*message.txt* For Vim version 5.6. Last change: 1999 Jul 05 VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar This file contains an alphabetical list of messages and error messages that Vim produces. You can use this if you don't understand what the message means. It is not complete though. 1. Old messages |:messages| 2. Error messages |error-messages| 3. Messages |messages| ============================================================================== 1. Old messages *:messages* *:mes* The ":messages" command can be used to view previously given messages. This is especially useful when messages have been overwritten or truncated. This depends on the 'shortmess' option. The number of remembered messages is fixed at 20. ============================================================================== 2. Error messages *error-messages* When an error message is displayed, but it is removed before you could read it, you can see it again with: > echo errmsg > Ambiguous mapping, conflicts with "..." The first argument for a ":map" command starts with the same character(s) as an already existing mapping which is given in "..." in the error message. Note that keys like often start with "^[[". Check the output of ":set termcap" for that. All variations of the ":map" command give the same message: ":cmap", ":imap", etc. > ATTENTION > Found a swap file by the name ... See |ATTENTION|. > Cannot allocate colormap entry for "xxxx" This is not a message directly from Vim, but from X-Windows. It means that there are not enough colors available for Vim. It will still run, but some of the colors will not appear. Try stopping other applications that use many colors, or start them after starting gvim. Netscape is known to consume a lot of colors. You can avoid this by telling it to use its own colormap: > netscape -install Or tell it to limit to a certain number of colors (64 should work well): > netscape -ncols 64 This can also be done with a line in your Xdefaults file: > Netscape*installColormap: Yes or > Netscape*maxImageColors: 64 > Command not allowed from exrc/vimrc in current dir or tag search Some commands are not allowed for security reasons. These commands mostly come from a .exrc or .vimrc file in the current directory, or from a tags file. Also see 'secure'. > File exists (use ! to override) You are protected from accidentally overwriting a file. When you want to write anyway, use the same command, but add a "!" just after the command. Example: > :w /tmp/test changes to: > :w! /tmp/test > File not written: Writing is disabled by 'write' option The 'write' option is off. This makes all commands that try to write a file generate this message. This could be caused by a |-m| commandline argument. You can switch the 'write' option on with ":set write". > GUI cannot be used: Not enabled at compile time You are running a version of Vim that doesn't include the GUI code. Therefore "gvim" and ":gui" don't work. > Mark has invalid line number You are using a mark that has a line number that doesn't exist. This can happen when you have a mark in another file, and some other program has deleted lines from it. > No alternate file The alternate file is not defined yet. See |alternate-file|. > No file name The current buffer has no name. To write it, use ":w fname". Or give the buffer a name with ":file fname". > No previous substitute regular expression When using the '~' character in a pattern, it is replaced with the previously used pattern in a ":substitute" command. This fails when no such command has been used yet. See |/~|. > No previous regular expression When using an empty search pattern, the previous search pattern is used. But that is not possible if there was no previous search. > No such abbreviation You have used an ":unabbreviate" command with an argument which is not an existing abbreviation. All variations of this command give the same message: ":cunabbrev", ":iunabbrev", etc. > No such mapping You have used an ":unmap" command with an argument which is not an existing mapping. All variations of this command give the same message: ":cunmap", ":unmap!", etc. > No write since last change (use ! to override) You are trying to |abandon| a file that has changes. Vim protects you from losing your work. You can either write the changed file with ":w", or, if you are sure, |abandon| it anyway, and lose all the changes. This can be done by adding a '!' character just after the command you used. Example: > :e other_file changes to: > :e! other_file > Warning: File "{filename}" has changed since editing started The file which you have started editing has got another timestamp. This probably means that some other program changed the file. You will have to find out what happened, and decide which version of the file you want to keep. There is one situation where you get this message even though there is nothing wrong: If you save a file in Windows on the day the daylight saving time starts. It can be fixed by adding this line in your autoexec.bat: > SET TZ=-1 Adjust the "-1" for your time zone. Or just write the file again the next day. > Warning: File "{filename}" no longer available The file which you have started editing has disappeared, or is no longer accessible. Make sure you write the buffer somewhere to avoid loosing changes. > Only one file name allowed The ":edit" command only accepts one file name. When you want to specify several files for editing use ":next" |:next|. > Out of memory! Oh, oh. You must have been doing something complicated, or some other program is consuming your memory. Be careful! Vim is not completely prepared for an out-of-memory situation. First make sure that any changes are saved. Then try to solve the memory shortage. To stay on the safe side, exit Vim and start again. Also see |msdos-limitations|. > 'readonly' option is set (use ! to override) You are trying to write a file that was marked as read-only. To write the file anyway, either reset the 'readonly' option, or add a '!' character just after the command you used. Example > :w changes to: > :w! > Recursive use of :normal too deep You are using a ":normal" command, whose argument again uses a ":normal" command in a recursive way. This is restricted to 'maxmapdepth' levels. This example illustrates how to get this message: > :map gq :normal gq If you type "gq", it will execute this mapping, which will call "gq" again. > Scripts nested too deep Scripts can be read with the "-s" command-line argument and with the ":source" command. The script can then again read another script. This can continue for about 14 levels. When more nesting is done, Vim assumes that there is a recursive loop somewhere and stops with this error message. > Tags file not sorted: {file name} Vim (and Vi) expect tags files to be sorted in ASCII order. Binary searching can then be used, which is a lot faster than a linear search. If your tags files are not properly sorted, reset the |'tagbsearch'| option. This message is only given when Vim detects a problem when searching for a tag. Sometimes this message is not given, even thought the tags file is not properly sorted. > Too many file names When expanding file names, more than one match was found. Only one match is allowed. > ml_get: invalid lnum: This is an internal Vim error. Please try to find out how it can be reproduced, and submit a bug report |bugreport.vim|. ============================================================================== 3. Messages *messages* This is an overview of various messages that Vim gives: *hit-return* > Press RETURN or enter command to continue This message is given when there is something on the screen for you to read, and the screen is about to be redrawn: - After executing an external command (e.g., ":!ls" and "="). - Something is displayed on the status line that is longer than the width of the window, or runs into the 'showcmd' or 'ruler' output. Hit or to redraw the screen and continue, without that key being used otherwise. Or hit ":" or any other Normal mode command character to start that command. {Vi: only ":" commands are interpreted} To reduce the number of hit-return prompts: - Set 'cmdheight' to 2 or higher. - Add flags to 'shortmess'. - Reset 'showcmd' and/or 'ruler'. Also see 'mouse'. It is highlighted with the |hl-Question| group. *more-prompt* > -- More -- > -- More -- (RET: line, SPACE: page, d: half page, q: quit) > -- More -- (RET/BS: line, SPACE/b: page, d/u: half page, q: quit) This message is given when the screen is filled with messages. It is only given when the 'more' option is on. It is highlighted with the |hl-MoreMsg| group. Type effect ~ or or j or one more line or k or one line back (*) or next page b or previous page (*) d down half a page u up half a page (*) q, or CTRL-C stop the listing : stop the listing and enter a command-line Any other key causes the meaning of the keys to be displayed. (*) backwards scrolling is only supported for these commands: > :clist Note: The typed key is directly obtained from the terminal, it is not mapped and typeahead is ignored. vim:ts=8:sw=8:tw=78: