Solaris

I in such cases ask the users to copy the file on their PC and get a ultraedit license...
(worked so far hehe)

Perhaps you need to split up the file into chunks that vi can manage then. If they need to edit it, then concatenate the pieces back together again when they are done. You could do something like this:-

Code:

mkdir /tmp/$$
split -dl 10000 source_file /tmp/$$/
vi /tmp/$$/*
cat /tmp/$$/* > source_file
rm -r /tmp/$$

It's pretty crude and you would need a temporary directory with sufficient space, I admit, but it might help.

If they are non-IT, then perhaps the vi editor is not for them though. Would you consider a Samba share that they can map from a PC and therefore use an editor of their choice? The only worry then is if someone chooses to save in a document format rather than plain text.



Robin

I doubt there is a market for a commercial text editor able to edit +1GB text files while there are undoubtedly freewares able to do it.
What kind of text files are these ?
What kind of editing commands are expected ?

what you want is pico or nano.

vi is for masochists.

Code:

vim -n file

does not use a swap file.

I'm for vi then. You have to be a masochist to like working here.....

"vim" is generally not installed on Solaris 10, only a standard conforming "vi" with no "-n" option.