Clarify the need for chapters 28 and 29.
| author |
Steve Losh <steve@stevelosh.com> |
| date |
Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:02:43 -0400 |
| parents |
33e01424adaa |
| children |
78f061a9fff8 |
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.
Run the following command:
:::vim
:set number
Line numbers should appear in Vim. 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`.
Toggling 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.
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. Try
running this:
:::vim
:set number numberwidth=6
Exercises
---------
Read `:help 'number'` (note 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.