How to select a block in visual mode and delete this block and immediately enter insert mode?

Question

for one single word, the job is quite easy: we just do a 'cw'

what if I select a certain text and I want to replace this block with one word?

obviously I can do a 'x' and then 'i', is there a one key-stoke solution?

in other words, after I select the block in visual mode, what is the fastest way to do 'delete' and then enter insert mode?

any idea?

Answer 1

You can do exactly this with c. From :help v_c:

{Visual}["x]c   or                  *v_c* *v_s*
{Visual}["x]s       Delete the highlighted text [into register x] and
            start insert (for {Visual} see |Visual-mode|).  {not
            in Vi}

In general, most commands that work in normal mode will work the same way in visual mode. So since you can do cw, you can do c in visual mode and it will have the same effect. Same for d, y, gu, etc.

Answer 2

You can do the selection using visual mode and then hit s or c to remove the selected text and directly enter insert mode.

Answer 3

First, you can enter visual mode V-Line Shift + v then select your code with j(down) or k (up). Then Shift + s will empty your block of code and enter insert mode.

Explanation:

• Shift + v let you select entire lines.
• Shift + s replace your selection and enters insert mode.

Now, an even better tip... if your code is between { and } and your cursor is placed inside those, then you can just type ci{ and it will leave everything inside { and } blank and enter insert mode.

Explanation:

• c change
• i internal
• { delimiter, it can be ( or { or "

Here are both:

I hope this will help you. Cheers!