Lesson 8. Text EditingIn this lesson you will learn the basics of editing files at the shell prompt and in the GUI within the Unix environment. Now that we have discussed the reading of files we need to know how to edit them as well. In this chapter we cover the basics of file editing in two environments: the shell prompt and using the GUI. Editing files is common in any environment. Whether you are an author who has to master text-editing tools or just a novice typing an email, knowing how to edit files is a very important skill to have. In this chapter we will look at the two most commonly used file-editing programs today within a Unix environment: the vi editor and emacs. The vi editor is used at the shell prompt, and emacs is used within the GUI. So, now that you know how to read files in many different ways, it's time to learn how to create and edit them using these tools.
In this lesson we will dig as deep as we can into both editors, yet we will still barely skim the surface. We will introduce you to the basics of how to edit files, create them, and save them. We will also cover basic navigation and a few other tips as well. |