Quick vi question

I'm taking an online Linux class this semester and we are using Lab Simulation software.

The software instructed me to "make a new file" with:

vi /etc/users.allow

I thought "touch" was the command. I tried vi /home/user/test1 on my own Slackware pc at home and of course, I was allowed to "edit" the file, but after :wq I was notified that the file doesn't exist.

Obviously, there are a lot of Linux distros and various versions of vi. Does anyone know of any distros that allow vi to create a new file rather than just editing it? I've contacted the teacher about this ( and I may refer him to this thread).

Thanks,
-Joe G.

Btw... I usually use emacs myself

Well, this is Mandriva and, like you say, there are different implementations of vi.

[rolf@localhost ~]$ vi test1

<pressed 'i' to enter Insert mode, typed some text, pressed 'Esc, :wq' to return to command mode, write, quit>

[rolf@localhost ~]$ cat test1
this is it

So, you don't report entering insert mode, nor using Esc to leave it, in case that matters. You would have to be root to write to /etc but you know that.

Yes, I used "i" and "Esc".

Sometimes I can't type as fast as I think...

Or maybe think as fast as I type.

Sorry 'bout that.

Never mind... I'm wrong. vi made a file.

vi is a long-standing editor on almost all Unix/Linux systems!
(I've routinely used it since the 80s). Creates and updates files.
I find the following "vi cheatsheet" pretty handy at times:

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/vi-guide.xml

touch is not an editor - it is used to modify file timestamps without opening the file.

It's slightly puzzling that you were unable to create the testfile, unless this was not your home directory. Normally, when you try to "wq" in a directory you have no write access to (you can check the permissions by typing ls -la on the commandline) vi will give an error and tell you what the error is.
Generally, you don't have write access to system-directories such as /etc as ordinary user, no matter which editor you use.
So this is not really a vi question but a write-access question.

Hi pdown85!

Thanks for the cheat sheet!

I didn't know you could change timestamps with touch. But, touch will create a new blank file.
(on my machine anyhow )

touch /home/username/file_test_of_touch

Thanks for the help!


Hi baretta!

I was probably making some stoopid mistakes when I first used vi. I've alway used emacs (touch to make the file; emacs to edit.)... but I've been wanting to learn vi

I've been using Slackware, but this is my first actual formal Linux class. Up 'til now, I've just been learning by reading documentation, reading/participating in Linux forums and trial and error.

Thank you all for your help!

-Joe