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Gnanam
Asked: 2012-05-01 04:41:04 +0800 CST

How can I open a file with line numbers displayed from the command line in 'vi'?

  • 772

I've seen so many examples/usages about how to display/hide line numbers in vi edit mode.

To turn on line numbers: Type :set number in edit mode

To turn off line numbers: Type :set nonumber in edit mode

I wonder whether there is any convenient way/option available (that I may not be knowing) to specify/mention this option at the time of opening the file from the command line?

NOTE: For example, to go to a specific line inside a file after opening it, we can conveniently say vi +/<linenumber> <filename> from the command line.

linux command-line-interface vi

7 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    You can use:

    vi +"set number" your_file
    • 16

  2. How about if you create a separate vim settings file for both cases? For example, ~/.vimrc-number and ~/.vimrc-nonumber. Then you can launch those like this:

    vim -u ~/.vimrc-number /some/text/file
vim -u ~/.vimrc-nonumber /some/text/file

    Or create aliases to your .bashrc:

    alias vimnumbers="vim -u ~/.vimrc-number"
alias vimnonumbers="vim -u ~/.vimrc-nonumber"
    • 3

  3. You can use:

    vi +set\ number <filename>

    or put "set number" to your ~/.vimrc

    • 2

  4. If wrongly answered your question first. My answer was:

    The exact syntax, to jump to a line is :

    vi +linenumber filename

    or

    vi filename +linenumber

    Where linenumber is a number.

    And the correct answer to your question is: 

    vi +set\ number <filename>

    Which will provides lines number while editing filename.

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  5. Looks to me like you answered your own question; Maybe you need to rephrase the question?? :D

    vi +LINENUMBER nameoffile

    • 1

  6. If you want to have the line numbers and to jump to the line number you can use the +"set number" and +linenumber :

    vi +set\ number your_file +171

    • 0

  7. One can use alias, add alias vim='vim +"set number"' to ~/.bashrc,then source ~/.bashrc done.

    • 0