Tips on Vim

Things on this page are fragmentary and immature notes/thoughts of the author. Please read with your own judgement!

Vim Distributions

Reload File

:e!

https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/149209/refresh-changed-content-of-file-opened-in-vim

Case Insensitive Search

/\cPatterToSearch

:set ignorecase

:set smartcase /copyright " Case insensitive /Copyright " Case sensitive /copyright\C " Case sensitive /Copyright\c " Case insensitive

How to do case insensitive search in Vim

Tips

Look for good vim plugins on Vim Awesome.

Tricks & Traps

To quickly comment a range of text, you can substitute ^ with # in that range.
:w !sudo tee % helps write current content into the file if you did not open the write-protected file with sudo vim. Another way is to use the :w a_file command to write to a file that you have access to and then use it to replace the original file.

Search

n jumps to next occurrence of the search pattern and N jumps to previous occurrence of the search pattern.
/ (without specifying a search pattern) searches last searched string. This trick can also be used in substitution. For example, :%s//new_string/gc replaces the last search pattern with new_string.

Command

You can use :! external_command to run external commands. You can use the up and down arrow to scroll to last and next external command after you have typed :! in Vim. This trick also works in other environment, e.g., you can press the up and down key to scroll to last and next search string after you have typed / in Vim.

Buffers

:buffers, :ls, :bw (have to write buffer to file first)

:bn go to the next buffer

:bp go to the previous buffer

:e #: go to the previous buffer

Indent

Select lines that you want to indent and then use command :le n or :ri n. This sets the indent of the selected lines to n spaces (from the left/right).
>>, n>>
Use >G to shift the current line and lines after to the right. If you want shift all lines to the right, you can first go the first line by command gg, and then type in command >G.

Read

You can read the content of a file or the output of an external command into Vim.
```
:r path_to_file
:r !ls
:r !date
```

Misc

it is recommned to use "+p to paste text in clipboard copied from other places, especially text with indentions.
can user-defined commands operate on marked range? e.g., delete the last column of marked range?
vim plugin for other softwares, such as editors, pdf viewer, etc.
how to list all user-defined commands and macros?
ge goes to the end of the previous word
'' (two apostrophes) or `````` (two backticks) to go to the previous position of cursor
Like most of the capitalized movement pairs, b moves by word, but B moves by WORD. The difference is that vim considers a "word" to be letters, numbers, and underscores (and you can configure this with the iskeyword setting), but a "WORD" is always anything that isn't whitespace.

Addons

repeat
surround
airlight
VsVim: Plugin for Visual Studio.
tComment

Macro

As with other commands in vi, you can playback a macro any number of times. The following command would playback the macro assigned to the key `w' 100 times: 100@w
Macro letters are case-insensitive.
Vim uses words that exist in your current buffer and any other buffer you may have open for auto-complete suggestions.

Macro/Command/Function

Macro is best for simple and one-time task Command is best for frequently task, command is easy to use Functions are for more complicated task, not as convenient as command to use but you can define function and wrap it in a command

Settings

It is good practice to set a central swap and backup directory. You'd better use 2 path separator (//) at the end of the path! This makes vim to use the full path of the swap file, which ensures unique path name.
It is good practice to map the Caps Lock key to the Esc key or to swap them.

Usage

Search in visual mode let you quick select large block of text. For example, if you search "quickly" in visual mode, the text from cursor to the next occurrence of "quickly" will be selected.
You have to "\r" instead of "\n" for newline when substituting characters.
You can execute more than one command by placing a | between two commands.
The ability to run external command (prefixed by !) is great! For example, you can use :r !basename % .sh to insert the name of the current file.
Insert date (different ways) or you can use UltiSnips to do it which is recommended. normal mode "=strftime('%c')p :r!date +\%c :call append(line('.'), strftime("%c")) :call setline(line('.'), getline(line('.')) . strftime("%c")) :call setline(line('.'), getline(line('.')) . " " . strftime("%c")) insert mode =strftime('%c')

" -------- define some commands --------- command! ShabangBash :normal! ggi#!/bin/bash command! AppendFileName :call append(line('.'), expand('%:t')) command! FunScript :normal! Goif [ "$0" == ${BASH_SOURCE[0]} ]; then<Esc>:AppendFileName<CR>| :n ormal! j$a $@>>ofi

switch to command mode ESC or Ctrl-C switch to insertion mode placing the cursor at the same location it was previously gi position cursor at middle, top, or bottom of screen zz, zt, zb select v
select row(s) SHIFT + v
select blocks (columns) CTRL + q
select contents of entire file ggVG
print :hardcopy
sort selected rows :sort
search for word under cursor *
open file under cursor (absolute path or relative) gf format selected code =
convert tabs to spaces :retab
auto-complete a word you are typing ** CTRL + n
bookmark current place in file mX (X = key to assign bookmark to)
jump to bookmark X (X = key bookmark was assigned to and = back tick/tilde key)
show all bookmarks :marks
delete a bookmark delm X (X = key bookmark to delete)
delete all bookmarks delm!
increase number under cursor CTRL + a decrease number under cursor CTRL + x

Vim folding commands

creates a fold from the cursor down # lines zf#j creates a fold from the cursor to string zf/string moves the cursor to the next fold zj moves the cursor to the previous fold zk opens a fold at the cursor zo opens all folds at the cursor zO increases the foldlevel by one zm closes all open folds zM decreases the foldlevel by one zr decreases the foldlevel to zero (all folds will be open) zR deletes the fold at the cursor zd deletes all folds zE move to start of open fold [z move to end of open fold ]z

Surround Commands

Note that the repeat command (.) works with ds, cs and yss if you have "repeat.vim" installed.

surround current line with ```` yss

surround the next word with " ysw"

surround ... ySs} There is also yS and ySS which indent the surrounded text and place it on a line of its own.

surround the next 3 word under cursor with () ys3w)

surround the word under cursor with ( ) (notice the extra spaces) ysiw(

change surrounding to ' cs'

delete surrounding () (without deleting surrounded text) ds( or ds)

delete a {...}, (...), [...] or "..." block (both surrounding symbols and surrounded text are deleted) da{ da( da[ da"

change a {...}, (...), [...] or "..." block (both surrounding symbols and surrounded text will be changed) ca{ ca( ca[ ca"

change text in a {...}, (...), [...] or "..." block (only surrounded text will be changed) ca{ ca( ca[ ca"

Upper/Lower Cases

convert selected text to uppercase U
convert selected text to lowercase u
convert the character after cursor to uppercase gUl convert current line to uppercase gUU or ^gU$ convert current line to lowercase guu or ^gu$ convert current line and following 3 lines to uppercase gU3j convert current line and following 3 lines to lowercase gu3j convert next word to uppercase gUW convert next word to lowercase guW title words (i.e., Capitalize the first letter of words) record gUlw as macro and apply it invert case of selected text ~

Split Windows

split screen horizontally :split or :sp
split screen vertically :vsplit or :vsp
move down a screen in split mode :wincmd j or CTRL + w + j move up a screen in split mode :wincmd k or CRTL + w + k move left a screen in split mode :wincmd h or CRTL + w + h move right a screen in split mode :wincmd l or CRTL + w + l close all other split screens :only

Macro

start recording a macro to x qx (x = key to assign macro to)
stop recording a macro q
playback macro @X (X = key macro was assigned to)
replay previously played macro * @@

Indention and Unindention

indent selected text >
unindent selected text <
indent # rows #>> (where # is a number)
unindent # rows #<< (where # is a number)

Buffers

list buffers :ls
open buffer :bN (N = buffer number)
close a buffer when multiple ones are open. :bw (:x close all opened buffers) open a file/buffer :e file_path open last file :e #

Spell Check

move the cursor to the next misspelled word ]s move the cursor back through the buffer to previous misspelled words [s suggest a list of alternatives for the word under cursor z= add the word under cursor to dictionary zg undo adding word to dictionary zug mark the word under cursor as incorrect zw

Block and Mark

After operating (copy/yank, idention, etc.) on a block (via marks), the cursor goes to the begin of the block. This is not covenient if the cursor was at the end of the block and you want to continue work at the end of the block. You can go back to the previous location of cursor by '' or ``````.

VAM repository

tComment

Most of the time the default toggle keys will do what you want (or to be more precise: what I think you want it to do ;-).

                                                *tcomment-operator*

As operator (the prefix can be customized via |g:tcommentMapLeaderOp1| and |g:tcommentMapLeaderOp2|):

gc{motion}   :: Toggle comments (for small comments within one line 
                the &filetype_inline style will be used, if 
                defined)
gc<Count>c{motion} :: Toggle comment text with count argument 
                (see |tcomment#Comment()|)
gcc          :: Toggle comment for the current line

Explicit commenting/uncommenting:

g<{motion}   :: Uncomment region
g<c          :: Uncomment the current line
g<b          :: Uncomment the current region as block

g>{motion}   :: Comment region
g>c          :: Comment the current line
g>b          :: Comment the current region as block

In visual mode:

gc           :: Toggle comments
g>           :: Comment selected text

CAVEAT: If you visually select text within a line, the visual mode map will comment out the selected text. If you selected text across several lines, the visual mode map will assume though that you wanted to comment out lines -- since this is how many vim maps work. In order to make tcomment use e.g. inline comments anyway, use the i map -- see below.

By default the cursor stays put. If you want the cursor to the end of the commented text, set |g:tcommentOpModeExtra| to '>' (but this may not work properly with exclusive motions).

Primary key maps for normal and insert mode:

<c-_><c-_>   :: :TComment
<c-_><space> :: :TComment <QUERY COMMENT-BEGIN ?COMMENT-END>
<c-_>b       :: :TCommentBlock
                In insert mode, the cursor will be positioned inside 
                the comment. In normal mode, the cursor will stay 
                put.
<c-_>a       :: :TCommentAs <QUERY COMMENT TYPE>
<c-_>n       :: :TCommentAs &filetype <QUERY COUNT>
<c-_>s       :: :TCommentAs &filetype_<QUERY COMMENT SUBTYPE>
<c-_>i       :: :TCommentInline (in normal and insert mode, this map will 
                create an empty inline comment, which isn't suitable for 
                all filetypes though)
                In insert mode, the cursor will be positioned inside 
                the comment. In normal mode, the cursor will stay 
                put.
<c-_>r       :: :TCommentRight
<c-_>p       :: Comment the current inner paragraph
<c-_><Count> :: Set the count argument (a number from 1 to 9) for use with 
                the subsequent tcomment map/command (see 
                |tcomment#Comment()|)
                E.g. in JavaScript, in order to get an empty /** */ 
                comment for documentation purposes, in insert mode type 
                <c-_>2<c-_>i
                In order to get an empty block comment like >
                  /**
                   *
                   */

< type 2b

Most of the above maps are also available in visual mode.

A secondary set of key maps is defined for normal and insert mode:

<Leader>__       :: :TComment
<Leader>_p       :: Comment the current inner paragraph
<Leader>_<space> :: :TComment <QUERY COMMENT-BEGIN ?COMMENT-END>
<Leader>_i       :: :TCommentInline
<Leader>_r       :: :TCommentRight
<Leader>_b       :: :TCommentBlock
<Leader>_a       :: :TCommentAs <QUERY COMMENT TYPE>
<Leader>_n       :: :TCommentAs &filetype <QUERY COUNT>
<Leader>_s       :: :TCommentAs &filetype_<QUERY COMMENT SUBTYPE>

... and for select mode:

<Leader>__       :: :TComment
<Leader>_i       :: :TCommentInline

Visual Mode

Capital V selects the current line in one key stroke; two, if you include the "shift" in shift+v.

References

https://github.com/tpope/vim-surround/blob/master/doc/surround.txt

http://vimgolf.com/

http://www.drbunsen.org/vim-croquet/

[Graphical vi-vim Cheat Sheet and Tutorial - ViEmu] (http://www.viemu.com/a_vi_vim_graphical_cheat_sheet_tutorial.html)

Ben Chuanlong Du's Blog

It is never too late to learn.

Tips on Vim

Vim Distributions

Reload File

Case Insensitive Search

Tips

Tricks & Traps

Search

Command

Buffers

Indent

Read

Misc

Addons

Macro

Macro/Command/Function

Settings

Usage

Vim folding commands

Surround Commands

Upper/Lower Cases

Split Windows

Macro

Indention and Unindention

Buffers

Spell Check

Block and Mark

tComment

Visual Mode

References

Comments