chapters/02.markdown @ 4a629137f5b9 jlmuir/fix-typo-in-ch-15-the-to-1475169459896
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| author | Steve Losh <steve@stevelosh.com> |
|---|---|
| date | Thu, 06 Oct 2016 13:30:25 +0000 |
| parents | b0ca11bfb7a8 |
| children | (none) |
Setting Options =============== Vim has many options you can set to change how it behaves. There are two main kinds of options: boolean options (either "on" or "off") and options that take a value. Boolean Options --------------- Run the following command: :::vim :set number Line numbers should appear on the left side of the window if they weren't there already. Now run this: :::vim :set nonumber The line numbers should disappear. `number` is a boolean option: it can be off or on. You turn it "on" by running `:set number` and "off" with `:set nonumber`. All boolean options work this way. `:set <name>` turns the option on and `:set no<name>` turns it off. Toggling Boolean Options ------------------------ You can also "toggle" boolean options to set them to the *opposite* of whatever they are now. Run this: :::vim :set number! The line numbers should reappear. Now run it again: :::vim :set number! They should disappear once more. Adding a `!` (exclamation point or "bang") to a boolean option toggles it. Checking Options ---------------- You can ask Vim what an option is currently set to by using a `?`. Run these commands and watch what happens after each: :::vim :set number :set number? :set nonumber :set number? Notice how the first `:set number?` command displayed `number` while the second displayed `nonumber`. Options with Values ------------------- Some options take a value instead of just being off or on. Run the following commands and watch what happens after each: :::vim :set number :set numberwidth=10 :set numberwidth=4 :set numberwidth? The `numberwidth` option changes how wide the column containing line numbers will be. You can change non-boolean options with `:set <name>=<value>`, and check them the usual way (`:set <name>?`). Try checking what a few other common options are set to: :::vim :set wrap? :set shiftround? :set matchtime? Setting Multiple Options at Once -------------------------------- Finally, you can specify more than one option in the same `:set` command to save on some typing. Try running this: :::vim :set numberwidth=2 :set nonumber :set number numberwidth=6 Notice how both options were set and took effect in the last command. Exercises --------- Read `:help 'number'` (notice the quotes). Read `:help relativenumber`. Read `:help numberwidth`. Read `:help wrap`. Read `:help shiftround`. Read `:help matchtime`. Add a few lines to your `~/.vimrc` file to set these options however you like.