Ecosyste.ms: Awesome

An open API service indexing awesome lists of open source software.

Awesome Lists | Featured Topics | Projects

https://github.com/johnsonjh/openvi

OpenVi: Portable OpenBSD vi for UNIX systems
https://github.com/johnsonjh/openvi

bsd c editor nvi openbsd openvi vi vim

Last synced: 5 days ago
JSON representation

OpenVi: Portable OpenBSD vi for UNIX systems

Awesome Lists containing this project

README 

        



[Uma tradução em português está disponível.](README_pt_BR.md)



# OpenVi



***OpenVi*** — Portable *OpenBSD* **`vi`** / **`ex`**



## Table of Contents



- [Overview](#overview)

  * [Why?](#why)

    + [Why not?](#why-not)

- [Building](#building)

  * [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)

    + [Required prerequisites](#required-prerequisites)

    + [Optional prerequisites](#optional-prerequisites)

    + [Supported platforms](#supported-platforms)

      - [Unsupported platforms](#unsupported-platforms)

  * [Compilation](#compilation)

    + [Platform Specifics](#platform-specifics)

      - [AIX](#aix)

      - [NetBSD](#netbsd)

      - [illumos](#illumos)

      - [Solaris](#solaris)

      - [Windows](#windows)

        * [Cygwin](#cygwin)

- [Availability](#availability)

  * [Source Code](#source-code)

  * [Packages](#packages)

- [Versioning](#versioning)

- [History](#history)

- [License](#license)

- [Acknowledgements](#acknowledgements)

- [Similar Projects](#similar-projects)

- [See Also](#see-also)



## Overview



***OpenVi*** is an enhanced and portable implementation of the Berkeley

**`vi`** / **`ex`** text editor, originally developed by *Bill Joy*.



***OpenVi*** is a fork of the **`vi`** / **`ex`** editor included with

*OpenBSD*, which is derived from version 1.79 of the `nvi` editor originally

distributed as part of the *Fourth Berkeley Software Distribution* (**4BSD**).



The **`nvi`** editor was developed by *Keith Bostic* of the *Computer Systems

Research Group* (**CSRG**) at the *University of California, Berkeley*, *Sven

Verdoolaege*, and other contributors. **`Nvi`** itself was derived from *Steve

Kirkendall*'s **`Elvis`** editor.



### Why?



Why would you want to use ***OpenVi*** instead of ***AnotherVi***?



- Derived from the (extensively audited) *OpenBSD* base system code

  - Focus on readability, simplicity, and correctness of implementation

  - Adherence to *OpenBSD*'s standard secure coding practices

    - Uses secure functions (*e.g.* `strlcpy`, `snprintf`, `mkstemp`, `pledge`)

  - Reduced complexity for hopefully fewer program defects

- Clean source code, distributed under a permissive 3-clause BSD license

  - Some support code is distributed under the (more permissive) ISC license

- Mostly conforming to relevant standards (*POSIX*, *SUS*), where applicable

  - Enhancements, non-standard behaviors, and new features are conservatively

    and sanely implemented with care taken to balance user expectations,

    complexity, and historical accuracy

- Extensions such as `bserase`, `expandtab`, `imctrl`, `visibletab`, etc.

- Build requires only *GNU Make* and standard *POSIX* utilities

  - Easy integration with embedded, minimal, or iteratively bootstrapped

    environments and distributions (such as *Linux From Scratch* builds)

- No compile-time or build-time configuration options

  - Single standard build configuration with no incompatible variants

  - No configuration-specific bugs resulting from untested combinations or

    rarely exercised code paths

  - Concise and understandable documentation; no subtle platform variations

- Consistent user interface, script, and map behavior across all platforms

- Utilizes *OpenBSD*'s extended *Spencer*-based regular expression engine

  (also adopted by *LLVM*, *Tcl*, etc.) on all supported systems

- Single, compact, self-contained binary

  - No external data files required at run-time

  - No external library dependencies (other than curses)

    - Suitable for static linking and emergency “rescue” usage

- All the various tweaks, fixes, improvements, and clean-ups accumulated

  over 25+ years as part of the *OpenBSD* base system



#### Why not?



So, why might you **not** want to use ***OpenVi***, then?



Some of these points might be desirable features, depending on your point of

view.



- Internationalization support is currently lacking

  - No support for Unicode / UTF-8 / wide character display

    - Multibyte characters are shown as individual bytes, rather than glyphs

    - Multibyte support is planned, but is unfortunately non-trivial, see:

      - Schwarze, I. (2016, September 25). *Keep multibyte character support

        simple* [Conference presentation]. EuroBSDCon 2016 Convention,

        Belgrade, Serbia.

        [[pdf:OpenBSD](https://openbsd.org/papers/eurobsdcon2016-utf8.pdf)]

      - Jun-ichiro itojun Hagino [*KAME Project*] and Yoshitaka Tokugawa

        [*WIDE Project*]. (1999, 6 June). *Multilingual vi clones: past, now

        and the future* [Conference presentation]. In Proceedings of the

        annual conference on USENIX, Annual Technical Conference

        (*USENIX ATEC '99*). USENIX Association, Monterey, CA, USA, Page 45.

        [[doi:10.5555/1268708.1268753](https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1268708.1268753)],

        [[abstract:USENIX](https://www.usenix.org/conference/1999-usenix-annual-technical-conference/multilingual-vi-clones-past-now-and-future)]

        (*legacy*)

  - No support for bidirectional text

  - No support for regional localization or message translation

- Inefficient handling of extremely large (*e.g.* multi-GB) files

- No support for syntax highlighting, context-aware code completion, code

  folding, or “*language server*” integrations

- No interactive macro recording and debugging functionality

- No advanced scripting support (no *BASIC*, *COBOL*, *JavaScript*, *Lua*,

  *Perl*, *PHP*, *Python*, *REXX*, *Ruby*, *S-Lang*, *Tcl*, or anything else)

- Only curses-based visual-mode and line-based `ex`-mode interfaces available

  - No support for X11/Wayland, OpenGL/Vulkan, Neuralink, augmented / virtual

    reality, or any other graphical user interfaces



## Building



### Prerequisites



#### Required prerequisites



- **POSIX.1**-**2008** environment: *POSIX* shell (`sh`) and utilities,

  **Awk** (`mawk`, `nawk`), etc.

- **GNU Make** (version *3.81* or later)

- **C99** compiler (*e.g.* `xlc`, `suncc`, `clang`, `gcc`, etc.)

- **Curses** (`ncurses`, *NetBSD* `curses` V8+, `PDCurses` V2.8+,

  `PDCursesMod`, etc.)



#### Optional prerequisites



- **Perl** 5+

- **C shell** (`csh`, `tcsh`, etc.)

- `nroff`, `groff`, etc.



#### Supported platforms



- **OpenVi** is easily portable to most platforms with *UNIX*-like operating

  systems that are mostly conforming to the programming interface described by

  *IEEE Std 1003.1-2008* and user environment described by *IEEE Std

  1003.2-2008*, also known as *POSIX.1-2008* and *POSIX.2-2008*, respectively.



- The following operating systems are fully supported and regularly tested

  using ix86/AMD64, ARM/AArch64, m68k, MIPS, POWER, and RISC-V processors:

  - *IBM* **AIX** 7.1+

  - *Apple* **Darwin** (**macOS** / **Mac OS X**) (*ARM64*, *Intel*, *PowerPC*)

  - **FreeBSD** 12.3+

  - **GNU**/**Linux** distributions (*glibc*, *musl*)

  - *illumos* **OpenIndiana** Hipster

  - **NetBSD** 9+

  - **OpenBSD** 6.9+

  - *Oracle* **Solaris** 11+

  - *Microsoft* **Windows** (*Cygwin*, *Midipix*, *MSYS2*, *WSL*)



- The following compilers are fully supported and regularly tested:

  - *LLVM* **Clang** (*BSD*, *Darwin*, *illumos*, *Linux*, *Solaris*,

    *Windows*) V6+

  - *AMD* **Optimizing C**/**C++** (*Linux*) V3+

  - *GNU* **GCC** (*AIX*, *BSD*, *Darwin*, *illumos*, *Linux*, *Solaris*,

    *Windows*) V4.6+

  - *IBM* **Advance Toolchain** (*Linux on POWER*) V14.0+

  - *IBM* **Open XL C**/**C++** (*AIX*) V17.1+

  - *IBM* **XL C**/**C++** (*AIX*, *Linux*) V16.1+

  - *Intel* **oneAPI DPC++**/**C++** (*Linux*) V2021+

  - *Intel* **C Compiler Classic** (*Darwin*, *Linux*) V19.1+

  - *Oracle* **Developer Studio** (*Linux*, *Solaris*) V12.6+

  - *PCC* **Portable C Compiler** (*NetBSD*) V1.0.0+



Newer or older operating system and compiler releases, within reason, should

work. The versions listed above are those regularly tested and known working.



##### Unsupported platforms



- The following platforms are **not** currently supported, but **support is

  planned** for a future release:

  - **Haiku** Walter

  - *SGI* **IRIX**



User contributions to enhance platform support are welcomed.



### Compilation



- Compilation can be performed by invoking GNU Make (usually `gmake` or `make`)

  from the top-level directory of a source release or git checkout.

- GNU Make's `-j N` flag may be used to parallelize the compilation, where `N`

  is a positive integer representing the number of parallel jobs requested.

- The following environment variables influence compilation and installation:

  - `CC` - C compiler to use

    - (*e.g.* `CC=gcc`)

  - `OPTLEVEL` - Optimization flags

    - (*e.g.* `OPTLEVEL=-O2`)

  - `CFLAGS` - Flags to pass to the C compiler

    - (*e.g.* `CFLAGS="-Wall -pipe"`)

  - `LIBS` - Libraries (overriding defaults) to pass to the linker

    - (*e.g.* `LIBS="-lpdcurses -lflock"`)

  - `LDFLAGS` - Flags to pass to the linker

    - (*e.g.* `LDFLAGS="-L/lib/path -static"`)

  - `V` - Set to enable verbose compilation output

    - (*e.g.* `V=1`)

  - `DEBUG` - Set to compile a debugging build

    - (*e.g.* `DEBUG=1`)

  - `LGC` - Set to enable link-time garbage collection

    - (*e.g.* `LGC=1`)

  - `LTO` - Set to enable link-time optimization

    - (*e.g.* `LTO=1`)

  - `EXTRA_LIBS` - Extra libraries for linking

    - (*e.g.* `EXTRA_LIBS=-lmtmalloc`)

  - `PREFIX` - Directory prefix for use with `install` and `uninstall` targets

    - (*e.g.* `PREFIX=/opt/OpenVi`)

- The usual targets (`all`, `strip`, `superstrip`, `clean`, `distclean`,

  `install`, `install-strip`, `uninstall`, `upx`, etc.) are available; review

  the `GNUmakefile` to see all the available targets and options.



For example, to compile an aggressively size-optimized build, enabling

link-time optimization and link-time garbage collection, explicitly using

*GCC*:

```sh

env CC=gcc OPTLEVEL=-Os LGC=1 LTO=1 gmake sstrip

```

or, to verbosely compile a debugging build, explicitly using *Clang*:

```sh

env CC=clang DEBUG=1 V=1 gmake

```

For systems with *GNU Make* as `make` (*e.g.* *GNU/Linux*), basic compilation

should succeed without any options or additional configuration needed:

```sh

make

```

With the appropriate privileges to manipulate files within the chosen `PREFIX`

(using `doas`, `sudo`, `su`, etc.), the compiled executable may be installed —

as-is or stripped — using an invocation such as:

```sh

doas gmake install-strip

```

or

```sh

sudo env PREFIX=/usr/local make install

```



#### Platform Specifics



The following sections document ***only*** platform specific differences, and

are not intended to be a general or exhaustive reference. For installation of

prerequisite software packages or other system configuration, consult the

vendor's documentation.



##### AIX



- Before building ***OpenVi*** on **AIX**, install the `ncurses` libraries and

  headers. *IBM* provides the necessary packages, `ncurses` and

  `ncurses-devel`, in *RPM* format as part of the *AIX Toolbox for Linux and

  Open Source Software*. With the appropriate permissions (*e.g.* `root`), these

  packages are installable on most systems using the `dnf` or `yum` utilities,

  for example:

  ```sh

  dnf install ncurses ncurses-devel

  ```

  or

  ```sh

  yum install ncurses ncurses-devel

  ```

  The *IBM* **AIX** base system (and **PASE for i**, an integrated runtime

  environment for **AIX** applications on the **IBM i** operating system)

  provides `libxcurses`, an *XPG4*/*XSI* Extended Curses implementation

  derived from *AT&T System V*, which is **not** yet supported for use with

  ***OpenVi***.



- Compilation is supported using *IBM* **XL C**/**C++** V16.1+ (`gxlc` or

  `xlclang`), *IBM* **Open XL C**/**C++** V17.1+ (`ibm-clang`), or *GNU*

  **GCC** (usually `gcc`, `gcc-8`, `gcc-9`, `gcc-10`, `gcc-11`):

  - Link-time optimization (`LTO=1`) requires **Open XL C**/**C++** V17.1+.

    The *IBM* (*AIX Toolbox*) and *Bull*/*Atos* (*Bull Freeware*) **GCC**

    packages, and *IBM* **XL C**/**C++** versions earlier than V17.1 are

    **not** LTO-enabled.

  - Link-time garbage collection (`LGC=1`) is **not** supported on *IBM*

    **AIX**.

  - A 64-bit build is the default on systems operating in 64-bit mode; for a

    32-bit build, set the value of the `MAIXBITS` environment variable to

    `32` (*e.g.* `export MAIXBITS=32`).

  - The value of the `CC` environment variable must be set to the full path

    of the compiler (*e.g.* `/opt/freeware/bin/gcc`,

    `/opt/IBM/xlC/16.1.0/bin/gxlc`, `/opt/IBM/openxlC/17.1.0/bin/ibm-clang`,

    etc.) unless the compiler directory is already part of the current `PATH`.



- File locking (via `flock()` as provided by the **AIX** `libbsd` library) is

  non-functional; this will be investigated and corrected in a future release.



- ***OpenVi*** man pages are authored with `mandoc` and require conversion

  before use with the **AIX** `man` software (which is derived from *AT&T

  UNIX System V*.)



##### NetBSD



- On **NetBSD** installations, the default ***OpenVi*** builds use the BSD

  `curses` library provided by the NetBSD base system. To use `ncurses`

  instead, set the values of the `CFLAGS`, `LDFLAGS`, and `CURSESLIB`

  environment variables appropriately (*i.e.* `CFLAGS=-I/usr/pkg/include`

  `LDFLAGS=-L/usr/pkg/lib` `CURSESLIB=-lncurses`).



- The *LLVM* **LLD** linker is required for link-time optimization (`LTO=1`)

  using **Clang**. It is available as an installable package (*i.e.* `pkgin

  install lld`).



##### illumos



- Before building ***OpenVi*** on an **illumos** distribution (*i.e.*

  **OpenIndiana**), install the `ncurses` libraries and headers. The

  **OpenIndiana** distribution provides the necessary `ncurses` package in

  *IPS* format. With the appropriate permissions (*e.g.* `root`), the package

  can be installed using the **OpenIndiana** `pkg` utility, for example:

  ```sh

  pkg install ncurses

  ```

  The **OpenIndiana** base system provides `libcurses`, an *XPG4*/*XSI*

  Extended Curses implementation derived from *AT&T System V*, which is **not**

  yet supported for use with ***OpenVi***.



- Link-time garbage collection (`LGC=1`) is **not** supported on

  **OpenIndiana**.



##### Solaris



- Before building ***OpenVi*** on *Oracle* **Solaris** 11, install the

  `ncurses` libraries and headers. *Oracle* provides provides the necessary

  `ncurses` package for **Solaris** 11 in *IPS* format. With the appropriate

  permissions (*e.g.* `root`), the package can be installed using the **Solaris**

  `pkg` utility, for example:

  ```sh

  pkg install ncurses

  ```

  The base *Oracle* **Solaris** system provides `libcurses`, an *XPG4*/*XSI*

  Extended Curses implementation derived from *AT&T System V*, which is **not**

  yet supported for use with ***OpenVi***.



- Compilation is supported using *Oracle* **Developer Studio**, **GCC**, and

  **Clang**:

  - When using *Oracle* **Developer Studio**, invoke the compiler as `suncc`

    or set the value of the `_OSLCC` environment variable to `1`.

  - Link-time optimization (`LTO=1`) is currently supported **only** when using

    **GCC** or **Clang**.

  - Link-time garbage collection (`LGC=1`) is **not** supported on **Solaris**.

  - When using the *Oracle* **Developer Studio** (`suncc`) compiler, a 64-bit

    build is the default on systems operating in 64-bit mode; for a 32-bit

    build, set the value of the `SUNBITS` environment variable to `32` (*e.g.*

    `export SUNBITS=32`).



- File locking is unavailable due to the absence of `flock()` on **Solaris**.

  This will be addressed by supporting *System V*-style `fcntl()` locking in a

  future release.



##### Windows



- *Microsoft* **Windows** supports various development and runtime

  environments, including *MSVC*, *Cygwin*, *Midipix*, *MSYS2*, *UWIN*, the

  *Git Bash* environment, and others. Care must be taken to avoid mixing

  incompatible libraries and tools.



###### Cygwin



- Compilation problems in the **Cygwin** environment are often caused by

  incomplete or interrupted package installations, or by the installation of

  packages using non-standard tools (*e.g.* `apt-cyg`), which can result in

  missing files and dangling or missing symbolic links.

- **Before** compiling ***OpenVi*** under **Cygwin**, it is *highly*

  recommended to:

  - Update the **Cygwin** `setup.exe` application to the latest available

    version.

  - Update all installed packages using the new **Cygwin** `setup.exe`

    application.

  - Install the required prerequisite packages (*i.e.* `make`, `gcc`, `ncurses`,

    `ncurses-devel`) using the **Cygwin** `setup.exe` application.

  - Invoke the `cygcheck` utility (*i.e.* `cygcheck -cv | grep -v "OK$"`) to

    verify the integrity of all currently installed packages.



## Availability



### Source Code



- [GitHub source repository](https://github.com/johnsonjh/OpenVi)

- [Latest source release](http://github.com/johnsonjh/OpenVi/releases/latest)



### Packages



**OpenVi** is available to Linux and macOS users via the

[Homebrew](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/openvi) package manager.



[![Homebrew](https://repology.org/badge/version-for-repo/homebrew/openvi.svg)](https://repology.org/project/openvi/versions)



```sh

brew install openvi

```



Other (unofficial) distribution packages may be available.



[![Packaging status](https://repology.org/badge/vertical-allrepos/openvi.svg)](https://repology.org/project/openvi/versions)



## Versioning



The ***OpenVi*** version number is based on the version of the corresponding

*OpenBSD* release, followed by the ***OpenVi*** release number. The `version`

command can be used to display this information in the format shown below.



```text

Version 7.0.1 (OpenVi) 10/25/2021.

```



This message indicates the editor in use is ***OpenVi***, release **1**,

derived from *OpenBSD* version **7.0**, and is fully synchronized with the

*OpenBSD* versions of ***`vi`***, ***`ex`***, ***`db`***, and ***`regex`***

as of **10/25/2021** (*October 25th 2021*).



Changes **not** derived from *OpenBSD* commits do not advance this date.

New *OpenBSD* releases do not reset the ***OpenVi*** release number.



## History



- ***OpenVi***

  - [`ChangeLog`](/ChangeLog)

  - [Release history](http://github.com/johnsonjh/OpenVi/releases/)

  - [Commit history](https://github.com/johnsonjh/OpenVi/commits/master)



- *OpenBSD* ***`vi`***

  - *OpenBSD* ***`vi`*** / ***`ex`***

    - [Commit history](https://github.com/openbsd/src/commits/master/usr.bin/vi)

  - *OpenBSD* ***`db`***

    - [Commit history](https://github.com/openbsd/src/commits/master/lib/libc/db)

  - *OpenBSD* ***`regex`***

    - [Commit history](https://github.com/openbsd/src/commits/master/lib/libc/regex)



## License



- ***OpenVi*** is distributed under the terms of a **3-clause BSD** license.

- See the [`LICENSE.md`](/LICENSE.md) file for the full license and

  distribution terms.



## Acknowledgements



- *rqsd* of *Libera.Chat* for the idea that inspired the project and testing.

- [*S. V. Nickolas*](https://github.com/buricco/),

  [*Jason Stevens*](https://virtuallyfun.com/), and the

  [***Virtually Fun*** *Discord*](https://discord.gg/HMwevcN) community, for

  support and feedback.

- From the original **`vi`** acknowledgements (by *Bill Joy* & *Mark Horton*):

  - *Bruce Englar* encouraged the early development of this display editor.

  - *Peter Kessler* helped bring sanity to version 2's command layout.

  - *Bill Joy* wrote version **1**, versions **2.0** through **2.7**, and

    created the framework that users see in the present editor.

  - *Mark Horton* added macros and other features, and made the editor work on

    a large number of terminals and *UNIX* systems.

  - The financial support of *UUNET Communications Services* is gratefully

    acknowledged.



## Similar Projects



- *Martin Guy*'s [**`Xvi`**](http://martinwguy.github.io/xvi/), an enhanced

  fork of *Tim Thompson*'s [**`STEVIE`**](https://timthompson.com/tjt/stevie/)

- *S. V. Nickolas*'

  [**`Sivle`**](https://github.com/buricco/lunaris/tree/main/src/usr.bin/ex), a

  cleaned-up fork of *Steve Kirkendall*'s

  [**`Elvis`**](http://elvis.the-little-red-haired-girl.org/)

- *Andy Valencia*'s [**`Vim57`**](https://sources.vsta.org:7100/vim57/tree), a

  simplified fork of version 5.7 of *Bram Moolenaar*'s

  [**`Vim`**](https://www.vim.org/)



## See Also



- [*Carsten Kunze*'s **`vi`**](https://github.com/n-t-roff/heirloom-ex-vi/)

  is a currently maintained fork of the original (**1BSD**/**2BSD**) branch

  of the **`vi`** / **`ex`** editor, derived from *Gunnar Ritter*'s enhanced

  version of the [**traditional** **`vi`**](http://ex-vi.sourceforge.net/)

  editor.

- [**`Nvi2`**](https://github.com/lichray/nvi2) is a currently maintained

  *feature branch* of the new (**4BSD**) version of the **`nvi`** / **`nex`**

  editor, with a focus on extensibility and new features.

- [**`Nvi1`**](https://repo.or.cz/nvi.git) (*version* *1.8+*) is the

  currently maintained *traditional branch* of the new (**4BSD**) version of

  the **`nvi`** / **`nex`** editor, now developed by *Sven Verdoolaege*.