Questions tagged [command-line]
Questions on ex- or colon-commands. For questions about command-line options used to launch the editor, use the [invocation] tag.
63
questions
12
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How do I use a variable or return value in option, command, or mapping?
I have a variable foo with let foo='value', and a function F like
function F()
return 'value'
endfunction
and I want to use them
in an option: :set option=foo, :set option=F(); or
in a command: :...
- 27.2k
29
votes
1
answer
15k
views
How to edit files non-interactively (e.g. in pipeline)?
I would like to edit files passed in pipeline input using vim in non-interactive way or edit files in-place (similar to sed).
Few examples using sed:
$ sed -i'.bak' s/foo/test/g file # Edit file ...
- 18.7k
87
votes
1
answer
38k
views
How to open multiple files in split mode?
I know how to split windows in vim, but it's possible to open multiple files using vim in split mode (at startup) from the command line?
In example:
vim file1 file2 file3
or:
vim *.cpp
- 18.7k
57
votes
5
answers
29k
views
Dump the output of internal vim command into buffer
How do I dump an internal vim command (not shell command) into a new buffer?
For example, I want to dump a listing of all plugins into :enew from :scriptnames so that I can search it.
- 675
20
votes
3
answers
467
views
What is the '[Command Line]' that sometimes comes up when I try to quit, and how can I quickly exit it?
Occasionally when I try to quit Vim, I get something that looks like this:
I'm not sure how I accidentally invoke this, but my current method for escaping it is to hit random keys and eventually it ...
user2
20
votes
3
answers
19k
views
vim doesn't show the command that is being typed
I was reading vimtutor and in lesson 2.1 there was this note about typing commands like dw:
NOTE: The letter d will appear on the last line of the screen as you type
it. Vim is waiting for you ...
- 303
20
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How can I use Readline shortcuts in the vim command line?
When I'm editing a Vim command, I would like to use the same shortcuts as in Bash and every other REPL: M-b to go back a word, M-Backspace to delete a previous word, M-u to convert the word to ...
- 311
10
votes
2
answers
807
views
Is there a way to alias `:w'` to `:w`, to avoid creating files named '?
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 ...
- 245
4
votes
1
answer
358
views
Vimrc tries to execute command defined on leader
I'm trying to have something like this in my .vimrc:
nnoremap <leader>has :w | ! reset; runhaskell % <cr>
How ever, now it prompts an error when loading .vimrc and tells me:
:! reset; ...
- 1,917
99
votes
2
answers
72k
views
Close and unload a buffer without exiting Vim
Often, I'll load some information into a temporary buffer, and then close it with :clo!. But this hides the buffer rather than unloading it entirely, even though I have nohidden set. I find this ...
- 1,093
27
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How to save a file for which I have no write permissions?
Sometimes it happens that I open a file and make some modifications as my own
user, without noticing or "forgetting" to noticing the [read-only] warning in
the status line (ie. some random /etc config ...
- 1,777
11
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Bring up the current file name for edition in the command line
How can I bring up the path to the current file in the command line, so as to type a similar file name? I don't want an abbreviation that would be replaced by the current file name, I want to edit the ...
10
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How to write whole buffer to standard output from the command line?
I would like to write whole buffer into standard output (/dev/stdout) instead of the file and the following command works as expected while editing the file:
:w >> /dev/stdout
Hint: Press ...
- 18.7k
10
votes
3
answers
13k
views
Is there a version of Vim or plugin with a Command Mode auto completion?
I'm wanting to learn Vim, but think it's probably too daunting. I imagine learning enough to become powerful with it, then forgetting 99% after I'm on a computerless project for a while. I know just ...
- 367
9
votes
2
answers
936
views
Prevent FocusGained autocmd running in command line editing mode
I have the following in my vimrc to automatically reload a buffer:
" Triger `autoread` when files changes on disk
" https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/383044/143394
autocmd FocusGained,BufEnter,...
- 2,711
9
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Enable incremental search and highlight while typing a search term?
While I enter a regular expression on the vim command line, I would like to see what matches the partial expression I already wrote.
For example, while writing the command
:%s/regular
all words ...
- 2,197
8
votes
1
answer
904
views
How to make command-line abbreviations that only trigger at begining of line
I have a custom save function, and bound it to :w by using an abbreviation:
cabbrev w call SaveBuffer()
This works, but I ran into issues when I wanted to reference window local variables because w: ...
- 7,776
4
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How to read the exact command executed by the shell when sent from vim?
Sometimes, when I send a shell command from vim, I receive an error.
For example, when I type the following command :!chmod +x shellescape("%"), zsh complains with :
zsh:1: unknown sort specifier
...
- 6,856
4
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Execute external command in split window
Is there a way to get the following in Vim:
If I execute a command in Vim like !make c, I would like to have a frame/split that pops up like in syntastic instead of switching to terminal view. That ...
- 314
4
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can the command-line be edited/navigated using Vim commands?
How can I edit the text of a Vim command I've started typing out in the Vim command line?
Example:
If I type out a long search and replace command and realized I made a mistake. Now I want to move ...
- 43
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
my ag shortcut chokes on spaces
I got this in my .vimrc:
set grepprg=grep\ -nriI\ --exclude=tags\ --exclude-dir=vendor
" The Silver Searcher
if executable('ag')
" Use ag over grep
let &grepprg = "ag --nogroup --nocolor --...
- 743
35
votes
8
answers
32k
views
How to go to previous open buffer from Vim command line?
I am trying to write a Vim function which should make the window go to the previous open buffer.
How can I do it from the command line? My first idea was to find out some Ctrl-O command line ...
- 873
34
votes
2
answers
22k
views
Execute current buffer as bash script from vim
I use vim for bash scripting, and sometimes I write a one-time script. Usually, I don't want to create a new file, make it executable, execute it and then remove it.
For instance I open vim and type ...
- 1,137
27
votes
4
answers
12k
views
How to edit content from the standard input?
I would like to edit content in vim which was dynamically generated from the command-line without having the file yet.
In example:
$ echo This is example. | vim /dev/stdin
$ cat /etc/hosts | vim /dev/...
- 18.7k
18
votes
1
answer
33k
views
Execute normal command over range
For a file looking like this:
2 AD,42.546245,1.601554,Andorra,376
3 AE,23.424076,53.847818,United Arab Emirates,971
4 AF,33.93911,67.709953,Afghanistan,93
5 AG,17.060816,-61.796428,...
- 283
18
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Bash-like partial tab-complete for filenames in Vim
In Bash, when there are several files with the same prefix and I type part of the prefix and hit Tab, it completes the common prefix and allows me to continue typing to differentiate among the ...
- 8,622
16
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How is command history resolved between multiple instances of Vim?
Vim keeps a history of ex commands (accessible via :↑ and q:), and that history persists after quitting.
If I run multiple instances of Vim (same user, same home directory), how does Vim arbitrate ...
- 9,629
14
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How to escape a whole string in a : command?
Let's see. I have a gvim running and I want open a file, respecting the autocmds (which rules out --remote-tab).
Now I know I can do (basically, with some tweak):
gvim --remote-send ":tabe my_file&...
- 758
11
votes
1
answer
446
views
Why does `<Bar>` behave like `|` in the `:command` command in Vim?
Here is the list of experiments I performed that shows that <Bar> is treated as literal <Bar> in some commands but it is treated as | in the :command command.
I am trying to understand why ...
- 115
9
votes
3
answers
6k
views
How to run zsh aliased command from vim command mode?
I have a bunch of really useful terminal programs which I use often while I am editing or writing. For example, dictionary is a popular one and I have aliased its usage to single character d in .zshrc ...
- 949
9
votes
1
answer
461
views
Difference between full and short command
Is there a practical difference between using
:e
and
:edit
Except for readability, where it make sense in a mapping to use :edit, because it's more explicit.
Is there a difference between them?
...
- 16.2k
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Understanding line reference differences through :g/^/norm and through :%norm
Let's say that I have the following very simple file
a
b
c
d
e
and I've decided that I want to add empty lines after each line. Several different methods immediately jump to my mind. We might just ...
- 2,464
8
votes
4
answers
10k
views
How to delete a multi-line match?
For testing purposes I've opened the following file:
vim http://example.com/
And I'm using the following command to delete a highlighted multi-line pattern:
:/<body\_.\{-}body>/d
which ...
- 18.7k
6
votes
2
answers
185
views
Position command line under current window?
Sometimes I work with a vertically split window and I was thinking it would be cool if when I enter the command line with :, /, etc., the command I type would appear below the current window instead ...
- 161
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How to find what is causing the command line height to be changed after opening / closing a tab?
Sometimes (I can't reproduce it reliably), after opening a tab, the height of my command line becomes excessively big.
When it begins, the buffer displayed in the first newly created tab has only 10 ...
- 6,856
6
votes
1
answer
912
views
How to change the command line status message color and font?
I would like to change the color of part of the command line, the stuff that's echo'd from vim scripts. I know it can be different since when your search hits the bottom it prints a message in red ...
- 63
6
votes
2
answers
414
views
Setting a default file extension
Can I tell vim to assume a filename ends in .tex if no extension is given? e.g. to open bird.tex if I say :e bird (unless there is a file bird with no extension).
- 3,139
5
votes
1
answer
115
views
Open command window dynamically
I am trying to use the command line window in a vimscript.
Unfortunately, the experiment I have with is not good and I am not able to achieve the following:
normal! q:
This should open the command ...
- 16.2k
5
votes
1
answer
363
views
Use shell variable substitution with current filepath
I want to be able to easily change the filename. This works:
:! var=%; mv % ${var/.txt/.asc}
But this doesn't:
:! mv % ${%/.txt/.asc}
My questions:
Why doesn't this work? Doesn't VIM simply ...
- 266
5
votes
2
answers
302
views
Preventing ex commands from altering the screen
Sometimes ex commands have the useless side effect of jumping, probably to the last place they affected. Can this be prevented? I would prefer it if ex commands left my screen exactly the same as ...
- 3,139
5
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Insert blank line above and bellow a certain line
Without being in insert mode, from a certain line, I'd like to create a blank line above and below that line in staying on the same line. Could anyone have an idea how to do it?
To clarify what I'm ...
user10766
5
votes
1
answer
6k
views
How to escape pipe character in `:make`, `:grep` and friends
I'm trying to use :grep to search for one of several words. Since grep accepts regular expressions, I figured I could just use the pipe character | to build a single expression for both words:
:grep -...
- 173
4
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Delete all of a file except for certain words that contain certain letters
I have a file that contains words that I want to save, along with other junk that I do not need. I just want to delete everything except the words that contain a certain pattern. Take email addresses ...
- 335
4
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Call vim command from shell, and suppress output while it operates
I'm setting up a vim environment install script. I'm using vim-plug for plugin management.
What I'd like to do is, from the install.sh, run vim and call PlugInstall to
trigger plugin download and ...
- 273
4
votes
1
answer
471
views
How to check whether a command is run with range or not?
For example, I have the following code
command! -range Test call TestFunc()
function! TestFunc() abort
" if run with range
" get selected content
" else
" get current word under the ...
- 320
4
votes
0
answers
105
views
:tabonly does not close all unmodified tabs if there is a modified tab in the way
Create some test files,
touch a b c d
and open each in a tab,
vim -p a b c d
Modify file b. Go to tab c and issue :tabonly.
Expected behavior: a and d tabs are closed. b is not closed because
it is ...
- 2,486
3
votes
1
answer
274
views
Use feedkeys then do command
I want to write a mapping that does feedkeys(":cd " . getcwd()), waits for me to edit the directory and then press enter, and then runs a command such as :Rg from the fzf plugin.
I tried ...
- 305
3
votes
1
answer
210
views
multiple shell command execution failed
I want to execute two shell command at the same time in vim. So i use | like below
:!ls|!pwd
Its Returns the following error
E34: No previous command
But what happen ls output is forward to ...
- 217
2
votes
1
answer
928
views
How to print a multi-line match?
I've a file where I would like to extract a multiline pattern in non-greedy way (similar to this scenario) by using ex editor.
This example works fine:
$ ex +'/aa/,/cc/p' -scq! <(echo -e "start\...
- 18.7k
1
vote
2
answers
206
views
Can I navigate backwards by word (not WORD) in command-line mode?
If I'm in command-line mode in vim, and I have the current command line entered (cursor position shown with |):
:somecommand somefilename.txt|
I'd like to navigate backwards so that the cursor is ...
- 6,889