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I keep a sys.md file where I record a dated entry of every modification I make to my system (mostly installations of software, sometimes configuration changes) and based on an old Hacker News link about a did file I came up with the idea of an alias that would auto-insert the date and set me up with exactly the prompt I want for an entry to sys.md.

This command opens my sys.md file and inserts the date and the bottom:

nvim +'normal Go' +r!date' ~/notes/sys.md

I want to copy that line, paste it below, replace it with -'s as a markdown h2 heading, insert a new line and begin it with a dash-space -_ to start a bullet.

yypVr-o-_

However, 

nvim +'normal Go' +'r!date' -c 'yypVr-o-_' ~/notes/sys.md

does not work. How can I auto-execute those commands?

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    You mean something like this: vim +'$pu_|r!date' +'norm yypVr-o-_' foo.txt? I think you are missing your :normal command. See :h :norm
    – Peter Rincker
    Aug 22, 2018 at 21:59
  • @PeterRincker If you'd put that as an answer I'll accept it. It worked.
    – mas
    Aug 23, 2018 at 12:46
  • @PeterRincker: what does the $pu_ do?
    – mas
    Aug 23, 2018 at 14:01
  • I had to eliminate $pu_ from the command and reform it as nvim +'normal Go' +'r!date' +'yypVr-o-_' ~/notes/sys.md Because the BASH aliasing system didn't like your $pu_, but the +'norm <commands>' synax was what I was looking for anyway. Thank you!
    – mas
    Aug 23, 2018 at 14:03
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    Using :put with the black hole register, "_, will create a blank line. Providing a range of $ will mean we put a blank line at the end of the file. See :h :range, :h quote_, and :h :put
    – Peter Rincker
    Aug 23, 2018 at 14:09

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

yypVr-o-_ are not ex-commands, but normal. Use :normal to execute normal commands.

vim +'normal Go' +'r!date' +'yypVr-o-_' ~/notes/sys.md

For more help see:

:norm
:h -c
:h :r!
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