11.3. ex Command-Line Options
While most people know ex commands only by their use within vi, the editor exists also as a separate program and can be invoked from the shell (for instance, to edit files as part of a script). Within ex, you can enter the vi or visual command to start vi. Similarly, within vi, you can enter Q to quit the vi editor and enter ex.
If you invoke ex as a standalone editor, you can include the following options:
- +[num]
Start editing at line number num, or the last line of the file if num is omitted.
- +/pattern
Start editing at the first line matching pattern. (Fails if nowrapscan is set in your .exrc start-up file.)
- -c command
Run the given ex command upon start-up. Only one -c option is permitted. An older form of this option, +command, is still supported.
- -e
Run as a line editor rather than full-screen vi mode (default).
- -l
Enter LISP mode for running LISP programs (not supported in all versions).
- -r [file]
Recover and resume editing on file after an aborted editor session or system crash. Without file, list files available for recovery.
- -s
Silent; do not display prompts. Useful when running a script. This behavior also can be set through the older - option.
- -t tag
Edit the file containing tag and position the cursor at its definition (see ctags in Chapter 3, "Linux Commands" for more information).
- -v
Run in full-screen mode (same as invoking vi).
- -w rows
Set the window size so rows lines at a time are displayed; useful when editing by a slow dial-up line.
- -x
Prompt for a key that will be used to try to encrypt or decrypt a file using crypt (not supported in all versions).
- -C
Same as -x, but assume the file is encrypted already (not supported in all versions).
- -L
List files that were saved due to an editor of system crash (not supported in all versions).
- -R
Edit files read-only; do not allow changes to be saved.
You can exit ex in several ways:
- :x
Exit (save changes and quit).
- :q!
Quit without saving changes.
- :vi
Enter the vi editor.
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| 11.2. vi Command-Line Options |  | 11.4. Movement Commands |
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