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    Great answer, especially the comprehensive alternatives! Commented Sep 16, 2013 at 12:53
  • OK thanks, yeah, I'd had a look at those docs (in @msw answer also). So, at the end of the day, I've still got to open the file with sudo anyway. Commented Sep 17, 2013 at 10:42
  • You don't need separate shell: if you're using bash, press Ctrl+Z in command mode (i.e. default mode) in vim - you'll put vim in background. After you do your work, you can use fg %n (or just %n) with whatever n vim gets (bash will print the number after you Ctrl+Z) to get vim back in foreground. Commented Sep 17, 2013 at 12:00
  • @Ruslan thanks for you comment. I extended the answer. In most cases, vim should become the current job of the shell, so fg without arguments should work. Commented Sep 17, 2013 at 12:18
  • Yeah, true in cases when you don't e.g. have multiple vim instances running in same shell and need earlier one :) . In this case you can even just use % without fg. Commented Sep 17, 2013 at 12:36