Cannot set `:p` as abbreviation of `:pu`

Question

I am trying to set up an abbreviation for :pu as :p, so it is more consistent with :y and :d.

cnoreabbrev p pu

However this doesn;t work. It will just return cnoreabbrev p pu on the command message without doing anything. Why is that?

Edit

Taking this text as an example, where [] is the cursor

hel[]lo
world
foo

I run :2y to copy line 2, and I want to paste it after line 3 with :3p, instead of :3pu.

Didn't realize :p represent :print, is it possible for me to overwrite that, making :p to represent :pu?

What are the steps you are taking? Eg, run the command, then type :p ? Or something else? By default p is short for print, which prints the current line without a range. — D. Ben Knoble, Commented Apr 25, 2021 at 12:40
Didn't realize :p represents :print. How can I overwrite that? I have updated my question with an example. — John Winston, Commented Apr 25, 2021 at 14:58
The abbreviation actually works as expected... But it only recognizes p as a word by itself. So :3 p will trigger it (as :3 pu) while :3p will not. Also note that the abbreviation triggers elsewhere in the command line (and search prompt, etc.) so it has many adverse side effects! — filbranden, Commented Apr 25, 2021 at 21:17

Maxim Kim · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-25 15:26:53Z

2

In general you can't rename built-in commands (the ones started with lowercase letters).

So no, you can't make :p represent :pu.

But you can use :copy (that has builtin synonym :t) and/or :move commands.

In you case it is simple:

:t3

answered Apr 25, 2021 at 15:26

Maxim Kim

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This is very useful. Looking at :help :copy right now, it seems that this command is not binded to any key by default?
– John Winston
Commented Apr 25, 2021 at 15:44
@JohnWinston It's not much different from Y/:yank followed by 3jp or :+3put; it's just ex versus normal and is linewise. :copy does have advantages! e.g., no cursor movement, arbitrary ranges, etc. Just different styles of doing things.
– D. Ben Knoble ♦
Commented Apr 25, 2021 at 15:51
Or is this key possible to be binded? Unlike other command, this key requires a range and an address.
– John Winston
Commented Apr 25, 2021 at 15:52

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