grep in my specific dictionary

Question

I often need to make a case-insensitive search of the current word (under cursor) in a dictionary file which has a simple txt format, one entry per line. One possible solution is to record a macro in a register which will make the grep for me and display the matches in the command-line mode, such as

:!grep -i word ~/path/to/dictfile.txt

where the current word can be substituted by means of ^R^W. This works, but it has some disadvantages.

• The list of matches disappears once I hit Enter. Keeping the results in a window would be useful. The contents of the window should update when I make a new search.

• The list of matches provides no highlighting of the search pattern, which would increase the readability.

I have tried to make a script which would output the matches to another file for viewing. However, I was not able to ensure in the script that exactly one window with the matches stays open and refreshes with a renewed grepping.

Another solution might come via the :vimgrep command and displaying the quickfix list via the :cwindow command. But there, I get lots of unwanted information (~/path/to/dictfile.txt, |linenumber col colnumber| and no highlighting.

Answer 1

You can send the Grep to a split terminal buffer after closing the buffer from the previous Grep (if any).

:sil!bd --color|ter grep --color -i word dictfile

• grep --color is required to force Grep to use color.

• bd --color deletes the buffer whose name matches "--color". This is a good keyword because it is unlikely that you will have a filename containing "--color". You could also use "grep" as the keyword, but then the command would fail if you had a buffer named "meagrepart", for example.

• sil! prevents the command from failing if you had no "--color" terminal buffer yet.

See also vert ter for a vertically split terminal and tab ter for a terminal in a new tab.