I have started using vim recently and was wondering if there's any keyboard shortcut to move the the last character of previous line( line number l-1 if I am currently on line number l) ?
One of the ways is to use the up arrow to move to the same column of previous line and then use $ to move to the end of the line.
I am looking for some shortcut to do that in one command.
UPDATE:
Here's also another solution to move to the beginning of the next line / the end of the previous line without the need to set any mappings. Add these three to your .vimrc:
set whichwrap+=<,h
set whichwrap+=>,l
set whichwrap+=[,]
(Credit to: Kevin H. Lin and garyjohn)
Original Answer:
I've not memorized all Vim shortcut combinations, so there might be one shortcut for what you're asking for, but I usually define a mapping whenever I need something I don't know how to do.
For what you need, you can simply define it with this:
nnoremap <S-L> <Up><S-4>
Just add it to your ~/.vimrc(if this file doesn't exist yet, create it yourself), then restart vim. Then the next time you open up your Vim, the "Shift-L" shortcut will do the job.
You can go straight into the insert mode as well and append characters after the last character of the previous line with this rule instead:
nnoremap <S-L> <Up><S-A>
Also in case you don't understand the structure of the above rules, you can read more about it here:
Understand Vim Mappings and Create Your Own Shortcuts.
There is a corner case: If your cursor is on the first line, pressing this mapping should not move the cursor.
Therefore, we can use the <expr> mapping:
nnoremap <expr> <F6> line('.')==1?'\<F6>':'k$'
In the example above, I used <F6>, you can choose the short-cut key you like.
I fairly often find myself in a situation like this:
I'd like to start typing on the line on which my cursor is currently. However, in order to get to the correct indentation level, I'd have to press TAB several times.
Usually I'd press ddO (delete current line and insert a new one above the cursor), which resets my indentation position to the right place:
But that seems like an odd way to go about adding the correct amount of whitespace.
Is there a better way that I'm overlooking?
When in normal mode, you can use cc or its synonym S. If you are already in insert mode, Ctrlf is the default key for this, but that can be changed by altering cinkeys (see :h cink for details).
See also this answer on the Vi/Vim stack
Kevin mentioned some shortcuts, but another method is <C-i> (indent) and <C-d> (dedent) in insert mode.
In vim I copied the string ABCD to my clipboard. Now I want to replace certain words in a paragraph of text by doing c-e (this deletes and immediately puts me in insert mode). But when I paste it will paste the thing I just cut overriding my ABCD.
One solution I came up with is:
c-e
ctrl-o
"0P
But that just seems way too long. Is there a faster alternative to that?
While copying a string, place the cursor at the start of the string, then type
"ayw
where "a means the name of the register(its like a storage) and yw means copy(yank) the word into that register.
There are 26 registers, one for each letter of the alphabet.
When you want to paste the content, type
"ap
where p means to paste. Then use the vim repeat command . to repeat last action
You can store strings in different registers and paste them whenever u want.
to set contents of all registers type
:reg
For more information go to
Using Vim's named registers
Vim registers: The basics and beyond
Vim tips and tricks
You can use yankstack, which simplifies your use case.
This make it easy to cycle against your yank buffer when you paste.
I've personally remapped the keys to space (my leader key).
Here is an extract of my .vimrc:
if &runtimepath =~ 'vim-yankstack'
let g:yankstack_map_keys = 0
nmap <leader>p <Plug>yankstack_substitute_older_paste
nmap <leader>P <Plug>yankstack_substitute_newer_paste
endif
In your case, you just press space p right after having pasted your text. This will replace the word pasted with the last entry in your buffer. You can repeat pressingspace p if you need to go deeper in the history.
Use the "stamping" approach; this allows you to stay in normal mode and is just one keystroke. Add this mapping:
nnoremap S diw"0P
Then press S to "stamp" over any word your cursor is on with what you've yanked.
So, an example of the full routine:
1. ye
2. <move cursor over the word you wish to replace with the yank>
3. S
And, of course, if S is used, chose something else, e.g. ww.
This is a well known approach; see this documentation for variations and details: http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Replace_a_word_with_yanked_text.
The last thing you yanked is always available in register 0 so, in your case, you only have to do:
<C-e><C-r>0<Esc>
See :help i_ctrl-r.
But yeah, there's a much simpler way for one-off puts:
vep
or, if you need to do those changes several times:
ve"0p
Is there something like % (that represents the whole buffer in Vim command line) for the current selection, so that I can do something like: :# sort (Imagine # represents the selection).
EDIT:
Sorry, I missed to mention that I am requesting for a way to operate on block selections not on ordinary selections that can be operated using ranges '<,'>.
Yes. Example:
:'<,'>!sort
The range :'<,'> represents the visually selected lines.
:* is shorthand for :'<,'>
If you hit : while in visual mode it will start the command with '<,'>
For more help see:
:h '<
:h v_:
:h range
You are probably looking for the marks '< and '>:
:'<,'>sort
If you just select a few lines and hit : to enter the command line these marks should appear automatically.
As others have already remarked, the visual selection is represented by the '<,'> range (there's also the :* short form). However, as all ranges, this always covers entire lines, even if the selection is only characters or a block.
Most Ex commands (like :sort) only operate on full lines, for :substitute, you can limit the effects to the visual selection by including the special \%V atom in the search pattern, cp. :help /\%V.
The idea to make Ex commands handle blockwise selections is old, but unlikely to be tackled any time soon.
What are the essential vim commands? What does a new-user need to know to keep themselves from getting into trouble? One command per comment, please.
What I find irreplaceable (because it works in vi also, unlike vim's visual mode) are marks. You can mark various spots with m (lower case) and then a letter of your choice (eg x). Then you go elsewhere, and can go back with ``x(backquote letter) to the exact spot, or with'x` (apostrophe letter) to go to the line.
These movements can be used as arguments to commands (yank, delete, etc). For example, you want to delete 10 lines; instead of counting and then moving to the topmost line and entering 10dd, you go to either the start or the end of the block, press mm (mark m), then go to the other end of the block, and press d'm (delete apostrophe m). If you use backquote instead of apostrophe in this example, then the deletion will work character-wise, not line-wise. Try marking in the middle of the line with "mark m", moving to the middle of another line, then entering "d backquote m" and you will see what I mean.
I was very happy the day I learned about using * or # to search, down or up respectively, for the word under the cursor. Make sure to :set incsearch and :set hlsearch first.
I like this QRC!
http://www.fsckin.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vi-vim_cheat_sheet.gif
When you have some repetitive action to take Macros are usually faster than regex.
Just type
q[0-9a-z] in normal mode
Many people use
qq
because it's fast.
Press
q in normal mode
again to stop recording.
Then just type
#[0-9a-z] in normal mode
to repeat what you just recorded.
#q
for the example like above.
Edited to add: you can also repeat the macro. Let's say you programed a macro to jump to the head of a line, insert a tab, and then jump down one line. You then test your macro by typing "#q" to run it once. Then you can repeat the action nine more times by typing "9#q".
:q -> quit
:w -> save
:q! -> quit and don't save
:x -> save and quit
:[number] -> go to line number
G -> go to end of file
dd -> delete line
p -> "put" line
yy -> "copy" line
:s/[searchfor] -> search
I guess those are the basic one to start from
Use the 'J' (J for Join; upper-case) command to delete the newline at the end of a line. You'll find it tricky otherwise.
This recent Vim tutorial from IBM is pretty good
First of all you need to know how to close vi:
ctrl-c : q!
Rest can be found from vimtutor. Launch vimtutor by typing vimtutor at your command line
Although this is a matter of personal preference I've found that one of the essential things to do is to remap Esc to something else.
I find it very uncomfortable to reach for the Esc key to exit insert mode, but the beautiful thing about Vim is that allows key mappings.
I'm currently using the following mapping using Control + S:
inoremap <C-s> <Esc>:w<CR>
This has the advantage of being a key mapping I have already committed to memory and has the added value of saving my work every time I go to normal mode. Yeah, I know it is crazy but I would be hitting the save command that frequently anyway. It's like a bad habit, you know.
" ~/.vimrc
" Turn on line numbering
set nu
" Turn on syntax highlighting
syntax on
" Set 4 space expanding tabs
set tabstop=4
set shiftwidth=4
set softtabstop=4
set expandtab
"turn off line wrapping
set nowrap
" Map CTRL-N to create a new tab
:map <C-n> <ESC>:tabnew<RETURN>
" Map Tab and CTRL-Tab to move between tabs
:map <Tab> <ESC>:tabn<RETURN>
:map <C-Tab> <ESC>:tabp<RETURN>
If you're using vim, the 'u' command (in command mode) will Undo the last command you typed. You can use this command repeatedly to undo mistakes you may have made before saving the file.
See http://www.rayninfo.co.uk/vimtips.html for a great collection of Vim tips, from the basic can't-live-without to very sophisticated stuff that you might never have thought of trying.
Lots of great commands are listed at the Vim Tips Wiki.
It's also good to run the vimtutor when learning these commands
alias vi nedit :)
all humor aside..
for vi WHEN NOT using nedit..
i (switch to insert mode)
a (append = move to end of line and switch to insert mode)
esc (exit insert mode)
dd delete a line
x delete a character
:wq (save and quit)
/ start a search
n find Next
? search backwards..
yy (yank) copy a line to the buffer
pp (paste) paste it here
r (replace a character)
<N> <command> this is a neat - but aggravating feature that lets you type digits and then a command so
5dd will delete 5 lines
but at this point you might as well
- man vi and refresh your memory
While there are LOTS more, I switched from Vi to nedit several years ago, which I find has more features I can use on a regular basis more easily. Tabbed editing, incremental search bar, column select, copy and paste. sort selected lines, search and destroy within selection, whole doc or all open docs..
tear-off drop down menus..
and it supports syntax highlighting for all the languages I use.. (with pattern files I've used a long time over the years. VIM many now be equivalent, but It has to introduce a feature that Nedit doesn't and an easy way to migrate my pattern files before I switch again.
I like the Vim 5.6 Reference Guide, by Bram Moolenaar and Oleg Raisky.
You can directly print it in booklet form, easy to read, I always have it laying around.
It's a tad old, but what are 8 years in Vi's lifespan ?
:set ignorecase smartcase
Makes searching case-insensitive, unless your search includes a capital letter. Not the most indispensable perhaps, but I find myself setting this option any time I'm editing in a new place. It's in any vimrc file I own.
:%!xxd
View the contents of a buffer in hexadecimal. To revert:
:%!xxd -r
My biggest tip: ctrl+q saves the day when you accidentally hit ctrl+s to save the file you are working on
I have this in my vimrc
set number
set relativenumber
This gives me a line numbering system which makes j, k keys really productive.
I use vi very lightly, and I only use the following commands:
a - switch to insert mode (after the cursor)
esc - return to command mode
:wq - save and quit
:q - quit (no save, only without modification)
:q! - force quit (no save, also with modification)
x - delete one character (in command mode)
dd - delete the whole line (in command mode)
I know there are many many more, but those are enough to get you by.
One of my favourite commands is %G which takes to directly to the end of a file. Especially useful in log-files.
How to switch between modes (i to enter insert mode (one of many ways), esc to exit insert mode, colon for command mode) and how to save and exit. (:wq)
Another useful command is to search something: /
e.g. /Mon will search (and in case of vim highlight) any occurences of Mon in your file.
As a couple of other people have already mentioned, vimtutor is the way to go. It will teach you everything you need to know in vim. The one piece of general advice I would give you is to stay out of insert mode as much as possible. There is enormous power in the other modes, it just takes a little bit of practice to get used to it.
i - insert mode (escape to exit)
dd - delete line
shift-y - 'Yank' (copy) line
p - 'Put' (paste) line(s)
shift-v - Visual mode used to select text (tryin 'yanking' this text and 'putting' it somewhere.
ctrl-w n - create new window (you can open a file or start new file here)
ctrl-w v - split existing window vertically
ctrl-n (in insert mode) - autocomplete (if supported)
:! to run a shell command, usually with standard in as the file or a selection (shift-V)
Useful plugins to look at:
* Buffer Explorer - use \be to view files in the buffer (and select to re-open)
NB vi is not vim! vim is rapidly turning into the emacs of the new century. nvi is probably the closest thing to the original vi. Here's a nice hint: "xp" will exchange two characters (try it).
replace 'foo' with 'bar' everywhere in the file
:%s/foo/bar/gc
The real power is in the searching. Here are the essential commands:
/Steve will find the first instance of "Steve" in the text.
n will find the next "Steve" in the text.
:%s//Stephen/g will replace all those instances of "Steve" you just searched for with "Stephen".
Not to promote myself, but I wrote a blog post on this subject. It focuses on the critical parts of Vim for a beginner.
My favorites:
% find matching bracket/brace
* and # next/previous match
gg top of page
G end of the page
<Ctrl-v> Change to visual mode and select column
<Ctrl-a> increase current number by 1
<Ctrl-x> decrease current number by 1
Running macros