Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!whuts!whutt!cher
From: cher@whutt.UUCP (Mike Cherepov)
Newsgroups: att.unix,comp.bugs.sys5
Subject: Re: vi exrc behaviour has changed??!!
Summary: not that simple
Keywords: EXINIT .exrc CWD
Message-ID: <2853@whutt.UUCP>
Date: 6 Feb 88 17:41:00 GMT
References: <329@ttrde.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 20

In article <329@ttrde.UUCP>, mellman@ttrde.UUCP (Thomas Mellman) writes:
> It appears that vi's behaviour has changed with regards to its .exrc files.
> This has been a practical way to handle a limited number of special function
> keys, and limited amount of macro space.
> Now that we are moving to a R3 machine, I find that if I have the EXINIT
> variable set, no further .exrc file reading takes place.  Furthermore,
> even when the EXINIT variable is not set, only the .exrc file in my home
> directory is read.
> It seems that somebody decided that since he didn't use the old .exrc
> feature, nobody else did either, and just quietly lopped it off.  I am
> disappointed.

Relax - the feature is still there (according to the specs doc, anyhow, I
haven't tried it). Just modify your $HOME/.exrc file to include the line:
set exrc
that should restore the functionality. Alternatively, you can try "set exrc"
with EXINIT. And, surprise, there was a VERY good reason for this change, but
I am reluctant to discuss it here. Good luck...
		Mike Cherepov
		[ihnp4!]whutt!cher