Backward-delete in vim

Question

When i hit backspace in insert mode in vim it forward-deletes, how can i make it backward-delete?

e.g.

I get (| is the cursor position):

aaa|bbb --3-backspace-hits--> aaa

I want:

aaa|bbb --3-backspace-hits--> bbb

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!

Answer 1

I can't verify this with my setup (I can't get my backspace key to misbehave in an xterm), but I think this behavior is controlled by the xterm controls backarrowKeyIsErase and/or backarrowKey. You can read about these in the xterm man page. You might try holding the Ctrl key while you press the left mouse button in your xterm window and checking or unchecking Backarrow Key (BS/DEL).

On a different system that the one I'm using now, I had this in my ~/.Xdefaults file:

xterm*backarrowKey: TRUE

so you might also try that. For new settings in a ~/.Xdefaults file to take effect, you'll have to either log out and back in, or execute this command at a shell prompt:

xrdb -override ~/.Xdefaults

Answer 2

I believe you are looking for Control + W to delete the word before the cursor.

For character level control, you use the "delete text of movement command": dh will (d)elete one character to the left. d2h will delete 2 characters to the left, etc...