freebsd-update editor choice

[Bertram Scharpf]

Hi,

On Sunday, 13. Dec 2015, 12:31:22 -0600, Gene wrote:
> I'm using freebsd-update to update my 10.1 system to 10.2. When merging files,
> it insists on using the 'vi' editor. I really, really, REALLY, despise vi. Is
> there a way to get it to use another editor?

The problem I fussed about many times and long times without
any understanding up to this day is not how but _where_ to
set the EDITOR environment variable. There is

  - /etc/login.conf
  - /etc/rc
  - /etc/profile (and /etc/zprofile)
  - /etc/csh.cshrc (or /etc/zshrc)
  - ~/.profile (and ~/.zprofile)
  - ~/.shrc, ~/.cshrc, (or ~/.zshrc)
  - probably some more I forgot here

Some programs change their behaviour in dependence of the
EDITOR variable. For example if you log into a host with the
command

  $ ssh otherhost -t tmux

most of the above files are left unregarded and the TMux
option 'status-keys' may be set to an undesired value.

Is there any documentation in which order and under which
circumstances the above files are executed or come into
respect?

By the way: there was a time when I considered Vi/Vim a
really, really, REALLY weird approach to editing. Then I
managed to change my opinion and gave it a try. It was one
of the best decisions in my life. Of course, this mail is
written in Vim.

Bertram


-- 
Bertram Scharpf
Stuttgart, Deutschland/Germany
http://www.bertram-scharpf.de