I wanted to add a way to run :noh that made the most sense to me, so I added the following
nnoremap / :noh<CR>/
nnoremap ? :noh<CR>?
So far it's working exactly how I expected (and want): hilights are cleared as another search is started and typing /<backspace> makes more sense for me than <leader><space> or similar.
My concern is that this will somehow break other useful commands or a plugin.
Anyone know if I'm safe doing this? Thanks.
What you can break in third party plugins
Every mapping that you define can break plugins, if they are badly written, or if they rely on mappings that you have redefined.
Consider a plugin that uses map instead of noremap or normal instead of normal!: if the right-hand side of that mapping or the normal mode commands include /, then your mapping will be triggered.
Still, it wo'nt break much, it's just a matter of display.
What you can break in a normal use of vim
But there is still a case where you break something: Try this
iI am typing in insert modeCTRL-O/helloEnter
Normally, CTRL-O in insert mode temporarily switches to normal mode for one command. You've just broken that, because the call to :noh consumes that command.
You still can do it this way:
function ResetPattern(forward)
noh
redraw
return a:forward ? '/' : '?'
endfunction
nnoremap <expr> / ResetPattern(1)
nnoremap <expr> ? ResetPattern(0)
I think it's safe. But, it will lose some functionality.
For example:
Type /helloEnter will highlight all hello
Type /world to inc-search, then type ESC to return where you are. But the original highlight is lost.
I just have this mapping in my .vimrc:
nmap <BS> :noh<CR>
Normal mode mapping <C-l> usually refreshes the screen. I have modified it to clear highlightings. Easily available and comes from a reflex nowadays. Doesn't destroy any functionality and clearing the highlights can be thought as a part of the screen refreshing.
nnoremap <C-l> :nohl<CR><C-l>
Related
I have previously used the following vim mapping so that when I press esc, vim does not 'creep backwards':
:inoremap <silent> <Esc> <Esc>`^
However, this has quite unexpected side-effects (to me, at least), for example, now that I have an <Esc> on the lhs, the arrow keys won't work anymore in insert mode (and a few other items that send escape sequences to vim.
Is there a better way to do this, or perhaps a settings within vim that alters this behavior? Ultimately, I want the behavior or <Esc>`^, I just don't want to have an <esc> that is mapped on the lhs for other reasons. What would be the best approach here?
No need to remap <ESC>. You could try using this autocmd in your .vimrc:
au InsertLeave * call cursor(getcurpos()[1], getcurpos()[2]+1)
This code is a reimplementation of the approach described in the Vim wiki, which is more verbose (and possibly outdated). The command has a small latency though.
I am a happy VIM user, although I admit I'm quite far from being fluent. I found this nice post:
Vim clear last search highlighting and I thought I'd become a better person if I didn't have to hammer away a random character sequence every time I did a search. Now, I'm also using the vimrc config from here:
http://amix.dk/vim/vimrc.html
and the problem I have is that when I add the line nnoremap <esc> :noh<return><esc> to it (it doesn't seem to make a difference where I put it) I get awkward behaviour when I use arrows in command mode, namely letters from A to D appear in a newline and I get switched to insert mode.
There has to be some mapping conflict but for the life of me I can't figure out where it is.
EDIT: As it follows from the answers it turns out the Ultimate vimrc part is not relevant, the mentioned nnoremap command will cause altered arrow behaviour even if it's the only vimrc entry. Changing title to a more informative one.
PS. I know I shouldn't use arrows, hopefully I'll get there one day.
The mapping
nnoremap <esc> :noh<return><esc>
will conflict with so called "grey keys" and I believe that it should be used either in GVim only or in terminal Vim by someone who does not use special keys like arrows.
From what I know (and guess) how Vim processes keys, I would say that it's impossible to do anything with this. For Vim to recognize special key all its components should go in a row, so when you press Arrow Left Vim gets the following sequence of codes:
<esc> [ D
But after your mapping Arrow Left becomes:
: n o h l <cr> <esc>
[ D
Vim sees two separate sequences and treats <esc> as a single press of Escape key, thus next two codes of Left Arrow key lose their special meaning.
So I suggest you to map :noh to some other key sequence (e.g. to one starting with <leader>, see :help mapleader; I don't recommend you to use F-keys, using them is as bad as using of arrow keys).
The cause had been explained well, but solution was not mentioned. However there is a straight one.
If you’ll tell to Vim explicitly that there are key sequences starting from <esc>[
:nnoremap <silent><esc> :noh<CR>
:nnoremap <esc>[ <esc>[
than when single <esc> will be pressed Vim will wait for a second (or different time, see :h 'timeoutlen') or for a next key (second <esc> for example) and only then replace it with :noh<CR>.
This solution preserves the ESC mapping to :nohlsearch.
The comment on this answer explaining why this is happening tells us that the root cause is the TermResponse behavior of vim. This can be compensated for by wrapping the mapping in an autocommand for the TermResponse event.
This ensures that the binding doesn't happen until after the term response is set, which prevents Esc from also sending a string like ]>1;3201;0c to vim.
Change your line in vimrc to this:
augroup no_highlight
autocmd TermResponse * nnoremap <esc> :noh<return><esc>
augroup END
The augroup commands are not strictly necessary, but they prevent multiple mappings when you reload your vimrc without quitting vim.
EDIT: If you also use a graphical vim like Gvim or Macvim, the TermResponse event will not fire. Assuming you use a single vimrc, you'll need some additional code like
if has('gui_running')
nnoremap <silent> <esc> :nohlsearch<return><esc>
else
" code from above
augroup no_highlight
autocmd TermResponse * nnoremap <esc> :noh<return><esc>
augroup END
end
Problem is that when you press an arrow terminal emits something like <Esc>OA. Vim part that supports terminal seems to use the same mapping mechanism to do the job as you are using: while nmap <Esc>OA will tell you nothing, call feedkeys("\eOA") will move one line up and call feedkeys("\eOA", 'n') will add letter A beyond current line. With your mapping being noremappable you forbid vim to use <Esc> as a part of the key. The problem is that you need remappable mapping here, but can have remappable mapping without it being recursive as well only if it starts with {lhs}, but <Esc>:noh<CR>OA is not going to work. I thought the following code will (it uses <expr> and function with side effect to make <Esc> be the first character of the actual {rhs} and still launch :noh), but in fact it does not:
function s:NoHlSearch()
nohlsearch
return "\e"
endfunction
nmap <expr> <Esc> <SID>NoHlSearch()
. I have no other idea how to solve the problem of having non-recursive remappable mapping which includes {lhs} but not at the start.
I have had good luck with this
if $TERM =~ 'xterm'
set noek
endif
nnoremap <silent> <esc> <esc>:noh<cr>
The disadvantage is that function keys can not be used in insert mode.
:h ek
I am a happy VIM user, although I admit I'm quite far from being fluent. I found this nice post:
Vim clear last search highlighting and I thought I'd become a better person if I didn't have to hammer away a random character sequence every time I did a search. Now, I'm also using the vimrc config from here:
http://amix.dk/vim/vimrc.html
and the problem I have is that when I add the line nnoremap <esc> :noh<return><esc> to it (it doesn't seem to make a difference where I put it) I get awkward behaviour when I use arrows in command mode, namely letters from A to D appear in a newline and I get switched to insert mode.
There has to be some mapping conflict but for the life of me I can't figure out where it is.
EDIT: As it follows from the answers it turns out the Ultimate vimrc part is not relevant, the mentioned nnoremap command will cause altered arrow behaviour even if it's the only vimrc entry. Changing title to a more informative one.
PS. I know I shouldn't use arrows, hopefully I'll get there one day.
The mapping
nnoremap <esc> :noh<return><esc>
will conflict with so called "grey keys" and I believe that it should be used either in GVim only or in terminal Vim by someone who does not use special keys like arrows.
From what I know (and guess) how Vim processes keys, I would say that it's impossible to do anything with this. For Vim to recognize special key all its components should go in a row, so when you press Arrow Left Vim gets the following sequence of codes:
<esc> [ D
But after your mapping Arrow Left becomes:
: n o h l <cr> <esc>
[ D
Vim sees two separate sequences and treats <esc> as a single press of Escape key, thus next two codes of Left Arrow key lose their special meaning.
So I suggest you to map :noh to some other key sequence (e.g. to one starting with <leader>, see :help mapleader; I don't recommend you to use F-keys, using them is as bad as using of arrow keys).
The cause had been explained well, but solution was not mentioned. However there is a straight one.
If you’ll tell to Vim explicitly that there are key sequences starting from <esc>[
:nnoremap <silent><esc> :noh<CR>
:nnoremap <esc>[ <esc>[
than when single <esc> will be pressed Vim will wait for a second (or different time, see :h 'timeoutlen') or for a next key (second <esc> for example) and only then replace it with :noh<CR>.
This solution preserves the ESC mapping to :nohlsearch.
The comment on this answer explaining why this is happening tells us that the root cause is the TermResponse behavior of vim. This can be compensated for by wrapping the mapping in an autocommand for the TermResponse event.
This ensures that the binding doesn't happen until after the term response is set, which prevents Esc from also sending a string like ]>1;3201;0c to vim.
Change your line in vimrc to this:
augroup no_highlight
autocmd TermResponse * nnoremap <esc> :noh<return><esc>
augroup END
The augroup commands are not strictly necessary, but they prevent multiple mappings when you reload your vimrc without quitting vim.
EDIT: If you also use a graphical vim like Gvim or Macvim, the TermResponse event will not fire. Assuming you use a single vimrc, you'll need some additional code like
if has('gui_running')
nnoremap <silent> <esc> :nohlsearch<return><esc>
else
" code from above
augroup no_highlight
autocmd TermResponse * nnoremap <esc> :noh<return><esc>
augroup END
end
Problem is that when you press an arrow terminal emits something like <Esc>OA. Vim part that supports terminal seems to use the same mapping mechanism to do the job as you are using: while nmap <Esc>OA will tell you nothing, call feedkeys("\eOA") will move one line up and call feedkeys("\eOA", 'n') will add letter A beyond current line. With your mapping being noremappable you forbid vim to use <Esc> as a part of the key. The problem is that you need remappable mapping here, but can have remappable mapping without it being recursive as well only if it starts with {lhs}, but <Esc>:noh<CR>OA is not going to work. I thought the following code will (it uses <expr> and function with side effect to make <Esc> be the first character of the actual {rhs} and still launch :noh), but in fact it does not:
function s:NoHlSearch()
nohlsearch
return "\e"
endfunction
nmap <expr> <Esc> <SID>NoHlSearch()
. I have no other idea how to solve the problem of having non-recursive remappable mapping which includes {lhs} but not at the start.
I have had good luck with this
if $TERM =~ 'xterm'
set noek
endif
nnoremap <silent> <esc> <esc>:noh<cr>
The disadvantage is that function keys can not be used in insert mode.
:h ek
I am trying to do a comment remap in Vim with an inline if to check if it's already commented or not. This is what I have already and of course it's not working ha ha:
imap <c-c> <Esc>^:if getline(".")[col(".")-1] == '/' i<Delete><Delete> else i// endif
What I want to do is check the first character if it's a / or not. If it's a / then delete the first two characters on that line, if it's not a / then add two // in front of the line.
What I had originally was this:
imap <c-c> <Esc>^i//
And that worked perfectly, but what I want is to be able to comment/uncomment at a whim.
I completely agree with #Peter Rincker's answer warning against doing this in insert mode, and pointing you to fully-featured plugins.
However, I couldn't resist writing this function to do precisely what you ask for. I find it easier to deal with this kind of mapping with functions. As an added bonus, it returns you to insert mode in the same position on the line as you started (which has been shifted by inserting or deleting the characters).
function! ToggleComment()
let pos=getpos(".")
let win=winsaveview()
if getline(".") =~ '\s*\/\/'
normal! ^2x
let pos[2]-=1
else
normal! ^i//
let pos[2]+=3
endif
call winrestview(win)
call setpos(".",pos)
startinsert
endfunction
inoremap <c-c> <Esc>:call ToggleComment()<CR>
Notice the modifications to pos to ensure the cursor is returned to the correct column. The command startinsert is useful in this type of function to return to insert mode. It is always safer to use noremap for mappings, unless there is a very good reason not to.
This seems to work well, but it is not very Vim-like, and you might find other plugins more flexible in the long run.
There are many commenting plugins for vim:
commentary.vim
tComment
EnhCommentify
NERD Commenter
and many more at www.vim.org
I would highly suggest you take a look at some these plugins first before you decide to roll your own. It will save you great effort.
As a side note you typically would want to comment/uncomment in normal mode not insert mode. This is not only the vim way, but will also provide a nicer undo history.
If you are dead set on creating your own mappings I suggest you create a function to do all the hard work and have your mapping call that function via :call. If you think you can get by with simple logic that doesn't need a function then you can use an expression mapping (see :h map-<expr>). You may want organize into a plugin as it could be large. If that is the case look at :h write-plugin to give you a feel
for writing plugins the proper way.
Example of a simple expression mapping for toggling comments:
nnoremap <expr> <leader>c getline(".") =~ '\m^\s*\/\/' ? '^"_2x' : 'I//<esc>`['
there's also this vimtip! http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Comment/UnComment_visually_selected_text
i use the bottom one with the
...
noremap <silent> ,c :<C-B>sil <C-E>s/^/<C-R>=escape(b:comment_leader,'\/')<CR>/<CR>:noh<CR>
noremap <silent> ,u :<C-B>sil <C-E>s/^\V<C-R>=escape(b:comment_leader,'\/')<CR>//e<CR>:noh<CR>
,c comments out a region
,u uncomments a region
I like to use hlsearch but I hate to keep everything highlighted after searching, to solve this problem I could simply use :nohlsearch or an abbreviation of it but that is still to much effort so I decided to try to do that on pressing escape. What I came up with is:
nnoremap <ESC> :nohlsearch<CR>
This works exactly as I want it to in GVim which I usually use for development but it does not work in vim.
If I search something in vim, press escape to deactivate the highlighting and use one of the arrow keys to navigate vim goes directly into insert mode and inserts a character on a new line.
As I never really came around to using h, j, k and l for navigation this is really annoying and I would like to know how I can make vim behave like gvim.
If you need more information you can find my entire vim configuration here.
Your problem is that when you press <Up> terminal sends something like <Esc>OA (you will see it if you type <C-v><Up> in insert mode) which is remapped to :nohlsearch<CR>OA. I do not know any solution except not mapping a single <Esc>, try either mapping to double <Esc>.
I created this map to disable search when press double <Esc>
nnoremap <silent> <Esc><Esc> :let #/ = ""<CR>
is :noh still too much work?
EDIT: I don't know about you, but I personally think :noh is easier than pressing Esc key, since I can press all the buttons without stretching my pinky too far (which is why I think the default mapping of Esc for going back to Command Mode from Insert Mode is a bit unfortunate). If you really use the :nohlsearch that much, you probably should remap it to something you can reach from the Home Area (i.e. regular letters, or numbers, or perhaps Ctrl-letters).
Anyway, typing the exact command you give works in my vim (on gnome-terminal). Are you sure you put the rule in .vimrc file, instead of .gvimrc? No luck after restarting vim? Try :source /path/to/config/file and see if that makes it to work.