VIM insert mode problem with Ubuntu 14.04.1

[resting]

VIM insert mode doesn't work properly with Ubuntu 14.04.1 VM via SSH.

For example left arrow key causes current line to be pushed down, and a character D inserted instead.

Shortcut like ci" doesn't work as well.

Anyone having this problem too?

Most likely a VMFusion problem since I don't have this problem with my VPN.

Using iTerm2 and VMFusion 6.0.4.

[admin]

Perhaps this will help:  http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/3369/why-dont-my-arrow-keys-work-in-vim-under-iterm

[resting]

Thanks for the link. I tried, but it still doesn't work.

Problem might be due to VM cause I don't have problems with using VIM in iTerm2 on my local machine, or VPN via SSH.

Its only when I SSH to the VM that causes VIM to break.

[admin]

Perhaps this will help:  http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Fix_arrow_keys_that_display_A_B_C_D_on_remote_shell

[dariusd]

I see this problem in all sorts of situations (including ones that don't involve a VM).  I am not enough of an expert on terminal types to understand exactly what's going on, but I usually work around it by installing the "vim-nox" package.  Somehow the "fuller" vim packages are more capable of dealing with whatever is being sent.  Like I said, I don't pretend to understand why, and it feels like a lame solution, but it usually Works For Me (TM) and is easy enough to do.

Cheers,

--

Darius

[admin]

Some points from the last link to check:

1) Does your account in the VM have a ~/.vimrc?

2) Are you invoking vim as vim rather than vi?

[resting]

1) Nope there's no ~/.vimrc

2) The command I use is vi, but it's really just vim in ubuntu.

I might be slow to respond or test out all the solutions here, as I think I can still live by using command mode to navigate around.

[admin]

resting wrote:

1) Nope there's no ~/.vimrc

2) The command I use is vi, but it's really just vim in ubuntu.

In that case, see solution 5 in the most recent link I posted.  I think that you will find that this behavior is intentional.

[admin · Accepted solution]

resting wrote:

2) The command I use is vi, but it's really just vim in ubuntu.

You might also try this (from solution 9):

sudo apt-get install vim

[admin]

I have replicated your problem with a fresh Ubuntu installation, and I have confirmed that the following fixes it:

sudo apt-get install vim

[admin]

I believe I have now found the optimal solution.

Edit /etc/vim/vimrc.tiny in the Ubuntu VM.  Change the line that says:

set compatible

to

set nocompatible

That did the trick for me.

[resting]

Thanks again so much for helping.

This really solved the trouble of the work around I'd been doing.

So it really turns out that I had to do a apt-get install vim to fix all those weird behaviors.

Changing /etc/vim/vimrc.tiny to set nocompatible helped fix the arrow keys but didn't fix the backspace keys and some commands like ci" or caw.

But apt-get instal vim seems to fix everything I used.

[vinbolisetti]

this worked for me on my new ubuntu installation in vmware.