>From the backup help page ( https://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/editing.html#backup)
"After the file has been successfully written and when the 'writebackup' <https://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/options.html#'writebackup'> option is on and the 'backup' <https://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/options.html#'backup'> option is off, the backup <https://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/editing.html#backup> file is deleted. " This is the default setting (as indicated in the backup help page). So you might not see the backup file. Also as Christian Brabandt wrote, you can not have double quotes around (or at the beginning) of an option/settings statement (set backupdir=/etc/.backup), otherwise this will be treated as a commented out line. Please share the error messages you get, and your .vimrc file that you are using. Regards On Mon, Mar 9, 2026 at 5:41 AM Lang Hurst <[email protected]> wrote: > Are you getting backup in your /home/you/vim/backup by default? > Could you attach your .vimrc? > > > On 26/03/08 02:27PM, Christopher wrote: > > Putting it in quotes, causes vim to fire an error; although nothing is > > being written ? > > > > On Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 4:51:37 PM UTC-4 Christian Brabandt wrote: > > > > > > > > On So, 08 Mär 2026, Christopher wrote: > > > > > > > "set backupdir=/etc/.backup > > > > > > And you have the double quote at the beginning? That is actually a > > > comment character. And you most likely do not want your backups to go > > > into /etc, unless that directory is specifically being set to allow > you > > > to write into it. And finally, please I guess you also want :set backup > > > See :h backup-table > > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Christian > > > -- > > > All my friends and I are crazy. That's the only thing that keeps us > sane. > > > > > > > -- > > -- > > You received this message from the "vim_use" maillist. > > Do not top-post! Type your reply below the text you are replying to. > > For more information, visit http://www.vim.org/maillist.php > > > > --- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "vim_use" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > an email to [email protected]. > > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vim_use/1c807e21-c69b-4b97-bd19-c7f73462a06fn%40googlegroups.com > . > > > -- > When stupidity is considered patriotism, it is unsafe to be intelligent. > > -Isaac Asimov > > -- > -- > You received this message from the "vim_use" maillist. > Do not top-post! Type your reply below the text you are replying to. > For more information, visit http://www.vim.org/maillist.php > > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "vim_use" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vim_use/aa4zFaNVJly49DDL%40dominion.lan. > -- -- You received this message from the "vim_use" maillist. Do not top-post! Type your reply below the text you are replying to. For more information, visit http://www.vim.org/maillist.php --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "vim_use" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/vim_use/CA%2Bek4BF1PP_m3%3DB-jYB84K0wSa8x81SMy%3Dn4HaH3jH%3DQveXQ1g%40mail.gmail.com.
