vi `ei:' (`modeline')

Randy Jarrett WA4MEI rsj at wa4mei.UUCP
Wed Oct 12 01:28:52 AEST 1988


In article <13905 at mimsy.UUCP> chris at mimsy.UUCP (Chris Torek) writes:
>This bulletin is correct in point of fact but is wrong in spirit.
>What really happens is that vi is looking for `mode lines' consisting
>of `ex:<commands>' or `vi:<commands>'.  Such lines must appear within
>the first or last 5 (10?) lines of the file being edited.

That explains the problems that I have been having while makeing
changes with vi to my password file.  I have an entry that I use
my ham call sign wa4mei and in the password file it has a ':' at 
the end (wa4mei:...). everytime vi comes up it gives me a bunch
of gobbly gook about not being valid vi commands.  I am running
Microport 2.3U on a 286.  It doesn't cause any problems, just
annoying.  Sure drove a bunch of the wizards around here bonkers
for a while.


-- 
Randy Jarrett  WA4MEI 
UUCP  ...!gatech!wa4mei!rsj        | US SNAIL: P.O. Box 941217
PHONE +1 404 493 9017		   |           Atlanta, GA 30341-0217



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