On Wed, Feb 07, 2018 at 07:28:42PM +0100, Ingo Schwarze wrote:
> Hi,
>
> while trying to fix the documentation of screen splitting in the vi(1)
> manual page, jmc@ suggested to stop documenting it at all. I like
> the idea because splitting is useless and confusing and the already
> excessively large documentation profits from simplification.
>
> Rationale:
>
> 1. vi screen splitting is confusing and poorly thought out.
> Just as one example, try the following:
>
> $ for f in 1 2 3; do echo content$f > test$f; done
> $ vi test[123]
> :N
> # Now you have split screen mode with test1 and test2.
> :N # again
> # Only results in an error message: No more files to edit.
> <control-W>
> # Now you are in the upper, test1 screen.
> :N # again
> # Now you have two copies of test2 open at the same time, with no warning.
> A changed text <escape> :w
> # Results in error message: Read-only file, not written; use ! to
> override.
> <control-W> A different change <escape> :wq
> # Writes the change normally, with no warning.
> <control-W> :n
> # That opens test2 again in the upper screen, even though you
> # already opened it earlier with :N in the lower screen.
> :N
> # Now you have test3 open, so the behaviour of :N (and :n) depends
> # on which screen you are in, but it is quirky and confusing
> # in each of the cases as soon as you use more than one screen.
I normaly use :Vi or :E for screen splitting. They have less issues than
:N (:n and :prev are funky anyway)
> 2. It is useless in 2018. There are so many more standard ways to
> do the same: Multiple xterms, multiple shells in one terminal
> window, tmux(1), even standard shell job control with multiple
> vi processes...
I don't agree with 2. Especially if you want to copy paste between to
files using the screen splitting is nice since you can yank a block in on
window and paste it in the other.
> Here is a comprehensive diff removing the related clutter from
> the manual page and from :exusage and :viusage.
>
> OK?
I don't like this.
> Ingo
>
>
> Index: docs/USD.doc/vi.man/vi.1
> ===================================================================
> RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/vi/docs/USD.doc/vi.man/vi.1,v
> retrieving revision 1.74
> diff -u -p -r1.74 vi.1
> --- docs/USD.doc/vi.man/vi.1 22 Aug 2017 20:27:18 -0000 1.74
> +++ docs/USD.doc/vi.man/vi.1 7 Feb 2018 18:12:51 -0000
> @@ -689,10 +689,6 @@ If this is the first
> .Aq Cm control-U
> command, scroll half the number of lines in the current screen.
> .Pp
> -.It Aq Cm control-W
> -Switch to the next lower screen in the window,
> -or to the first screen if there are no lower screens in the window.
> -.Pp
> .It Xo
> .Op Ar count
> .Aq Cm control-Y
> @@ -1737,11 +1733,6 @@ The input text is appended after the spe
> .It Cm ar Ns Op Cm gs
> Display the argument list.
> .Pp
> -.It Cm bg
> -.Nm vi
> -only.
> -Background the current screen.
> -.Pp
> .It Xo
> .Op Ar range
> .Cm c Ns Op Cm hange Ns
> @@ -1788,24 +1779,16 @@ Delete the lines from the file.
> .It Xo
> .Cm di Ns Op Cm splay
> .Cm b Ns Oo Cm uffers Oc |
> -.Cm s Ns Oo Cm creens Oc |
> .Cm t Ns Op Cm ags
> .Xc
> -Display buffers, screens or tags.
> +Display buffers or tags.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> -.Op Cm Ee Ns
> -.Op Cm dit Ns
> +.Cm e Ns Op Cm dit Ns | Ns Cm x Ns
> .Op Cm !\&
> .Op Ar +cmd
> .Op Ar file
> .Xc
> -.It Xo
> -.Op Cm Ee Ns
> -.Cm x Ns Op Cm !\&
> -.Op Ar +cmd
> -.Op Ar file
> -.Xc
> Edit a different file.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> @@ -1823,15 +1806,6 @@ command.
> Display and optionally change the file name.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> -.Op Cm Ff Ns
> -.Cm g
> -.Op Ar name
> -.Xc
> -.Nm vi
> -mode only.
> -Foreground the specified screen.
> -.Pp
> -.It Xo
> .Op Ar range
> .Cm g Ns Op Cm lobal
> .No / Ns Ar pattern Ns /
> @@ -1880,9 +1854,9 @@ Display the lines unambiguously.
> .Cm map Ns Op Cm !\&
> .Op Ar lhs rhs
> .Xc
> -Define or display maps (for
> .Nm vi
> -only).
> +only.
> +Define or display maps.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> .Op Ar line
> @@ -1912,8 +1886,7 @@ Write the abbreviations, editor options
> .Ar file .
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> -.Op Cm Nn Ns
> -.Op Cm ext Ns
> +.Cm n Ns Op Cm ext Ns
> .Op Cm !\&
> .Op Ar file ...
> .Xc
> @@ -1933,11 +1906,7 @@ Save the file in a form that can later b
> .Fl r
> option.
> .Pp
> -.It Xo
> -.Op Cm \&Pp Ns
> -.Cm rev Ns Op Cm ious Ns
> -.Op Cm !\&
> -.Xc
> +.It Cm prev Ns Oo Cm ious Oc Ns Op Cm !\&
> Edit the previous file from the argument list.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> @@ -1960,6 +1929,8 @@ Append buffer contents to the current li
> .Op Cm !\&
> .Xc
> End the editing session.
> +This command can also be used to get out of the intentionally
> +undocumented, non-standard, split-screen mode.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> .Op Ar line
> @@ -1978,15 +1949,6 @@ Recover
> if it was previously saved.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> -.Cm res Ns Op Cm ize
> -.Op Cm + Ns | Ns Cm - Ns
> -.Ar size
> -.Xc
> -.Nm vi
> -mode only.
> -Grow or shrink the current screen.
> -.Pp
> -.It Xo
> .Cm rew Ns Op Cm ind Ns
> .Op Cm !\&
> .Xc
> @@ -2132,8 +2094,7 @@ character is usually
> .Aq control-Z .
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> -.Op Cm Tt Ns
> -.Cm a Ns Op Cm g Ns
> +.Cm ta Ns Op Cm g Ns
> .Op Cm !\&
> .Ar tagstring
> .Xc
> @@ -2195,19 +2156,18 @@ editor.
> .Op Ar flags
> .Xc
> .Nm ex
> -mode only.
> +only.
> Enter
> .Nm vi .
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> -.Op Cm Vi Ns
> -.Cm i Ns Op Cm sual Ns
> +.Cm vi Ns Op Cm sual Ns
> .Op Cm !\&
> .Op Ar +cmd
> .Op Ar file
> .Xc
> .Nm vi
> -mode only.
> +only.
> Edit a new file.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> @@ -2231,19 +2191,23 @@ command.
> .Op Cm !\&
> .Op Ar file
> .Xc
> +Write the file.
> +.Pp
> .It Xo
> .Op Ar range
> .Cm wn Ns Op Cm !\&
> .Op >>
> .Op Ar file
> .Xc
> +Write the file and edit the next file from the argument list.
> +.Pp
> .It Xo
> .Op Ar range
> .Cm wq Ns Op Cm !\&
> .Op >>
> .Op Ar file
> .Xc
> -Write the file.
> +Write the file and exit the editor.
> .Pp
> .It Xo
> .Op Ar range
> Index: ex/ex_cmd.c
> ===================================================================
> RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/vi/ex/ex_cmd.c,v
> retrieving revision 1.10
> diff -u -p -r1.10 ex_cmd.c
> --- ex/ex_cmd.c 19 Nov 2015 07:53:31 -0000 1.10
> +++ ex/ex_cmd.c 7 Feb 2018 18:12:52 -0000
> @@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ EXCMDLIST const cmds[] = {
> {"bg", ex_bg, E_VIONLY,
> "",
> "bg",
> - "put a foreground screen into the background"},
> + "put the current screen into the background"},
> /* C_CHANGE */
> {"change", ex_change, E_ADDR2|E_ADDR_ZERODEF,
> "!ca",
> @@ -150,12 +150,12 @@ EXCMDLIST const cmds[] = {
> /* C_EDIT */
> {"edit", ex_edit, E_NEWSCREEN,
> "f1o",
> - "[Ee][dit][!] [+cmd] [file]",
> + "e[dit][!] [+cmd] [file]",
> "begin editing another file"},
> /* C_EX */
> {"ex", ex_edit, E_NEWSCREEN,
> "f1o",
> - "[Ee]x[!] [+cmd] [file]",
> + "ex[!] [+cmd] [file]",
> "begin editing another file"},
> /* C_EXUSAGE */
> {"exusage", ex_usage, 0,
> @@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ EXCMDLIST const cmds[] = {
> /* C_FG */
> {"fg", ex_fg, E_NEWSCREEN|E_VIONLY,
> "f1o",
> - "[Ff]g [file]",
> + "fg [file]",
> "bring a backgrounded screen into the foreground"},
> /* C_GLOBAL */
> {"global", ex_global, E_ADDR2_ALL,
> @@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ EXCMDLIST const cmds[] = {
> /* C_NEXT */
> {"next", ex_next, E_NEWSCREEN,
> "!fN",
> - "[Nn][ext][!] [+cmd] [file ...]",
> + "n[ext][!] [+cmd] [file ...]",
> "edit (and optionally specify) the next file"},
> /* C_NUMBER */
> {"number", ex_number, E_ADDR2|E_CLRFLAG,
> @@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ EXCMDLIST const cmds[] = {
> /* C_PREVIOUS */
> {"previous", ex_prev, E_NEWSCREEN,
> "!",
> - "[Pp]rev[ious][!]",
> + "prev[ious][!]",
> "edit the previous file in the file argument list"},
> /* C_PUT */
> {"put", ex_put,
> @@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ EXCMDLIST const cmds[] = {
> /* C_TAG */
> {"tag", ex_tag_push, E_NEWSCREEN,
> "!w1o",
> - "[Tt]a[g][!] [string]",
> + "ta[g][!] [string]",
> "edit the file containing the tag"},
> /* C_TAGNEXT */
> {"tagnext", ex_tag_next, 0,
> @@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ EXCMDLIST const cmds[] = {
> /* C_VISUAL_VI */
> {"visual", ex_edit, E_NEWSCREEN,
> "f1o",
> - "[Vv]i[sual][!] [+cmd] [file]",
> + "vi[sual][!] [+cmd] [file]",
> "edit another file (from vi mode only)"},
> /* C_VIUSAGE */
> {"viusage", ex_viusage, 0,
> @@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ EXCMDLIST const cmds[] = {
> {"xit", ex_xit, E_ADDR2_ALL|E_ADDR_ZERODEF,
> "!f1o",
> "[line [,line]] x[it][!] [file]",
> - "exit"},
> + "write if modified and exit"},
> /* C_YANK */
> {"yank", ex_yank, E_ADDR2,
> "bca",
> Index: ex/ex_usage.c
> ===================================================================
> RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/vi/ex/ex_usage.c,v
> retrieving revision 1.8
> diff -u -p -r1.8 ex_usage.c
> --- ex/ex_usage.c 12 Nov 2014 04:28:41 -0000 1.8
> +++ ex/ex_usage.c 7 Feb 2018 18:12:52 -0000
> @@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ ex_usage(SCR *sp, EXCMD *cmdp)
> ARGS *ap;
> EXCMDLIST const *cp;
> int newscreen;
> - char *name, *p, nb[MAXCMDNAMELEN + 5];
> + char *p;
>
> switch (cmdp->argc) {
> case 1:
> @@ -97,28 +97,13 @@ ex_usage(SCR *sp, EXCMD *cmdp)
> break;
> case 0:
> for (cp = cmds; cp->name != NULL && !INTERRUPTED(sp); ++cp) {
> - /*
> - * The ^D command has an unprintable name.
> - *
> - * XXX
> - * We display both capital and lower-case versions of
> - * the appropriate commands -- no need to add in extra
> - * room, they're all short names.
> - */
> - if (cp == &cmds[C_SCROLL])
> - name = "^D";
> - else if (F_ISSET(cp, E_NEWSCREEN)) {
> - nb[0] = '[';
> - nb[1] = toupper(cp->name[0]);
> - nb[2] = cp->name[0];
> - nb[3] = ']';
> - for (name = cp->name + 1,
> - p = nb + 4; (*p++ = *name++) != '\0';);
> - name = nb;
> - } else
> - name = cp->name;
> - (void)ex_printf(sp,
> - "%*s: %s\n", MAXCMDNAMELEN, name, cp->help);
> + if (cp == &cmds[C_BG] || cp == &cmds[C_FG] ||
> + cp == &cmds[C_RESIZE])
> + continue;
> + (void)ex_printf(sp, "%*s: %s\n", MAXCMDNAMELEN,
> + /* The ^D command has an unprintable name. */
> + cp == &cmds[C_SCROLL] ? "^D" : cp->name,
> + cp->help);
> }
> break;
> default:
> Index: vi/v_cmd.c
> ===================================================================
> RCS file: /cvs/src/usr.bin/vi/vi/v_cmd.c,v
> retrieving revision 1.5
> diff -u -p -r1.5 v_cmd.c
> --- vi/v_cmd.c 13 Mar 2016 18:30:43 -0000 1.5
> +++ vi/v_cmd.c 7 Feb 2018 18:12:52 -0000
> @@ -108,9 +108,7 @@ VIKEYS const vikeys [MAXVIKEY + 1] = {
> "^V",
> "^V input a literal character"},
> /* 027 ^W */
> - {v_screen, 0,
> - "^W",
> - "^W move to next screen"},
> + {v_screen, 0, NULL, NULL},
> /* 030 ^X */
> {NULL},
> /* 031 ^Y */
>
--
:wq Claudio
