> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://blog.syselement.com/tcm/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://blog.syselement.com/tcm/courses/linux-101/7-utilities-editors/text-edit.md).

# Text Editors and Converters

* There is a difference between text files in Windows, MacOS and Linux.
  * The end of the line in text files is a different character for each O.S - the `line terminator`.
    * Win - **`\n`**
    * MacOS -  (control)
    * Linux -  (line feed)

## Commands

### file

* **`file`** - determine file type

```bash
# Check the line terminators
file sample_win.txt sample_mac.txt sample_unix.txt
    sample_win.txt: ASCII text, with CRLF line terminators
    sample_mac.txt: ASCII text, with CR line terminators
    sample_unix.txt: ASCII text
```

* Converting files with dos2unix/unix2dos tools:

### dos2unix

* **`dos2unix`** / **`unix2dos`**

```bash
sudo apt install dos2unix

# Convert unix file to dos new file
unix2dos -n sample_unix.txt temp.txt
    unix2dos: converting file sample_unix.txt to file temp.txt in DOS format...
file temp.txt
	temp.txt: ASCII text, with CRLF line terminators

unix2dos -c mac sample_unix.txt
	unix2dos: converting file sample_unix.txt to Mac format...
file sample_unix.txt
    sample_unix.txt: ASCII text, with CR line terminators

# Convert dos file to unix file
dos2unix sample_dos.txt
	dos2unix: converting file sample_dos.txt to Unix format...
file sample_dos.txt
	sample_dos.txt: ASCII text

```

## Editors

### nano

* **`nano`** - small editor
  * pening multiple files, scrolling per line, undo/redo, syntax coloring, line numbering, and soft-wrapping overlong lines.

```bash
nano example.txt

# Shortcuts are deisplayed at the bottom of the screen
# ^ = press CTRL + specified short key
# M- = press ALT + specified short key
```

![](/files/Tpdzmc9NH7qJbYf7tChY)

* Press `CTRL+G` to enter the Help menu
* Press `ALT+X` to disable Help mode
* Scroll with `PgUp` and `PgDown` keys
* Press `CTRL+C` to find the cursor location
* Undo a change with `ALT+U`
* `ALT+A` start a selection at the current cursor location and move the cursor
* `ALT+6` to copy the selected text
* `CTRL+U` to paste the copied text
* `CTRL+W` to search content - `ALT+W`/`ALT+Q` to keep searching for the same content
* `CTRL+O` to save file
* `CTRL+X` to exit file

![Nano Keyboard Shortcuts - by bipinthite](/files/DjWKcdPM0BgMeBvNeaLw)

### vim

* **`vim`** - Vi IMproved text editor

> 📌 Check the [VimHelp manual](https://vimhelp.org/) for more advanced Vim functionalities.

|         WHAT         | PREPEND |       EXAMPLE       |
| :------------------: | :-----: | :-----------------: |
|  Normal mode command |         |      `:help x`      |
|  Visual mode command |   `v_`  |     `:help v_u`     |
|  Insert mode command |   `i_`  |   `:help i_<Esc>`   |
| Command-line command |   `:`   |    `:help :quit`    |
| Command-line editing |   `c_`  |   `:help c_<Del>`   |
| Vim command argument |   `-`   |      `:help -r`     |
|        Option        |   `'`   | `:help 'textwidth'` |
|  Regular expression  |   `/`   |      `:help /[`     |

```bash
vim example.txt
# Vim opens in the command mode
```

* Press **`i`** for insert mode
* Press `ESC` key to exit insert mode
* Exit vim with **`:q`**
* Exit without save with **`:q!`**
* Save and exit with **`:wq`**
* Search with `/text_to_search`
  * `n`/`N`to scroll through searching

![VIM Cheat Sheet - by typo209](/files/YOWhHmtHDbzNXTK9lM7D)

***


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