Accessing URLs with Netrw and Editing Binary Files in Vim

works with the netrw plugin. Currently URLs with these formats are recognized: ftp:// uses ftp rcp:// uses rcp scp:// uses scp http:// uses wget (reading only) Vim doesn't do the communication itself, it relies on the mentioned programs to be available on your computer. On most Unix systems "ftp" and "rcp" will be present. "scp" and "wget" might need to be installed. Vim detects these URLs for each command that starts editing a new file, also with ":edit" and ":split", for example. Write commands also work, except for http://. For more information, also about passwords, see |netrw|. ============================================================================== *23.3* Binary files You can edit binary files with Vim. Vim wasn't really made for this, thus there are a few restrictions. But you can read a file, change a character and write it back, with the result that only that one character was changed and the file is identical otherwise. To make sure that Vim does not use its clever tricks in the wrong way, add the "-b" argument when starting Vim: > vim -b datafile This sets the 'binary' option. The effect of this is that unexpected side effects are turned off. For example, 'textwidth' is set to zero, to avoid automatic formatting of lines. And files are always read in Unix file format. Binary mode can be used to change a message in a program. Be careful not to insert or delete any characters, it would stop the program from working. Use "R" to enter replace mode. Many characters in the file will be unprintable. To see them in Hex format: > :set display=uhex Otherwise, the "ga" command can be used to see the value of the character under the cursor. The output, when the cursor is on an <Esc>, looks like this: <^[> 27, Hex 1b, Octal 033 ~ There might not be many line breaks in the file. To get some overview switch the 'wrap' option off: > :set nowrap BYTE POSITION To see on which byte you are in the file use this command: > g CTRL-G The output is

This section details Vim's capabilities for accessing files via URLs using the netrw plugin, outlining supported protocols (ftp, rcp, scp, http) and the external programs they rely on. It then discusses editing binary files, emphasizing the use of the '-b' option to prevent unwanted side effects. Techniques for viewing and modifying binary data, such as using replace mode ('R'), displaying unprintable characters in hexadecimal format, disabling line wrapping, and determining byte position with 'g CTRL-G', are also covered.