## C.2. nvi 1.79 Options

nvi 1.79 has a total of 78 options that affect its behavior. Table C.2 summarizes the most important ones. Most options described in Table C.1 are not repeated here.

#### Table C.2. nvi 1.79 Set Options

Option | Default | Description
--- | --- | ---
`backup` | `` | A string describing a backup filename to use. The current contents of a file are saved in this file before writing the new data out. For example, a value of `"N%.bak"` causes nvi to include a version number at the end of the file; version numbers are always incremented.
`cdpath` | environment variable `CDPATH`, or current directory | A search path for the `:cd` command.
`cedit` |  | When the first character of this string is entered on the colon command line, nvi opens a new window on the command history that you can then edit. Hitting RETURN on any given line executes that line. ESC is a good choice for this option. (Use `^V ^[` to enter it.)
`comment` | `nocomment` | If the first non-empty line begins with `/*`, `//`, or `#`, nvi skips the comment text before displaying the file. This avoids displaying long, boring legal notices.
`directory (dir)` | environment variable `TMPDIR`, or /tmp | The directory where nvi puts its temporary files.
`extended` | `noextended` | Searches use egrep-style extended regular expressions.
`filec` |  | When the first character of this string is entered on the colon command line, nvi treats the blank delimited word in front of the cursor as if it had an `*` appended to it and does shell-style filename expansion. ESC is a also good choice for this option. (Use `^V ^[` to enter it.) When this character is the same as for the `cedit` option, command line editing is performed only when the character is entered as the first character on the colon command line.
`iclower` | `noiclower` | Make all regular expression searches case insensitive, as long as the search pattern contains no uppercase letters.
`leftright` | `noleftright` | Long lines scroll the screen left to right, instead of wrapping.
`lock` | `lock` | nvi attempts to get an exclusive lock on the file. Editing a file that cannot be locked creates a read-only session.
`octal` | `nooctal` | Displays unknown characters in octal, instead of in hexadecimal.
`path` | `` | A colon-separated list of directories in which nvi will look for the file to be edited.
`recdir` | /var/tmp/vi.recover | The directory where recovery files are stored.
`ruler` | `noruler` | Displays the row and column of the cursor.
`searchincr` | `nosearchincr` | Searches are done incrementally.
`secure` | `nosecure` | Turns off access to external programs via text filtering (`:r!`, `:w!`), disables the vi mode `!` and `^Z` commands, and the ex mode `!`, `shell`, `stop`, and `suspend` commands. Once set, it cannot be changed.
`shellmeta` | `~{[*?$''"\` | When any of these characters appear in a filename argument to an ex command, the argument is expanded by the program named by the `shell` option.
`showmode (smd)` | `noshowmode` | Displays a string in the status line showing the current mode. Displays an `*` if the file has been modified.
`sidescroll` | `16` | The number of columns by which the screen is shifted left or right when `leftright` is true.
`taglength (tl)` | `0` | Defines number of characters that are significant for tags. Default (zero) means that all characters are significant.
`tags (tag)` | tags /var/db/libc.tags /sys/kern/tags | The list of possible tag files.
`tildeop` | `notildeop` | The `~` command takes an associated motion, not just a preceding count.
`wraplen (wl)` | `0` | Identical to the `wrapmargin` option, except that it specifies the number of characters from the left margin at which the line will be split. The value of `wrapmargin` overrides `wraplen`.

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