UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

How to add characters (not on the keyboard) with vi to a file?

Example:
How can I enter the copyright sign (UTF-8-Codetable: 169) with vi?

You can use the :map commands. Vim understands UTF-8 and different file formats, and there are keymaps you can load with :set keymap=???, but for simplicity, you should be able to map your own key. Let's say you want to use CTRL-^ for the copyright character. First, you need to do

Code:

:set encoding=utf-8 fileencondings=

Then you can type the sequence

Code:

CTRL-V u 0 1 6 9

(no spaces here). If you are in text-mode vim (and not gvim), you will see a ? mark. Position the cursor over that question mark and type

Code:

:asc

On the status line, you will see:

Code:

<?> 361, Hex 0169, Octal 551

Bring this up in your HTML browser or whatever. If this isn't the character you expect, I don't know how to help.

Anyway, to map this to a keyboard character, say CTRL_^ you can do:

Code:

:map!  CTRL-VCTRL-^ CTRL-Vu0169

Now when you are insert mode, you can type CTRL-^ and you should see the ? mark. Do the :asc thing to make sure it's right. Finally, you can make an abbreviation so that typing (c) turns into this character:

Code:

:abbr (c) CTRL-Vu0169

That might be more intuitive in the long-run. If you need the sequence (c) without the abbreviation, you can type "(c)CTRL-V" and then a space, period, or whatever.

Note CTRL-V and CTRL-^ means holding down the Control key followed by V or ^ (often 6) or whatever.

Hi otheus,

many thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately I'm working on Solaris with standard sysV vi
The ":set encoding ..." command is not available.
And therefore the sequence "CTRL-V u 0 1 6 9" is also not working.

So, I think I need to change to another editor ...
Anyhow: many thanks for your detailed explanation.

Buongiorrno a tutti,

sono nuovo di ubuntu.
qualcuno mi puo dire come si inserisce un parantesi graffa in vim?
e qualunque altro simbolo?

Grazie,
Matteo