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In Normal and Visual modes you can execute a motion or other operation using the contents of a register with @. This @ key does not work however in Operator-pending mode. Is there another way to use a motion from a register with an operator?

In Operator-pending mode it is still possible to use commands as motions, for example: :call <SID>MyAction()<CR>. What would be the reason for not allowing registers?

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The technical reason is that the @ command isn't defined in operator pending mode. Why? Probably because it wasn't in vi, and because it only makes sense when the register actually contains a motion.

You can work around this via :normal, though, e.g. qq3eqgU:normal! @q<CR>.

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