UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Is there anyway to use the fr*$%& number pad in VI?
Anyway? Anyway at all?
All it does now random movements and inserts of characters

VI relies upon the terminal settings. For instance,
if you are accessing UNIX via a vt100 terminal program
running on your PC then you must tell the terminal program
how to map these keys. All VI knows about is what your
$TERM environment variable is set to. The actual codes
sent through your termial program are up to the terminal
program sofware (not VI). If you are using some sort of
termial (not a program running on a PC) that has a number
pad, then you probably need to set your TERM variable
properly so that the keyboard codes are mapped properly.

In any case, make sure that your $TERM variable is set
exactly to what ever terminal you are using or emulating.

The man page for "termcap" and/or "terminfo" might be
interesting to you if you want to get more detaild info.
on termial capabilities and key mappings.

Are you using Windows Telnet to connect? If so, you'll never get it figured out - get PuTTY. It's small, fast, fits on a floppy for portability, and super-cool!

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/%7Esgtatham/putty/