|
18879
|
1 *usr_10.txt* For Vim version 8.2. Last change: 2019 Nov 22
|
|
7
|
2
|
|
|
3 VIM USER MANUAL - by Bram Moolenaar
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
5 Making big changes
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
8 In chapter 4 several ways to make small changes were explained. This chapter
|
|
|
9 goes into making changes that are repeated or can affect a large amount of
|
|
|
10 text. The Visual mode allows doing various things with blocks of text. Use
|
|
|
11 an external program to do really complicated things.
|
|
|
12
|
|
|
13 |10.1| Record and playback commands
|
|
|
14 |10.2| Substitution
|
|
|
15 |10.3| Command ranges
|
|
|
16 |10.4| The global command
|
|
|
17 |10.5| Visual block mode
|
|
|
18 |10.6| Reading and writing part of a file
|
|
|
19 |10.7| Formatting text
|
|
|
20 |10.8| Changing case
|
|
|
21 |10.9| Using an external program
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
23 Next chapter: |usr_11.txt| Recovering from a crash
|
|
|
24 Previous chapter: |usr_09.txt| Using the GUI
|
|
|
25 Table of contents: |usr_toc.txt|
|
|
|
26
|
|
|
27 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
28 *10.1* Record and playback commands
|
|
|
29
|
|
|
30 The "." command repeats the preceding change. But what if you want to do
|
|
|
31 something more complex than a single change? That's where command recording
|
|
|
32 comes in. There are three steps:
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
34 1. The "q{register}" command starts recording keystrokes into the register
|
|
|
35 named {register}. The register name must be between a and z.
|
|
|
36 2. Type your commands.
|
|
|
37 3. To finish recording, press q (without any extra character).
|
|
|
38
|
|
|
39 You can now execute the macro by typing the command "@{register}".
|
|
|
40
|
|
|
41 Take a look at how to use these commands in practice. You have a list of
|
|
|
42 filenames that look like this:
|
|
|
43
|
|
|
44 stdio.h ~
|
|
|
45 fcntl.h ~
|
|
|
46 unistd.h ~
|
|
|
47 stdlib.h ~
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
49 And what you want is the following:
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
51 #include "stdio.h" ~
|
|
|
52 #include "fcntl.h" ~
|
|
|
53 #include "unistd.h" ~
|
|
|
54 #include "stdlib.h" ~
|
|
|
55
|
|
|
56 You start by moving to the first character of the first line. Next you
|
|
|
57 execute the following commands:
|
|
|
58
|
|
|
59 qa Start recording a macro in register a.
|
|
|
60 ^ Move to the beginning of the line.
|
|
|
61 i#include "<Esc> Insert the string #include " at the beginning
|
|
|
62 of the line.
|
|
|
63 $ Move to the end of the line.
|
|
|
64 a"<Esc> Append the character double quotation mark (")
|
|
|
65 to the end of the line.
|
|
|
66 j Go to the next line.
|
|
|
67 q Stop recording the macro.
|
|
|
68
|
|
|
69 Now that you have done the work once, you can repeat the change by typing the
|
|
|
70 command "@a" three times.
|
|
|
71 The "@a" command can be preceded by a count, which will cause the macro to
|
|
|
72 be executed that number of times. In this case you would type: >
|
|
|
73
|
|
|
74 3@a
|
|
|
75
|
|
|
76
|
|
|
77 MOVE AND EXECUTE
|
|
|
78
|
|
|
79 You might have the lines you want to change in various places. Just move the
|
|
|
80 cursor to each location and use the "@a" command. If you have done that once,
|
|
|
81 you can do it again with "@@". That's a bit easier to type. If you now
|
|
|
82 execute register b with "@b", the next "@@" will use register b.
|
|
|
83 If you compare the playback method with using ".", there are several
|
|
|
84 differences. First of all, "." can only repeat one change. As seen in the
|
|
|
85 example above, "@a" can do several changes, and move around as well.
|
|
|
86 Secondly, "." can only remember the last change. Executing a register allows
|
|
|
87 you to make any changes and then still use "@a" to replay the recorded
|
|
|
88 commands. Finally, you can use 26 different registers. Thus you can remember
|
|
|
89 26 different command sequences to execute.
|
|
|
90
|
|
|
91
|
|
|
92 USING REGISTERS
|
|
|
93
|
|
|
94 The registers used for recording are the same ones you used for yank and
|
|
|
95 delete commands. This allows you to mix recording with other commands to
|
|
|
96 manipulate the registers.
|
|
|
97 Suppose you have recorded a few commands in register n. When you execute
|
|
|
98 this with "@n" you notice you did something wrong. You could try recording
|
|
|
99 again, but perhaps you will make another mistake. Instead, use this trick:
|
|
|
100
|
|
|
101 G Go to the end of the file.
|
|
|
102 o<Esc> Create an empty line.
|
|
|
103 "np Put the text from the n register. You now see
|
|
|
104 the commands you typed as text in the file.
|
|
|
105 {edits} Change the commands that were wrong. This is
|
|
|
106 just like editing text.
|
|
|
107 0 Go to the start of the line.
|
|
|
108 "ny$ Yank the corrected commands into the n
|
|
|
109 register.
|
|
|
110 dd Delete the scratch line.
|
|
|
111
|
|
|
112 Now you can execute the corrected commands with "@n". (If your recorded
|
|
|
113 commands include line breaks, adjust the last two items in the example to
|
|
|
114 include all the lines.)
|
|
|
115
|
|
|
116
|
|
|
117 APPENDING TO A REGISTER
|
|
|
118
|
|
|
119 So far we have used a lowercase letter for the register name. To append to a
|
|
|
120 register, use an uppercase letter.
|
|
|
121 Suppose you have recorded a command to change a word to register c. It
|
|
|
122 works properly, but you would like to add a search for the next word to
|
|
|
123 change. This can be done with: >
|
|
|
124
|
|
|
125 qC/word<Enter>q
|
|
|
126
|
|
|
127 You start with "qC", which records to the c register and appends. Thus
|
|
|
128 writing to an uppercase register name means to append to the register with
|
|
|
129 the same letter, but lowercase.
|
|
|
130
|
|
|
131 This works both with recording and with yank and delete commands. For
|
|
|
132 example, you want to collect a sequence of lines into the a register. Yank
|
|
|
133 the first line with: >
|
|
|
134
|
|
|
135 "aY
|
|
|
136
|
|
|
137 Now move to the second line, and type: >
|
|
|
138
|
|
|
139 "AY
|
|
|
140
|
|
|
141 Repeat this command for all lines. The a register now contains all those
|
|
|
142 lines, in the order you yanked them.
|
|
|
143
|
|
|
144 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
145 *10.2* Substitution *find-replace*
|
|
|
146
|
|
|
147 The ":substitute" command enables you to perform string replacements on a
|
|
|
148 whole range of lines. The general form of this command is as follows: >
|
|
|
149
|
|
|
150 :[range]substitute/from/to/[flags]
|
|
|
151
|
|
|
152 This command changes the "from" string to the "to" string in the lines
|
|
|
153 specified with [range]. For example, you can change "Professor" to "Teacher"
|
|
|
154 in all lines with the following command: >
|
|
|
155
|
|
|
156 :%substitute/Professor/Teacher/
|
|
|
157 <
|
|
|
158 Note:
|
|
|
159 The ":substitute" command is almost never spelled out completely.
|
|
|
160 Most of the time, people use the abbreviated version ":s". From here
|
|
|
161 on the abbreviation will be used.
|
|
|
162
|
|
|
163 The "%" before the command specifies the command works on all lines. Without
|
|
|
164 a range, ":s" only works on the current line. More about ranges in the next
|
|
|
165 section |10.3|.
|
|
|
166
|
|
|
167 By default, the ":substitute" command changes only the first occurrence on
|
|
|
168 each line. For example, the preceding command changes the line:
|
|
|
169
|
|
|
170 Professor Smith criticized Professor Johnson today. ~
|
|
|
171
|
|
|
172 to:
|
|
|
173
|
|
|
174 Teacher Smith criticized Professor Johnson today. ~
|
|
|
175
|
|
|
176 To change every occurrence on the line, you need to add the g (global) flag.
|
|
|
177 The command: >
|
|
|
178
|
|
|
179 :%s/Professor/Teacher/g
|
|
|
180
|
|
|
181 results in (starting with the original line):
|
|
|
182
|
|
|
183 Teacher Smith criticized Teacher Johnson today. ~
|
|
|
184
|
|
|
185 Other flags include p (print), which causes the ":substitute" command to print
|
|
1121
|
186 out the last line it changes. The c (confirm) flag tells ":substitute" to ask
|
|
|
187 you for confirmation before it performs each substitution. Enter the
|
|
|
188 following: >
|
|
7
|
189
|
|
|
190 :%s/Professor/Teacher/c
|
|
|
191
|
|
|
192 Vim finds the first occurrence of "Professor" and displays the text it is
|
|
|
193 about to change. You get the following prompt: >
|
|
|
194
|
|
|
195 replace with Teacher (y/n/a/q/l/^E/^Y)?
|
|
|
196
|
|
|
197 At this point, you must enter one of the following answers:
|
|
|
198
|
|
|
199 y Yes; make this change.
|
|
|
200 n No; skip this match.
|
|
|
201 a All; make this change and all remaining ones without
|
|
|
202 further confirmation.
|
|
|
203 q Quit; don't make any more changes.
|
|
|
204 l Last; make this change and then quit.
|
|
|
205 CTRL-E Scroll the text one line up.
|
|
|
206 CTRL-Y Scroll the text one line down.
|
|
|
207
|
|
|
208
|
|
|
209 The "from" part of the substitute command is actually a pattern. The same
|
|
|
210 kind as used for the search command. For example, this command only
|
|
|
211 substitutes "the" when it appears at the start of a line: >
|
|
|
212
|
|
|
213 :s/^the/these/
|
|
|
214
|
|
|
215 If you are substituting with a "from" or "to" part that includes a slash, you
|
|
|
216 need to put a backslash before it. A simpler way is to use another character
|
|
|
217 instead of the slash. A plus, for example: >
|
|
|
218
|
|
|
219 :s+one/two+one or two+
|
|
|
220
|
|
|
221 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
222 *10.3* Command ranges
|
|
|
223
|
|
|
224 The ":substitute" command, and many other : commands, can be applied to a
|
|
|
225 selection of lines. This is called a range.
|
|
|
226 The simple form of a range is {number},{number}. For example: >
|
|
|
227
|
|
|
228 :1,5s/this/that/g
|
|
|
229
|
|
|
230 Executes the substitute command on the lines 1 to 5. Line 5 is included.
|
|
|
231 The range is always placed before the command.
|
|
|
232
|
|
|
233 A single number can be used to address one specific line: >
|
|
|
234
|
|
|
235 :54s/President/Fool/
|
|
|
236
|
|
|
237 Some commands work on the whole file when you do not specify a range. To make
|
|
|
238 them work on the current line the "." address is used. The ":write" command
|
|
|
239 works like that. Without a range, it writes the whole file. To make it write
|
|
|
240 only the current line into a file: >
|
|
|
241
|
|
|
242 :.write otherfile
|
|
|
243
|
|
|
244 The first line always has number one. How about the last line? The "$"
|
|
|
245 character is used for this. For example, to substitute in the lines from the
|
|
|
246 cursor to the end: >
|
|
|
247
|
|
|
248 :.,$s/yes/no/
|
|
|
249
|
|
|
250 The "%" range that we used before, is actually a short way to say "1,$", from
|
|
|
251 the first to the last line.
|
|
|
252
|
|
|
253
|
|
|
254 USING A PATTERN IN A RANGE
|
|
|
255
|
|
|
256 Suppose you are editing a chapter in a book, and want to replace all
|
|
|
257 occurrences of "grey" with "gray". But only in this chapter, not in the next
|
|
|
258 one. You know that only chapter boundaries have the word "Chapter" in the
|
|
|
259 first column. This command will work then: >
|
|
|
260
|
|
|
261 :?^Chapter?,/^Chapter/s=grey=gray=g
|
|
|
262
|
|
|
263 You can see a search pattern is used twice. The first "?^Chapter?" finds the
|
|
|
264 line above the current position that matches this pattern. Thus the ?pattern?
|
|
|
265 range is used to search backwards. Similarly, "/^Chapter/" is used to search
|
|
|
266 forward for the start of the next chapter.
|
|
|
267 To avoid confusion with the slashes, the "=" character was used in the
|
|
|
268 substitute command here. A slash or another character would have worked as
|
|
|
269 well.
|
|
|
270
|
|
|
271
|
|
|
272 ADD AND SUBTRACT
|
|
|
273
|
|
|
274 There is a slight error in the above command: If the title of the next chapter
|
|
|
275 had included "grey" it would be replaced as well. Maybe that's what you
|
|
|
276 wanted, but what if you didn't? Then you can specify an offset.
|
|
|
277 To search for a pattern and then use the line above it: >
|
|
|
278
|
|
|
279 /Chapter/-1
|
|
|
280
|
|
|
281 You can use any number instead of the 1. To address the second line below the
|
|
|
282 match: >
|
|
|
283
|
|
|
284 /Chapter/+2
|
|
|
285
|
|
|
286 The offsets can also be used with the other items in a range. Look at this
|
|
|
287 one: >
|
|
|
288
|
|
|
289 :.+3,$-5
|
|
|
290
|
|
|
291 This specifies the range that starts three lines below the cursor and ends
|
|
|
292 five lines before the last line in the file.
|
|
|
293
|
|
|
294
|
|
|
295 USING MARKS
|
|
|
296
|
|
|
297 Instead of figuring out the line numbers of certain positions, remembering them
|
|
|
298 and typing them in a range, you can use marks.
|
|
|
299 Place the marks as mentioned in chapter 3. For example, use "mt" to mark
|
|
|
300 the top of an area and "mb" to mark the bottom. Then you can use this range
|
|
|
301 to specify the lines between the marks (including the lines with the marks): >
|
|
|
302
|
|
|
303 :'t,'b
|
|
|
304
|
|
|
305
|
|
|
306 VISUAL MODE AND RANGES
|
|
|
307
|
|
|
308 You can select text with Visual mode. If you then press ":" to start a colon
|
|
|
309 command, you will see this: >
|
|
|
310
|
|
|
311 :'<,'>
|
|
|
312
|
|
|
313 Now you can type the command and it will be applied to the range of lines that
|
|
|
314 was visually selected.
|
|
|
315
|
|
|
316 Note:
|
|
|
317 When using Visual mode to select part of a line, or using CTRL-V to
|
|
|
318 select a block of text, the colon commands will still apply to whole
|
|
|
319 lines. This might change in a future version of Vim.
|
|
|
320
|
|
|
321 The '< and '> are actually marks, placed at the start and end of the Visual
|
|
|
322 selection. The marks remain at their position until another Visual selection
|
|
|
323 is made. Thus you can use the "'<" command to jump to position where the
|
|
|
324 Visual area started. And you can mix the marks with other items: >
|
|
|
325
|
|
|
326 :'>,$
|
|
|
327
|
|
|
328 This addresses the lines from the end of the Visual area to the end of the
|
|
|
329 file.
|
|
|
330
|
|
|
331
|
|
|
332 A NUMBER OF LINES
|
|
|
333
|
|
|
334 When you know how many lines you want to change, you can type the number and
|
|
|
335 then ":". For example, when you type "5:", you will get: >
|
|
|
336
|
|
|
337 :.,.+4
|
|
|
338
|
|
|
339 Now you can type the command you want to use. It will use the range "."
|
|
|
340 (current line) until ".+4" (four lines down). Thus it spans five lines.
|
|
|
341
|
|
|
342 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
343 *10.4* The global command
|
|
|
344
|
|
|
345 The ":global" command is one of the more powerful features of Vim. It allows
|
|
|
346 you to find a match for a pattern and execute a command there. The general
|
|
|
347 form is: >
|
|
|
348
|
|
|
349 :[range]global/{pattern}/{command}
|
|
|
350
|
|
|
351 This is similar to the ":substitute" command. But, instead of replacing the
|
|
|
352 matched text with other text, the command {command} is executed.
|
|
|
353
|
|
|
354 Note:
|
|
|
355 The command executed for ":global" must be one that starts with a
|
|
|
356 colon. Normal mode commands can not be used directly. The |:normal|
|
|
|
357 command can do this for you.
|
|
|
358
|
|
|
359 Suppose you want to change "foobar" to "barfoo", but only in C++ style
|
|
|
360 comments. These comments start with "//". Use this command: >
|
|
|
361
|
|
|
362 :g+//+s/foobar/barfoo/g
|
|
|
363
|
|
|
364 This starts with ":g". That is short for ":global", just like ":s" is short
|
|
|
365 for ":substitute". Then the pattern, enclosed in plus characters. Since the
|
|
|
366 pattern we are looking for contains a slash, this uses the plus character to
|
|
|
367 separate the pattern. Next comes the substitute command that changes "foobar"
|
|
|
368 into "barfoo".
|
|
|
369 The default range for the global command is the whole file. Thus no range
|
|
|
370 was specified in this example. This is different from ":substitute", which
|
|
|
371 works on one line without a range.
|
|
|
372 The command isn't perfect, since it also matches lines where "//" appears
|
|
18719
|
373 halfway through a line, and the substitution will also take place before the
|
|
|
374 "//".
|
|
7
|
375
|
|
|
376 Just like with ":substitute", any pattern can be used. When you learn more
|
|
|
377 complicated patterns later, you can use them here.
|
|
|
378
|
|
|
379 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
380 *10.5* Visual block mode
|
|
|
381
|
|
|
382 With CTRL-V you can start selection of a rectangular area of text. There are
|
|
|
383 a few commands that do something special with the text block.
|
|
|
384
|
|
|
385 There is something special about using the "$" command in Visual block mode.
|
|
|
386 When the last motion command used was "$", all lines in the Visual selection
|
|
|
387 will extend until the end of the line, also when the line with the cursor is
|
|
|
388 shorter. This remains effective until you use a motion command that moves the
|
|
|
389 cursor horizontally. Thus using "j" keeps it, "h" stops it.
|
|
|
390
|
|
|
391
|
|
|
392 INSERTING TEXT
|
|
|
393
|
|
|
394 The command "I{string}<Esc>" inserts the text {string} in each line, just
|
|
|
395 left of the visual block. You start by pressing CTRL-V to enter visual block
|
|
|
396 mode. Now you move the cursor to define your block. Next you type I to enter
|
|
|
397 Insert mode, followed by the text to insert. As you type, the text appears on
|
|
|
398 the first line only.
|
|
|
399 After you press <Esc> to end the insert, the text will magically be
|
|
|
400 inserted in the rest of the lines contained in the visual selection. Example:
|
|
|
401
|
|
|
402 include one ~
|
|
|
403 include two ~
|
|
|
404 include three ~
|
|
|
405 include four ~
|
|
|
406
|
|
|
407 Move the cursor to the "o" of "one" and press CTRL-V. Move it down with "3j"
|
|
|
408 to "four". You now have a block selection that spans four lines. Now type: >
|
|
|
409
|
|
|
410 Imain.<Esc>
|
|
|
411
|
|
|
412 The result:
|
|
|
413
|
|
|
414 include main.one ~
|
|
|
415 include main.two ~
|
|
|
416 include main.three ~
|
|
|
417 include main.four ~
|
|
|
418
|
|
|
419 If the block spans short lines that do not extend into the block, the text is
|
|
|
420 not inserted in that line. For example, make a Visual block selection that
|
|
|
421 includes the word "long" in the first and last line of this text, and thus has
|
|
|
422 no text selected in the second line:
|
|
|
423
|
|
|
424 This is a long line ~
|
|
|
425 short ~
|
|
|
426 Any other long line ~
|
|
|
427
|
|
|
428 ^^^^ selected block
|
|
|
429
|
|
|
430 Now use the command "Ivery <Esc>". The result is:
|
|
|
431
|
|
|
432 This is a very long line ~
|
|
|
433 short ~
|
|
|
434 Any other very long line ~
|
|
|
435
|
|
|
436 In the short line no text was inserted.
|
|
|
437
|
|
|
438 If the string you insert contains a newline, the "I" acts just like a Normal
|
|
|
439 insert command and affects only the first line of the block.
|
|
|
440
|
|
|
441 The "A" command works the same way, except that it appends after the right
|
|
205
|
442 side of the block. And it does insert text in a short line. Thus you can
|
|
|
443 make a choice whether you do or don't want to append text to a short line.
|
|
7
|
444 There is one special case for "A": Select a Visual block and then use "$"
|
|
|
445 to make the block extend to the end of each line. Using "A" now will append
|
|
|
446 the text to the end of each line.
|
|
|
447 Using the same example from above, and then typing "$A XXX<Esc>, you get
|
|
|
448 this result:
|
|
|
449
|
|
|
450 This is a long line XXX ~
|
|
|
451 short XXX ~
|
|
|
452 Any other long line XXX ~
|
|
|
453
|
|
|
454 This really requires using the "$" command. Vim remembers that it was used.
|
|
|
455 Making the same selection by moving the cursor to the end of the longest line
|
|
|
456 with other movement commands will not have the same result.
|
|
|
457
|
|
|
458
|
|
|
459 CHANGING TEXT
|
|
|
460
|
|
|
461 The Visual block "c" command deletes the block and then throws you into Insert
|
|
|
462 mode to enable you to type in a string. The string will be inserted in each
|
|
|
463 line in the block.
|
|
|
464 Starting with the same selection of the "long" words as above, then typing
|
|
|
465 "c_LONG_<Esc>", you get this:
|
|
|
466
|
|
|
467 This is a _LONG_ line ~
|
|
|
468 short ~
|
|
|
469 Any other _LONG_ line ~
|
|
|
470
|
|
|
471 Just like with "I" the short line is not changed. Also, you can't enter a
|
|
|
472 newline in the new text.
|
|
|
473
|
|
|
474 The "C" command deletes text from the left edge of the block to the end of
|
|
|
475 line. It then puts you in Insert mode so that you can type in a string,
|
|
|
476 which is added to the end of each line.
|
|
|
477 Starting with the same text again, and typing "Cnew text<Esc>" you get:
|
|
|
478
|
|
|
479 This is a new text ~
|
|
|
480 short ~
|
|
|
481 Any other new text ~
|
|
|
482
|
|
|
483 Notice that, even though only the "long" word was selected, the text after it
|
|
|
484 is deleted as well. Thus only the location of the left edge of the visual
|
|
|
485 block really matters.
|
|
|
486 Again, short lines that do not reach into the block are excluded.
|
|
|
487
|
|
|
488 Other commands that change the characters in the block:
|
|
|
489
|
|
|
490 ~ swap case (a -> A and A -> a)
|
|
|
491 U make uppercase (a -> A and A -> A)
|
|
|
492 u make lowercase (a -> a and A -> a)
|
|
|
493
|
|
|
494
|
|
|
495 FILLING WITH A CHARACTER
|
|
|
496
|
|
|
497 To fill the whole block with one character, use the "r" command. Again,
|
|
|
498 starting with the same example text from above, and then typing "rx":
|
|
|
499
|
|
|
500 This is a xxxx line ~
|
|
|
501 short ~
|
|
|
502 Any other xxxx line ~
|
|
|
503
|
|
|
504
|
|
|
505 Note:
|
|
|
506 If you want to include characters beyond the end of the line in the
|
|
|
507 block, check out the 'virtualedit' feature in chapter 25.
|
|
|
508
|
|
|
509
|
|
|
510 SHIFTING
|
|
|
511
|
|
|
512 The command ">" shifts the selected text to the right one shift amount,
|
|
|
513 inserting whitespace. The starting point for this shift is the left edge of
|
|
|
514 the visual block.
|
|
|
515 With the same example again, ">" gives this result:
|
|
|
516
|
|
|
517 This is a long line ~
|
|
|
518 short ~
|
|
|
519 Any other long line ~
|
|
|
520
|
|
|
521 The shift amount is specified with the 'shiftwidth' option. To change it to
|
|
|
522 use 4 spaces: >
|
|
|
523
|
|
|
524 :set shiftwidth=4
|
|
|
525
|
|
|
526 The "<" command removes one shift amount of whitespace at the left
|
|
|
527 edge of the block. This command is limited by the amount of text that is
|
|
|
528 there; so if there is less than a shift amount of whitespace available, it
|
|
|
529 removes what it can.
|
|
|
530
|
|
|
531
|
|
|
532 JOINING LINES
|
|
|
533
|
|
|
534 The "J" command joins all selected lines together into one line. Thus it
|
|
|
535 removes the line breaks. Actually, the line break, leading white space and
|
|
|
536 trailing white space is replaced by one space. Two spaces are used after a
|
|
|
537 line ending (that can be changed with the 'joinspaces' option).
|
|
|
538 Let's use the example that we got so familiar with now. The result of
|
|
|
539 using the "J" command:
|
|
|
540
|
|
|
541 This is a long line short Any other long line ~
|
|
|
542
|
|
|
543 The "J" command doesn't require a blockwise selection. It works with "v" and
|
|
|
544 "V" selection in exactly the same way.
|
|
|
545
|
|
|
546 If you don't want the white space to be changed, use the "gJ" command.
|
|
|
547
|
|
|
548 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
549 *10.6* Reading and writing part of a file
|
|
|
550
|
|
|
551 When you are writing an e-mail message, you may want to include another file.
|
|
|
552 This can be done with the ":read {filename}" command. The text of the file is
|
|
|
553 put below the cursor line.
|
|
|
554 Starting with this text:
|
|
|
555
|
|
|
556 Hi John, ~
|
|
|
557 Here is the diff that fixes the bug: ~
|
|
|
558 Bye, Pierre. ~
|
|
|
559
|
|
|
560 Move the cursor to the second line and type: >
|
|
|
561
|
|
|
562 :read patch
|
|
|
563
|
|
|
564 The file named "patch" will be inserted, with this result:
|
|
|
565
|
|
|
566 Hi John, ~
|
|
|
567 Here is the diff that fixes the bug: ~
|
|
|
568 2c2 ~
|
|
|
569 < for (i = 0; i <= length; ++i) ~
|
|
|
570 --- ~
|
|
|
571 > for (i = 0; i < length; ++i) ~
|
|
|
572 Bye, Pierre. ~
|
|
|
573
|
|
|
574 The ":read" command accepts a range. The file will be put below the last line
|
|
|
575 number of this range. Thus ":$r patch" appends the file "patch" at the end of
|
|
|
576 the file.
|
|
|
577 What if you want to read the file above the first line? This can be done
|
|
|
578 with the line number zero. This line doesn't really exist, you will get an
|
|
|
579 error message when using it with most commands. But this command is allowed:
|
|
|
580 >
|
|
|
581 :0read patch
|
|
|
582
|
|
|
583 The file "patch" will be put above the first line of the file.
|
|
|
584
|
|
|
585
|
|
|
586 WRITING A RANGE OF LINES
|
|
|
587
|
|
|
588 To write a range of lines to a file, the ":write" command can be used.
|
|
|
589 Without a range it writes the whole file. With a range only the specified
|
|
|
590 lines are written: >
|
|
|
591
|
|
|
592 :.,$write tempo
|
|
|
593
|
|
|
594 This writes the lines from the cursor until the end of the file into the file
|
|
|
595 "tempo". If this file already exists you will get an error message. Vim
|
|
|
596 protects you from accidentally overwriting an existing file. If you know what
|
|
|
597 you are doing and want to overwrite the file, append !: >
|
|
|
598
|
|
|
599 :.,$write! tempo
|
|
|
600
|
|
|
601 CAREFUL: The ! must follow the ":write" command immediately, without white
|
|
|
602 space. Otherwise it becomes a filter command, which is explained later in
|
|
|
603 this chapter.
|
|
|
604
|
|
|
605
|
|
|
606 APPENDING TO A FILE
|
|
|
607
|
|
|
608 In the first section of this chapter was explained how to collect a number of
|
|
|
609 lines into a register. The same can be done to collect lines in a file.
|
|
|
610 Write the first line with this command: >
|
|
|
611
|
|
|
612 :.write collection
|
|
|
613
|
|
|
614 Now move the cursor to the second line you want to collect, and type this: >
|
|
|
615
|
|
|
616 :.write >>collection
|
|
|
617
|
|
|
618 The ">>" tells Vim the "collection" file is not to be written as a new file,
|
|
|
619 but the line must be appended at the end. You can repeat this as many times
|
|
|
620 as you like.
|
|
|
621
|
|
|
622 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
623 *10.7* Formatting text
|
|
|
624
|
|
|
625 When you are typing plain text, it's nice if the length of each line is
|
|
|
626 automatically trimmed to fit in the window. To make this happen while
|
|
|
627 inserting text, set the 'textwidth' option: >
|
|
|
628
|
|
|
629 :set textwidth=72
|
|
|
630
|
|
|
631 You might remember that in the example vimrc file this command was used for
|
|
|
632 every text file. Thus if you are using that vimrc file, you were already
|
|
|
633 using it. To check the current value of 'textwidth': >
|
|
|
634
|
|
|
635 :set textwidth
|
|
|
636
|
|
|
637 Now lines will be broken to take only up to 72 characters. But when you
|
|
18719
|
638 insert text halfway through a line, or when you delete a few words, the lines
|
|
|
639 will get too long or too short. Vim doesn't automatically reformat the text.
|
|
7
|
640 To tell Vim to format the current paragraph: >
|
|
|
641
|
|
|
642 gqap
|
|
|
643
|
|
|
644 This starts with the "gq" command, which is an operator. Following is "ap",
|
|
|
645 the text object that stands for "a paragraph". A paragraph is separated from
|
|
|
646 the next paragraph by an empty line.
|
|
|
647
|
|
|
648 Note:
|
|
|
649 A blank line, which contains white space, does NOT separate
|
|
|
650 paragraphs. This is hard to notice!
|
|
|
651
|
|
|
652 Instead of "ap" you could use any motion or text object. If your paragraphs
|
|
|
653 are properly separated, you can use this command to format the whole file: >
|
|
|
654
|
|
|
655 gggqG
|
|
|
656
|
|
|
657 "gg" takes you to the first line, "gq" is the format operator and "G" the
|
|
|
658 motion that jumps to the last line.
|
|
|
659
|
|
|
660 In case your paragraphs aren't clearly defined, you can format just the lines
|
|
|
661 you manually select. Move the cursor to the first line you want to format.
|
|
|
662 Start with the command "gqj". This formats the current line and the one below
|
|
|
663 it. If the first line was short, words from the next line will be appended.
|
|
|
664 If it was too long, words will be moved to the next line. The cursor moves to
|
|
|
665 the second line. Now you can use "." to repeat the command. Keep doing this
|
|
|
666 until you are at the end of the text you want to format.
|
|
|
667
|
|
|
668 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
669 *10.8* Changing case
|
|
|
670
|
|
|
671 You have text with section headers in lowercase. You want to make the word
|
|
|
672 "section" all uppercase. Do this with the "gU" operator. Start with the
|
|
|
673 cursor in the first column: >
|
|
|
674
|
|
|
675 gUw
|
|
|
676 < section header ----> SECTION header
|
|
|
677
|
|
|
678 The "gu" operator does exactly the opposite: >
|
|
|
679
|
|
|
680 guw
|
|
|
681 < SECTION header ----> section header
|
|
|
682
|
|
|
683 You can also use "g~" to swap case. All these are operators, thus they work
|
|
|
684 with any motion command, with text objects and in Visual mode.
|
|
|
685 To make an operator work on lines you double it. The delete operator is
|
|
|
686 "d", thus to delete a line you use "dd". Similarly, "gugu" makes a whole line
|
|
|
687 lowercase. This can be shortened to "guu". "gUgU" is shortened to "gUU" and
|
|
|
688 "g~g~" to "g~~". Example: >
|
|
|
689
|
|
20241
|
690 g~~
|
|
7
|
691 < Some GIRLS have Fun ----> sOME girls HAVE fUN ~
|
|
|
692
|
|
|
693 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
694 *10.9* Using an external program
|
|
|
695
|
|
|
696 Vim has a very powerful set of commands, it can do anything. But there may
|
|
|
697 still be something that an external command can do better or faster.
|
|
|
698 The command "!{motion}{program}" takes a block of text and filters it
|
|
|
699 through an external program. In other words, it runs the system command
|
|
|
700 represented by {program}, giving it the block of text represented by {motion}
|
|
|
701 as input. The output of this command then replaces the selected block.
|
|
|
702 Because this summarizes badly if you are unfamiliar with UNIX filters, take
|
|
|
703 a look at an example. The sort command sorts a file. If you execute the
|
|
|
704 following command, the unsorted file input.txt will be sorted and written to
|
|
236
|
705 output.txt. (This works on both UNIX and Microsoft Windows.) >
|
|
7
|
706
|
|
|
707 sort <input.txt >output.txt
|
|
|
708
|
|
|
709 Now do the same thing in Vim. You want to sort lines 1 through 5 of a file.
|
|
|
710 You start by putting the cursor on line 1. Next you execute the following
|
|
|
711 command: >
|
|
|
712
|
|
|
713 !5G
|
|
|
714
|
|
|
715 The "!" tells Vim that you are performing a filter operation. The Vim editor
|
|
|
716 expects a motion command to follow, indicating which part of the file to
|
|
|
717 filter. The "5G" command tells Vim to go to line 5, so it now knows that it
|
|
|
718 is to filter lines 1 (the current line) through 5.
|
|
|
719 In anticipation of the filtering, the cursor drops to the bottom of the
|
|
|
720 screen and a ! prompt displays. You can now type in the name of the filter
|
|
|
721 program, in this case "sort". Therefore, your full command is as follows: >
|
|
|
722
|
|
|
723 !5Gsort<Enter>
|
|
|
724
|
|
|
725 The result is that the sort program is run on the first 5 lines. The output
|
|
|
726 of the program replaces these lines.
|
|
|
727
|
|
|
728 line 55 line 11
|
|
|
729 line 33 line 22
|
|
|
730 line 11 --> line 33
|
|
|
731 line 22 line 44
|
|
|
732 line 44 line 55
|
|
|
733 last line last line
|
|
|
734
|
|
|
735 The "!!" command filters the current line through a filter. In Unix the "date"
|
|
|
736 command prints the current time and date. "!!date<Enter>" replaces the current
|
|
|
737 line with the output of "date". This is useful to add a timestamp to a file.
|
|
|
738
|
|
|
739
|
|
|
740 WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK
|
|
|
741
|
|
|
742 Starting a shell, sending it text and capturing the output requires that Vim
|
|
|
743 knows how the shell works exactly. When you have problems with filtering,
|
|
|
744 check the values of these options:
|
|
|
745
|
|
|
746 'shell' specifies the program that Vim uses to execute
|
|
|
747 external programs.
|
|
|
748 'shellcmdflag' argument to pass a command to the shell
|
|
|
749 'shellquote' quote to be used around the command
|
|
|
750 'shellxquote' quote to be used around the command and redirection
|
|
|
751 'shelltype' kind of shell (only for the Amiga)
|
|
|
752 'shellslash' use forward slashes in the command (only for
|
|
|
753 MS-Windows and alikes)
|
|
|
754 'shellredir' string used to write the command output into a file
|
|
|
755
|
|
|
756 On Unix this is hardly ever a problem, because there are two kinds of shells:
|
|
|
757 "sh" like and "csh" like. Vim checks the 'shell' option and sets related
|
|
|
758 options automatically, depending on whether it sees "csh" somewhere in
|
|
|
759 'shell'.
|
|
|
760 On MS-Windows, however, there are many different shells and you might have
|
|
|
761 to tune the options to make filtering work. Check the help for the options
|
|
|
762 for more information.
|
|
|
763
|
|
|
764
|
|
|
765 READING COMMAND OUTPUT
|
|
|
766
|
|
|
767 To read the contents of the current directory into the file, use this:
|
|
|
768
|
|
|
769 on Unix: >
|
|
|
770 :read !ls
|
|
|
771 on MS-Windows: >
|
|
|
772 :read !dir
|
|
|
773
|
|
|
774 The output of the "ls" or "dir" command is captured and inserted in the text,
|
|
|
775 below the cursor. This is similar to reading a file, except that the "!" is
|
|
|
776 used to tell Vim that a command follows.
|
|
|
777 The command may have arguments. And a range can be used to tell where Vim
|
|
|
778 should put the lines: >
|
|
|
779
|
|
|
780 :0read !date -u
|
|
|
781
|
|
|
782 This inserts the current time and date in UTC format at the top of the file.
|
|
|
783 (Well, if you have a date command that accepts the "-u" argument.) Note the
|
|
|
784 difference with using "!!date": that replaced a line, while ":read !date" will
|
|
|
785 insert a line.
|
|
|
786
|
|
|
787
|
|
|
788 WRITING TEXT TO A COMMAND
|
|
|
789
|
|
|
790 The Unix command "wc" counts words. To count the words in the current file: >
|
|
|
791
|
|
|
792 :write !wc
|
|
|
793
|
|
|
794 This is the same write command as before, but instead of a file name the "!"
|
|
|
795 character is used and the name of an external command. The written text will
|
|
|
796 be passed to the specified command as its standard input. The output could
|
|
|
797 look like this:
|
|
|
798
|
|
|
799 4 47 249 ~
|
|
|
800
|
|
|
801 The "wc" command isn't verbose. This means you have 4 lines, 47 words and 249
|
|
|
802 characters.
|
|
|
803
|
|
|
804 Watch out for this mistake: >
|
|
|
805
|
|
|
806 :write! wc
|
|
|
807
|
|
|
808 This will write the file "wc" in the current directory, with force. White
|
|
|
809 space is important here!
|
|
|
810
|
|
|
811
|
|
|
812 REDRAWING THE SCREEN
|
|
|
813
|
|
|
814 If the external command produced an error message, the display may have been
|
|
|
815 messed up. Vim is very efficient and only redraws those parts of the screen
|
|
|
816 that it knows need redrawing. But it can't know about what another program
|
|
|
817 has written. To tell Vim to redraw the screen: >
|
|
|
818
|
|
|
819 CTRL-L
|
|
|
820
|
|
|
821 ==============================================================================
|
|
|
822
|
|
|
823 Next chapter: |usr_11.txt| Recovering from a crash
|
|
|
824
|
|
14519
|
825 Copyright: see |manual-copyright| vim:tw=78:ts=8:noet:ft=help:norl:
|
