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I would like to insert a specific character after each instance of another character in a line. For example, inserting a '\' after each instance of another '\' on a line.

So, from this: C:folder\folder2\folder3\folder4, to this:C:folder\\folder2\\folder3\\folder4

I was thinking it may be a variation on the s command, but I haven't found anything that works yet. Or maybe using search and replace is a better way.

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    I think you answered your own question, the s command does just fine: :s/\\/\\\\/g – guillem Jun 26 '18 at 6:00
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Extending the comment of @guillem

you need a simple :s/\\/\\\\/g for each line that you want to perform the substitution on. Or maybe visually select the lines and then :'<,'>s/\\/\\\\/g

Here, you need to escape each \ with another \ before it.

Edit: I'm adding a link to vim substitution command. Moreover, vim's substitute command :s/<pattern>/<change>/ is the same as the search and replace command. Look at the wiki page for using vim's substitute command.

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    Why not :s-\-\\-g to avoid all the escapes? The delimiter is pretty flexible. – D. Ben Knoble♦ Jun 26 '18 at 23:01
  • @D.BenKnoble Um, that's because I didn't know it. I'll edit my answer after I read about it a little, ok? – klaus Jun 27 '18 at 1:51
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    Fair enough! Just a suggestion – D. Ben Knoble♦ Jun 27 '18 at 1:51
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    I saw the deal about substitute delimiters. And you, sir, made my day. – klaus Jun 27 '18 at 12:11
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    Vimgolf: :s/\\/&&/g – Christian Brabandt Jun 27 '18 at 15:02

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