VI editor problem

[Jose A. Lara]

hi there!

When I try to open a file with VI, does not open the file and send this message:

*A copy of an editor buffer of your file "./pant.xxx"
was saved when the editor was killed.
This buffer can be retrieved using the "recover" command of the editor.
An easy way to do this is to give the command "ex -r ./pant.xxx".
This works for "edit" and "vi" also.*

Any clarification would be nice.
Thank you in advance.

Alara

[Rodney Hills]

vi keeps recovery information. Back in the days of modem dialups, it was not uncommon for a user to just be disconnected.

This recovery helps protect a user from loss of changes.

HTH

-- Rod Hills

[Steven E. Protter]

When you edit a file a backup copy is made. If the session is terminated abnormally, you get a chance to recovery the file you were weorking on.

A temporary filelocation should be indicated so you can grab it. You may be prompted if you wish to recover the file.

SEP

[Jose A. Lara]

Thanks a lot for your answer

But I have this problem when I edit any file, I have to retry 1 to 3 times and then the file open.

Any suggestions on making this work?

Regards

AL

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

Suggestion:

erase the file its asking you to recover.

rm

Then it should stop happening.

SEP

[Steve Post]

Now I'm not trying to be insulting here. I'm sure you don't do this.

This is the scenario I know. A user edits a file using vi. They make changes to it. Then they never save the changes or log off or anything. They just drive home for the day.

A batch (cron) process comes along and kills any user logins that are idle for over 4 hours. Or a network process times out the session, effectively killing it. Somehow the vi session is killed. The usual reason is the person was idle for hours.

The user comes back into work the next day, and gets "*A copy of an editor buffer of your file "./pant.xxx"
was saved when the editor was killed.
This buffer can be retrieved ...."

So the moral is:
When you edit a file, and make changes, save the changes.
When you are done working, log off.

steve

[Steve Post]

I reread your problem. You're obviously NOT idle for hours on end.
But there is something that seems strange to me....

"You try to get into the file a few times, before it lets you in."

That means you are actively trying to modify the file. Yet you are not able to get in.
Is this file being edited by someone else?
Is this file being deleted every 2 seconds?
Is the directory the file is in being moved?
Is this file a database file being accessed by large numbers of people?

How big is the file? If it is small enough, copy it to your home directory. Use view instead of vi.

Ah one more question. When you are in the file, editing it, can you exit successfully?

Oh one more.....When vi runs, a copy of the file in question goes somewhere under the tmp directory. Is /tmp full? Do you have permission to use the /tmp directory?

Yes. even another question for you....Are you editing a FILE? Perhaps it's a pipe, or device, or something that's NOT editable.

steve

[Steve Steel]

Hi


Try the rm and if there are any permission problems you will know.

Make sure vi is ok

ll -d /usr/bin/vi
-r-xr-xr-t 6 bin bin 233472 Oct 27 1997 /usr/bin/vi

If the t is missing can give odd things

see man chmod


Steve Steel

[Jose A. Lara]

thanks a lot to all for your help.

I just delete the temporary file ./pant.xxx

[Marc Ahrendt]

jose, i had a similar issue ...what may be of interest to you is where the temporary file vi makes is located

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=732974

[Jose A. Lara]

thanks for your help