Vim registers fast pasting with :reg view

Question

I want to have fast pasting while having :reg view. I have remapping:

:noremap <C-r><C-r> <ESC>:reg<CR>

While i am in this mode I want to to have single keystroke(buffer name) option like: ", 1, 2, 3, *, #, /, etc.. to paste register.

How to do that?

Answer 1

Try this...

:nnoremap <C-r><C-r> :reg<CR>:let regname = input("Register? ") \| exe 'norm "' . regname . 'p'<CR>

You'll see the :reg output and then a prompt. At the prompt enter the register (#, a, @, etc.) and hit Enter. The contents of the selected register will be pasted right after the current position of the cursor.

This is adapted from an answer I gave to a similar question about acting on the output of the [I command.

Fortunately, :reg enters the same general "what now?" prompt as [I does. That prompt allows : as a response and that puts us on the regular command line without dismissing the previous command's output. From there it's just a matter of displaying a prompt and then building a :normal command that pastes whatever register the user entered.

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Update: Sounds like OP is interested in a variation that doesn't require hitting Enter. This should do it:

:nnoremap <C-r><C-r> :reg<CR>:echom "Register? "\|let n=nr2char(getchar())\|exe 'norm "'.n.'p'\|redraw<CR>

Besides using nr2char(getchar()) to get the register name I tacked a :redraw onto the end to eliminate the Press Enter or type command to continue prompt that blocks immediate return to Normal mode.

(FYI it's also shortened/compressed a bit compared to the first one.)

Answer 2

I’ve not used it myself, but peekaboo provides a sort of HUD for pasting.

It’s not a “quick-paste” as you describe but may solve the same problem.