How do you use variables in a search?

Question

I'd like to pull out a variable something like this to save repeating the same thing

let s:twoLinesStartingWithWords = '^\w\+.*\n\w\+.*'
"next/previous definition
nnoremap <Leader>n /\=s:twoLinesStartingWithWords<cr>
nnoremap <Leader>N ?\=s:twoLinesStartingWithWords<cr>

Do I need to use the search register or is there a simpler way?

Answer 1

You can include variables in mappings by building the map command as a string and executing it with the :execute command:

let s:twoLinesStartingWithWords = '^\w\+.*\n\w\+.*'

execute 'nnoremap <leader>n /' . s:twoLinesStartingWithWords . '<CR>'
execute 'nnoremap <leader>N ?' . s:twoLinesStartingWithWords . '<CR>'