norm@oglvee.UUCP (Norman Joseph) (08/03/90)
In <1990Aug2.211835.24599@math-cs.kent.edu> jstuart@math-cs.kent.edu (Jeff Stuart) writes: >We have a problem here also with vi that when you edit a file and that >file contains an ei: possibly followed by some text and then another : >vi gives an error message. Some versions of vi recognize an option called "modelines." When this option is turned on (via :set modelines in your .exrc, or, in your case, possibly by default) vi will recognize, in the first and last 5 or so lines of the file you're editing, lines of the form: vi:<valid vi commands here>: ex:<valid ex commands here>: If vi is using a regular expression like [ve][ix]: to search for this line, this would explain your troubles with the `ei:' line. Any valid command found between the two colons will be executed when the file is read in. You should be able to remedy your problems by creating a .exrc file in your $HOME directory and including in it the line `:set nomodelines'. This will turn of the modelines "feature" at each invocation of vi. [scurries out of dark hole; steps up on soapbox] While a feature like modelines may have its uses, it is generally frowned upon due to its potential use as a Trojan Horse (consider getting an unsuspecting user to edit a file with vi containing a line like `vi:!rm -rf *:'. Having a vendor supply a vi with the modelines option turned on by default is like distributing sendmail with the DEBUG option turned on :-). [climbs down from soapbox; scurries back into dark hole] -- Norm Joseph cgh!amanue!oglvee!norm@dsi.com Oglevee Computer Systems, Inc. {pitt,cgh}!amanue!oglvee!norm "Shucking Usenet oysters in pursuit of a pearl." -- Bill Kennedy