block". It does not jump to tag. The same happens with :ctrl-]. Even in insert-mode with ctrl-] vim exits from insert-mode, insert new line and goes to 'visual block'.
But when I use such lines in .vimrc
nnoremap <F3> <c-]>
vnoremap <F3> <c-]>
jumping with F3 works.
Command :verbose map c-] returns No mapping found
update:
As we have discovered in insert mode we can see how vim is interpreting <c-]>. In insert mode after <c-V><c-]> the correct output should be ^] . But my output is
t
^C
Screenshots: after <c-v> I get
And after <c-v><c-]> .
So vim isn't receiving the keystrokes properly. How to check what changes input?
try running vim -u NONE to check if that's happening without any configuration, that way you can be sure it's not a mapping or misconfiguration.
if that solves the issue, check your vim configuration!
Also try doing it in gvim and gvim -u NONE to narrow down the issue to what it's very likely to be. If that works it's a shell or terminal misconfiguration.
if it still fails in the windowed GUI of vim, that means this is X that is wrong, try using xev to see what your key outputs, and xmodmap to printout the values assigned to all your keys on your keyboard layout.
Try using another terminal (like urxvt, gnome-terminal, xterm or the raw linux console), to determine whether it's a terminal emulator misconfiguration of your keys or if it's your shell.
if it's your terminal emulator, then get through the configuration or reset its configuration, there's something setup that shouldn't have been.
Try changing shell to see if that improves (by I doubt it will)… And add the following configuration files in your home directory:
.inputrc
Tab: complete
set meta-flag on
set input-meta on
set output-meta on
set convert-meta off
If that's not enough, you might want to check as well you stty settings for your current shell as well.
If none of that helps, then… take a big hammer and hit very hard your keyboard and your computer, that won't solve your situation, but you'll feel better!
HTH
I have a Ubuntu 12.04 OS. I installed vi and vim, but the backspace doesn't work properly. It is doing the same thing that delete key do.
I am expecting the backspace key to delete a character backwards, but it deletes forwards. I did some search on the Internet, there are too much suggestions for changing the .vimrc file, but non of them worked for me.
Is there anybody who has the same issue?
As explained in answer SO/a/10197995/1699311, you have to correct your terminal setting.
However, if you really want to stick with incorrect terminal behaviour (which will affect some other programs) you can instruct Vim to accommodate with that with :fixdel (it internally swap Backspace and Delete keys.)
All the previous suppose you don't have some mapping on that key.
Try adding the following to your .vimrc file, which would correct the behavior of the backspace key:
set backspace=2
Also, you can execute it inside vi/vim command mode:
:set backspace=2
Additionally, here is more information and solutions if this doesn't work for you: http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Backspace_and_delete_problems
If your backspaces deletes forward you can use the command in vimrc file as shown below
set backspace=2
now on the vi command mode do the follwoing to re-excecute the .vimrc file
:so %
To know which .vimrc file is being read do the following
:echo $MYVIMRC
I am using Cygwin 1.7.22 (32-bit) on Windows 8 (64-bit). Within Cygwin, I am using Vim 7.3.1152, which is the default version.
Behavior that seem like bugs:
When I press I to enter insert mode, it does not say -- INSERT -- in the bottom left. In fact, it doesn't say anything. It does behave correctly, though.
When I delete letters using Backspace in insert mode, the letters do not disappear but the cursor does move to the left.
When I use the arrow keys in insert mode, it enters the letters A, B, C, and D, rather than moving the cursor. The arrow keys work normally outside of insert mode.
How do I make Vim behave as I expect?
Create a ~/.vimrc file with the following contents to put vim in nocompatible mode (actually the mere presence of the file is sufficient.)
set nocompatible
The behavior you are seeing is how vi used to behave. These are not bugs.
Take a look at :h nocompatible
In vim compatible mode tries to emulate vi as closely as possible.
--insert-- is not part of vi so it not shown in compatible mode.
I believe vi did a lazy redraw of the screen and didn't update until you exited back to normal mode. Also backspace is only usable also only works on stuff that was entered in the current insert mode. Overall its not very user friendly.
The arrow keys are sent to vim as escape sequences (escape followed by a coupled of letters). Let ^[ be escape. ^[OA is up on my computer its probably something similar on yours. vim sees this as an escape (goes back to normal mode), and O (add a line above the current) and A which is the A you see entered onto your screen. This just means that vim in compatible mode does not interpret the escape characters properly. Most likely because vi did not interpret them (nor was it designed to use them).
set nocompatible fixes problems 1 and 3.
I think set backspace=indent,eol,start should fix problem 2.
This was asked months ago, but I am answering for future reference for anyone else who encounters this problem.
I was just bitten by this issue. All advice listed in this post, and in other posts on this forum (not to mention posts on other forums) does not work, at least for some of us. I finally figured out the real issue.
vim on cygwin, for whatever reason (at least this was the case for me) does not use the .vimrc you put in your directory. Let's say you copy the example one to your working directory, or copy some .vimrc from online. Or maybe you create a new one from scratch, and put all the settings the good people here and elsewhere recommend (set backspace = blahblah, set nocompatible, set this, set that). It doesn't work. Why? Because for whatever reason (at least in my case) vim isn't looking at the .vimrc you just created.
The solution is to FORCE vim to use a particular .vimrc, by passing in -u on the command line like so:
vim -u [/INSERT/PATH/TO/.vimrc]
For the love of all that is holy, DO NOT type square brackets or the words "/INSERT/PATH/TO/.vimrc" verbatim. Use your brain please.
Anyway, this solved my problems and I was able to use the default example .vimrc and get proper delete and backspace behavior while in insert mode, not to mention other goodies.
You might want to alias the vim command in your .bashrc like this:
alias vim='vim -u [/INSERT/PATH/TO/.vimrc]'
Regarding A,B,C,D for arrow keys in Vim, adding:
:set term=cons25
to ~/.vimrc worked like a charm.
source: http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Fix_arrow_keys_that_display_A_B_C_D_on_remote_shell
Following different answers in this topic I found a simple solution.
$ vi --version | head
VIM - Vi IMproved 8.2 (2019 Dec 12, compiled Mar 30 2020 21:54:08)
Included patches: 1-486
Modified by <cygwin#cygwin.com>
Compiled by <cygwin#cygwin.com>
$ vi --version | grep 'user vimrc'
user vimrc file: "$HOME/.virc"
2nd user vimrc file: "~/.vim/vimrc"
So I just created ~/.virc (not vimrc) and it works! The content of the file:
set nocompatible
Probably, if you already have this file you will add the above string in it. Or, as people say above, if you have an empty ~/.virc, nocompatible mode must be already in use (I didn't check it).
Apart of the question, line numbers (that I find very useful) may be shown in vi by adding:
set number
I've been getting more and more comfortable using vi on a daily basis, but one thing that bothers me is that when I use it on Ubuntu it behaves differently than when I use it on CentOS (and probably other places). I actually prefer the way it works in CentOS.
Here are three things that are really bothering me on Ubuntu:
In CentOS insert mode there is a big bold notice at the bottom that I'm in INSERT mode, but in Ubuntu there is no notice so I can never tell which mode I'm in.
In CentOS insert mode I can press the up/down keys and the cursor will move up and down. But when I'm in Ubuntu pressing up and down inserts the letters A and B respectively on new lines.
In CentOS insert mode I can use the backspace key and it will delete the character that is before the cursor, but in Ubuntu I just hear a beep sound and nothing happens. I can press the delete key in command mode, but I'd rather be able to press the backspace key.
Are these differences something that I have to live with or is it an easy fix?
In ubuntu, the default vim install comes from the package vim-tiny, which isn't the whole thing.
You probably want to:
apt-get install vim
or
apt-get install vim-full
Some of your other problems sound like issues with the backspace key and other things. Once you get the full version of vim, try adding these to your .vimrc:
set nocompatible
set t_kb=^H
fixdel
(IMPORTANT NOTE: that ^H is a literal ctrl-H character, which you'll get by doing Ctrl-V Ctrl-H in insert mode)
The previously offered answers did not work for me.
I tend to prefer leaving OS installations as stock as possible and keeping config files as simple as possible. In order to fix these three issues in Ubuntu 12.04, I did the following:
In "~/.vimrc", insert the lines -
set nocp
set bs=2
In addition to installing vim-full, if you do not already hava a ~/.vimrc:
$ cp /usr/share/vim/vimcurrent/vimrc_example.vim ~/.vimrc
This example .vimrc already makes the most important settings and is a good start for customization.
I'll assume you mean VIM when you say VI? And at least, the 2nd point seems to be a console/terminal issue with VIM/term combo. The page below suggests some fixes, but none that I could make work (I use vim over putty to an Ubuntu dev box)
http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Fix_broken_arrow_key_navigation_in_insert_mode
3rd point can be overwritten by using the following in your .vimrc
set backspace=indent,eol,start
(1) Check if showmode setting is different on both.
(2) Don't know about this one, I think this has more to do with the terminal than Vi itself.
(3) Maybe try using :map <BS> :normal d ?
In CentOS, vi is an alias for a different program, vim, but in recent versions of Ubuntu, vi means just vi, not vim. The difference you see if the difference between two different programs, vi and vim.
If you like vim, just run vim, not vi. This works in Ubuntu too
Setting this in my .vimrc worked for me..
set term=builtin_ansi
I Have WDMyCLoud with Debian 7 inside, im using like:
cp /usr/share/vim/vimcurrent/debian.vim ~/.vimrc
In my case, the .vim file is created as follows:
set nocompatible
fixdel
If I add set t_kb=^H, the backspace key just hehaves as delete key.