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Occasionally, my pinky will graze the ' key while reaching for enter, resulting in :w'<Enter>.
I've tried:
cabbrev w' :w
cabbrev w\' :w
cabbrev "w'" :w
None of them work. Is there a way to alias :w' to :w?
I also use cmdwin (:help cmdwin + nnoremap : :<C-F>) instead of the normal command-line, so bonus points if it works there too.
As Peter Rincker points out, cmaps can expand in other places as well, so a cnoreabbrev would be better:
cnoreabbrev w' w
Or, the safest, again thanks to Peter:
cnoreabbrev <expr> w' getcmdtype() == ":" && getcmdline() == "w'" ? "w" : "w'"
By explicitly checking if the command line contains only w', unwanted expansions in situations can be avoided.
You can use a cmap:
cmap w' w
You'd still have to press Enter, but an accidental ' should be ignored now.
If you're using cmdwin, a inoremap set by autocmd might be useful:
autocmd CmdwinEnter * inoremap w' w
autocmd CmdwinLeave * iunmap w'
:cmap w' w, but there was no change in behavior. :w' still results in writing to a file named '. "'" [New] 0L, 0C written.
' actually show up when you press it after w? It shouldn't if the cmap was successfully created - a cmap LHS is automatically filled in with the RHS, so if you press a ', it should still only show w.
cmap's and cabbrev's. They will execute/expand in other modes and other places. e.g. :s/'follow'/foo and /'follow'. Please see the following vim change :x function to delete buffer instead of save & quit or use cmdalias.vim
Feb 19, 2015 at 23:20
cnoreabbrev <expr> w' getcmdtype() == ":" && getcmdline() == "w'" ? "w" : "w'"
Feb 19, 2015 at 23:27
' still shows up, but I just figured out it's because I'm using cmdwin to enter commands, and cmdwin is just a regular buffer, so cmap/cnoreabbrev don't work there. Updating the answer with noreabbrev option for cmdwin users. :) Thanks!!!
This method works for me:
:ca w' w
Alternatively you can set up your vim to save the current buffer when you hit Esc twice, e.g.
:map <Esc><Esc> :w<CR>
Or use the following mapping to save file either by Ctrl+s or F2:
nmap <c-s> :w<CR>
vmap <c-s> <Esc><c-s>gv
imap <c-s> <Esc><c-s>
nmap <F2> :update<CR>
vmap <F2> <Esc><F2>gv
imap <F2> <c-o><F2>
Note: F2 only saves if necessary, and returns the user to insert mode (or restores their visual selection), as needed.
Source: Saving a file at vim wikia
Or use the following alternatives:
:up (:update) for :w:q:wq or :x
:w', not :w. I want to use :w without accidentally hitting ', which writes a file I must then rm \'. Good tips, though.