GNU/Linux kernel 2.6, Slackware.
VIM - Vi IMproved 7.1
Huge version without GUI.

Hi:
When I quit an editing sesion vim creates a backup file with the same name as that of the edited file but with a '~' appended. I would like the name for the backup file to be the following: same base name as that of the edited file and edited file extension replaced by 'bak'. Example:

Input file//////////////backup file after editing
----------//////////////-------------------------
foo.txt/////////////////foo.txt~
foo.txt/////////////////foo.bak

The first line corresponds to what vim now does. The second one is what I want vim to do. If someone could give me a hint I would greatly appreciate it. Regards,

Enrique.

Are you sure it does that? IME, it only creates the backup for the duration of the edit session, then removes it on successful exit or quit.
The only time I've seen the file still there afterwards is if I've crashed out of the editor for some reason... that's how it recovers your prev session.

I made a test:
# vim foo21.txt
Now I write some lines, issue the command write (:w) and quit.

# ls foo*
foo21.txt
# vim foo21.txt
I add a new line, write and quit.

# ls foo*
foo21.txt
foo21.txt~

This is vim's behaviour by default after installing the slackware distribution. I didn't touch anything related to vim.

P.S.: I made the same test with vi and it does exactly what you say. But I'm working with vim.

Any editor does that. Nano does it Kate does it gedit does it. They all create a copy of your file ending with ~. It is a temporary backup of your last session.

Not any editor. dbEdit under MS-DOS replaces the extension with .bak as the name of the backup file. And this backup is permanent, not temporary. And I want vim to behave, in this respect, as dbEdit.

Thanks for your replies.

This is not MS-DOS. Things do act differently. I have not seen a Linux Editor that doesn't add ~ at the end of the session files. If you want an editor that works like dbEdit, then use dbEdit. Unfortunately in Linux the convention is to end the file with ~ and not .bak. MS-DOS requires a file extention, Linux does not. I don't think you will find a native Linux editor that will save those files as .bak, but best of luck to you in your search.

Thanks a lot. Then, unfortunately, I'm doomed to have three files coexisting. Even worst: if I order windows/dos to delete all *~ it seems not to see them. It lists them when I issue the dir command but 'del *~' does nothing. Well. Good bye and best wishes.

Enrique.

Aahh, actually, I was thinking of .swp files; they're the recovery files.
To do what you want, see the soln(s) here http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Remove_swa...king_directory

Thanks Chris. I'll read your link. Good bye.

Enrique.

Thank you Chris. I'll read the link you sent me. Regards.

Enrique.

You could use:
:set backupext="bak"
maybe you need to use
:set backupext=".bak"

There are other options about the backup files, such as whether a new file is created or the old one renamed which might be important if editing from a share.

See
:help backupext
for the extension info

:help backup
for the other information about the backup files.

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I was sure vim had to have an option for that. Thank you very much jschiwal.

The :set all command in vim lists all the options.