*usr_01.txt*	For Vim version 6.0ad.  Last change: 2001 Jan 20

		     VIM USER MANUAL - by Bram Moolenaar
		
			      About the manuals


|01.1|  Two manuals
|01.2|  Using the Vim tutor
|01.3|  Copyright

     Next chapter: |usr_02.txt|  The first steps in Vim
Table of contents: |usr_toc.txt|

==============================================================================
*01.1*  Two manuals

The Vim documentation consists of two parts:

1. The User manual
   Task oriented explanations, from simple to complex.  Reads from start to
   end, like a book.

2. The Reference manual
   Precise description of how everything in Vim works.

The notation used in these manuals is explained here: |notation|


JUMPING AROUND

The text contains hyperlinks between the two parts, allowing you to quickly
jump between the description of an editing task and a precise explanation of
the commands and options used for it.  Use these two commands:

	Hit  CTRL-]  to jump to a subject under the cursor.
	Hit  CTRL-O  to jump back (repeat to go further back).

Many links are in vertical bars, like this: |bars|.  An option name, like
'number', a command in double quotes like ":write" and any other word can also
be used as a link.  Try it out: Move the cursor to  CTRL-]  and hit CTRL-] on
it.

Other subjects can be found with the ":help" command, see |help.txt|.


INSTALLATION

Most of the manuals assume that Vim has been properly installed.  If you
didn't do that yet, or if Vim doesn't run properly (e.g., files can't be found
or in the GUI the menus are not shown) first read the chapter on installation:
|usr_90.txt|.
							*not-compatible*
The manuals often assume you are using Vim with Vi-compatibility switched
off.  For most commands this doesn't matter, but sometimes it is important,
e.g., for multi-level undo.  An easy way to make sure you are using the right
setup, copy the example vimrc file.  By doing this inside Vim you don't have
to check out where it is located.  How to do this depends on the system you
are using:

Unix: >
	:!cp -i $VIMRUNTIME/vimrc_example.vim ~/.vimrc
MS-DOS, MS-Windows, OS/2: >
	:!copy $VIMRUNTIME/vimrc_example.vim $VIM/_vimrc
Amiga: >
	:!copy $VIMRUNTIME/vimrc_example.vim $VIM/.vimrc

If the file already existed you probably want to keep it.

If you start Vim now, the 'compatible' option should be off.  You can check it
with this command: >

	:set compatible?

If it responds with "nocompatible" you are doing well.  If the response is
"compatible" you are in trouble.  You will have to find out why the option is
still set.  Perhaps the file you wrote above is not found.  Use this command
to find out: >

	:scriptnames

If your file is not in the list, check its location and name.  If it is in the
list, there must be some other place where the 'compatible' option is switched
back on.

For more info see |vimrc| and |compatible-default|.

==============================================================================
*01.2*  Using the Vim tutor
							*tutor*
Instead of reading the text (boring!) you can use the vimtutor to learn your
first Vim commands.  This is a 30 minute tutorial that teaches the most basic
Vim functionality hands-on.

On Unix, if Vim has been properly installed, you can start it from the shell:
>
	vimtutor

This will make a copy of the tutor file, so that you can edit it without
the risk of damaging the original.

On non-Unix systems, you have to do a little work:

1. Copy the tutor file.  You can do this with Vim:
>
	vim -u NONE -c 'e $VIMRUNTIME/tutor/tutor' -c 'w! TUTORCOPY' -c 'q'
<
   This will write the file "TUTORCOPY" in the current directory.

2. Edit the copied file with Vim:
>
	vim -u NONE -c "set nocp" TUTORCOPY
<
   The extra arguments make sure Vim is started in a good mood.

3. Delete the copied file:
>
	del TUTORCOPY
<
==============================================================================
*01.3*  Copyright

The Vim user manual and reference manual are copyrighted by Bram Moolenaar.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute the manuals in unmodified
electronic form in any way (on a CD-ROM, on the WWW, etc.).  This can be done
for free or not.

Permission is granted to print and distribute the unmodified manuals on paper
FOR FREE ONLY.  No charge for production, materials, transport, etc. can be
made.

Permission from the author is required for distributing a paper copy not for
free.

Permission is granted to distribute the manuals as just mentioned but with
text added which is clearly marked as such.

People who contribute text to the manuals must agree with these conditions.

Rationale:
This limitation avoids the situation that somebody would bring out a book
with this text and charge money for it without paying the people who spent
their valuable time to write it.
I will allow publishing a book with this text if the publisher guarantees that
the profits go to the right place (to be judged by me).
It also disallows changing the text and pretending that I wrote it.

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 vim:tw=78:
