Cursor Movements

 

Depending on whether you are in X11 or a text console, and possibly the presence of a text driver for mouse control, you may be able to move the cursor by using the mouse. For a file that is only tens or hundreds of lines long, this is probably just as fast as any other method. However, if you are working with files that are a thousand lines longer or more, the mouse really isn't an effective way of moving the cursor.

Neglecting the mouse, it is possible to move the cursor a number of ways:

C-F

Right one position,

$\to$

Right one position,

C-B

Left one position,

$\leftarrow$

Left one position,

C-N

Down one position (line),

$\downarrow$

Down one position,

C-P

Up one position (line),

$\uparrow$

Up one position,

M-F

Forward one word,

M-B

Backward one word,

C-A

Goto the beginning of the line,

M-A

Goto the beginning of the sentence,

C-E

Goto the end of the line,

M-E

Goto the end of the sentence,

M-

Goto the beginning of the file,

M-$>$

Goto the end of the file,

M-{

Goto the beginning of the paragraph,

M-}

Goto the end of the paragraph,

C-V

Forward one screen,

M-V

Backward one screen,

C-L

Center (vertically) the file on the line the cursor is now on.

There are other ways of moving the cursor, including those involving searches.