how can i type special caharacters in vi editor

now i cant login in a pc. i am using linux ubuntu. now i want change some settings 开发者_StackOverflowfor that i want to type semicolon but it is not coming..is there any format to type in vi editor..some body know means tell me how can type in vi editor

You need to press i first, to enter to insert mode (when you open vi, you are in command mode by default).

Then, do your editing.

When you are done, press Esc and then type :wq and enter to save your changes.

Also note that vi is an advanced editor; if you just want to make some quick changes, an easier one, like nano, might be appropriate.

You should be able to type a semi-colon if you're in insert mode. By default in vi you are in command mode, and to go to insert mode you have to use a keystroke like 'i' (insert), 'o' (begin editing on the next line), etc.