Questions tagged [key-bindings]
Doing an action when pressing a key. These are also called key mappings or mappings. For questions about default key bindings, as well as creating or redefining key bindings.
221
questions
109
votes
1
answer
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How to debug a mapping?
I see a lot of questions on here where a user has a mapping which doesn't work
and most of the time the reasons are pretty similar.
I suggest to make this question a reference for this kind of ...
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12
votes
1
answer
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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: :...
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82
votes
8
answers
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How to map Alt key?
I'm trying to map Alt key in the following way:
:map <A-j> j
:map <A-k> k
but it doesn't work (bell is rang on Alt + j/Alt + k).
What am I missing?
I'm using Terminal on OSX, the same ...
- 18k
26
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Can I map a Ctrl + upper-case letter separately from Ctrl + lower-case letter?
I am trying to figure out how to navigate windows little quicker, so I would like to map the following:
:nmap <silent> <C-F> :wincmd f<CR>
The problem is this remaps the ^f (lower-...
- 1,083
14
votes
1
answer
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views
Mapping Ctrl with equal sign
I am trying to map my Ctrl and plus sign together. This is what I am trying in my vimrc:
nnoremap <C-=> : echo "Hello" <CR>
However it seems like the mapping is not being triggered.
...
- 1,061
28
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Disable <Esc> but keep <C-[>
For switching back from Insert mode I'm used to <Esc>. Now I'm looking to retrain myself to <C-[> instead of <Esc>. For that i need to disable <Esc> to help with the ...
- 545
17
votes
5
answers
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Why does this <Esc> normal mode mapping affect startup?
I'm experiencing a weird problem with a normal mode mapping of Esc.
If you create the file escmapvimrc with the contents:
set nocompatible
set showcmd " Doesn't affect the problem: just makes it ...
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12
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Mapping Ctrl+s does not work
I am trying to map Ctrl+s to save my file however it does not work.
My mappings:
map <C-s> :w <CR> :echo "Saved" <CR>
imap <C-s> <Esc> :w <CR> :echo "Saved" <...
- 1,589
27
votes
3
answers
10k
views
What does `<Bar>` mean?
In answering a question just now, I mentioned using a normal mode key mapping that can be found at the Vim Tips Wiki. In the middle of explaining the key mapping, I realized that I had no idea what &...
- 3,682
8
votes
1
answer
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views
Mapping control-H in insert mode doesn't work; it always works like backspace
I tried mapping control-H, J, K, and L respectively in insert mode to move around splits.
inoremap <C-h> <ESC><C-W><C-h>i
inoremap <C-l> <ESC><C-W><C-l&...
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6
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Strange behavior of <ctrl-j> remapping
I want ctrl-h, ctrl-j, ctrl-k and ctrl-l in insert mode to behave like the arrow keys. I have this (among other things) in my .vimrc:
inoremap <C-j> <Down>
inoremap <C-k> <Up&...
- 17.3k
101
votes
2
answers
57k
views
How can I find out what <Leader> is set to? And is it possible to remap <Leader>?
How can I figure out which key is set as my <Leader>, and how do I remap it?
- 1,185
5
votes
1
answer
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How to map shortcut to double square brackets?
When I type [[ or ]] in normal mode, cursor is jumping previous / next "class definition" during editing python (.py) file.
I want to map these shortcuts to SHIFT + UP and SHIFT + DOWN. And I added ...
140
votes
17
answers
175k
views
Other ways to exit Insert mode besides Escape
The primary reason I like vim over emacs is that my hand movement distance away from the home row is very low (even as a programmer). However, the one main time that I do this is leaving insert mode, ...
- 2,091
9
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How to map <C-i> separate from <Tab>?
I want to remap <C-I> to print markdown * symbol around the previous word. For example:
# user actions inside <...>
some text typed in vim insert mode<cursor_position> <C-I>
#...
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4
votes
1
answer
969
views
recover default behavior of arrow keys rather than having them produce ABCD, when I map <esc>
My question is related to this post which for some reason was closed. Here's my .vimrc file
set cpoptions=BceFs$ ":compatibility flags with /usr/ucb/vi
set hlsearch
hi Search ctermfg=white ...
- 715
40
votes
2
answers
6k
views
What is <Leader>?
I see <Leader> quite often in other people's vimrc files.
Like this one.
What is it?
What does it do?
- 1,158
31
votes
3
answers
10k
views
How can I redefine plugin key mappings?
I have installed a plugin that doesn't provide a mechanism to disable the key mappings it defines. I want to redefine one of the mappings (<leader>cc) defined by the plugin for my own pursope, I'...
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30
votes
1
answer
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Understanding CTRL-U combination
In this answer I faced the CTRL-U used in function call after : and before the actual function name.
:nnoremap <buffer> <cr> :<C-U>call append('.', repeat([''],v:count1))<cr>
...
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25
votes
5
answers
17k
views
How to find out what a key is mapped to?
I know that running :map commands without arguments should give me a list of user-defined mappings, but, for example, when I press Ctrl-W Ctrl-I something happens, yet I have no idea what function was ...
- 421
18
votes
2
answers
4k
views
How to repeat a mapping when keeping key pressed
I have in my .vimrc some simple mappings to resize split windows easily:
noremap <Leader><UP> <C-w>+
noremap <Leader><DOWN> <C-w>-
That works pretty fine but ...
- 49k
12
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Is it possible to map control forward-slash with vim
I'm wondering if it is possible to map control + forward-slash in vim. The mapping would be for normal mode if that makes a difference.
I have tried <c-/> but that didn't work.
I also tried ...
- 299
7
votes
3
answers
4k
views
How to format a mapping to an if statement?
I'm had some trouble defining a mapping in my .vimrc. I want <leader>sv to source my .vimrc, but first I want to write, if I'm currently editing it.
Goal
The intention of the code is this:
if ...
- 833
42
votes
4
answers
28k
views
How can I work with splits in Vim without Ctrl-W?
My terminal doesn't allow me to type Ctrl+W, because that's a shortcut for closing a terminal tab.
I like working with splits, but I can't find any way to do so without using C-W. This forced me to ...
- 523
41
votes
8
answers
31k
views
How to disable arrow keys in vim?
I want to teach myself to prefer hjkl more over the arrow keys in order to stay on the home row. (I am very aware that one should not use hjkl as the main navigation keys as there are more powerful ...
- 2,937
39
votes
1
answer
14k
views
What are the differences between the map, noremap, abbrev and noreabbrev commands?
These commands transform one set of keystrokes to another in some way, but I am somewhat fuzzy on which one is most appropriate for some situation. In addition, there are the ! variants of them as ...
- 24.7k
24
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How can I get ‘n’ to go forward even if I started searching with ‘?’ or ‘#’?
Vim has (at least) two sets of commands that search in opposite directions. Typing / and then a pattern will search forward through the document for the pattern; typing ? and then a pattern will ...
- 2,873
20
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How can I map d[count]d?
N.B. This is not a duplicate of How does the "d3fg" command work? Please read it before voting to close!
I've come to a bit of an impasse in my quest to get small deletions work like big ...
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20
votes
4
answers
3k
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
17
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How to move the cursor to the correct indentation level without quiting insert mode?
For example I have this JavaScript code. The | character represents the cursor position and it is on an empty line.
function a() {
console.log("a");
function b() {
console....
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15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can't map German 'umlaut' keys in .vimrc
I'm trying to find a way to map German umlaut keys (Ä,ä,Ö,ö,Ü,ü).
A simple shortcut like this won't work:
inoremap <c-ö> <Esc>
Nothing happens when I hit ctrl+ö.
Does anyone know a ...
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11
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How does vimgolf record all keystrokes?
From time to time I like to engage in a round of vimgolf. It can be enlightening.
How are they able to record all the keystrokes? That must be a vim feature. Anybody any idea how to do that. It could ...
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11
votes
1
answer
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views
How does one include a trailing space in a mapping?
I'm currently trying to create the following mapping in my vimrc:
nnoremap <Leader>s :split
The :split is followed by a trailing space. This makes sense so I can enter the file name without ...
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10
votes
2
answers
754
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
10
votes
2
answers
806
views
What's the functional difference between the key notations "\<xxx>" and '<xxx>'?
I stumbled recently upon a mapping in the Vim Tips Wiki that uses an expr-quote:
nnoremap <silent> <Space> @=(foldlevel('.')?'za':"\<Space>")<CR>
and realized it still worked ...
- 228
9
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Why does remapping <Esc> make the cursor jump?
In .vimrc:
inoremap ii <esc> " ii to go back into command mode
The problem is, after ii, cursor jumps 35 columns right. The only other line which affects Esc:
...
user6649
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Using a no-op key in insert mode, can't use key after using no-op mapping
I have the following bindings in my ~/.vimrc to make it easier to "disengage" some of my insert-mode key-bindings.
Here's an example. ` for <Nop> and `` to enter a literal `.
inoremap ` <...
- 1,785
5
votes
2
answers
689
views
Map CTRL-& in vimrc
I'm trying to re-map tagbar toggling with <C-&> that I get used to when working with IDEs.
But setting
execute "nnoremap <C-&> :TagbarToggle<CR>"
does not have the ...
- 1,107
4
votes
1
answer
345
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; ...
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91
votes
3
answers
31k
views
Open filename under cursor like gf, but in a new tab (or split)?
The normal mode command gf go to a file with the path
the cursor currently is at.
But it does so in the current window, replacing the current text.
That means you need to navigate back explicitly ...
- 2,087
30
votes
4
answers
71k
views
Remap Esc key in Vim
Is it possible to remap the Esc key to another key in Vim? When I'm using Vim in a full screen VMware vSphere web client console window and I press the Esc key to exit edit mode, it also takes me out ...
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26
votes
4
answers
12k
views
How to enter insert mode when entering neovim terminal pane?
I have the following mappings to make it easy to move out of a terminal pane in neovim:
tnoremap <C-h> <C-\><C-n><C-w>h
" Workaround since <C-h> isn't working in neovim ...
- 1,827
26
votes
1
answer
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What is the difference between "mapped key sequences" and "key codes"? (timeoutlen v ttimeoutlen)
The vim manual says we can use timeoutlen to specify the timeout length of mapped key sequences and can use ttimeoutlen to specify the timeout length of key codes:
A useful setting would be
:set ...
- 1,744
23
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Clear a line faster than [0][d][$]
Is there a faster way to erase the text on a line than
pressing 0 to jump to the start, then
pressing d$ to delete until the end of the line?
Also, what if I wanted to delete everything except the ...
- 873
17
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Fix arrow keys displaying A, B, C, D in vi (not in vim)
I know that in vim I can add
set nocompatible
in .vimrc to avoid that arrow keys display A, B, C, D in insert mode.
But I'm using vi Version 4.0 (gritter) 12/25/06.
How can I obtain the same ...
- 323
15
votes
1
answer
340
views
Using <C-,> causes "<80>ü^D," to flash in the showcmd area?
I've mapped <C-,> as well as some other special keys (<C-Enter>, <C-S-Space>, ...) in my vimrc like,
:set <F13>=^[[44;5u
:map <F13> <C-,>
:map! <F13> <C-...
- 1,420
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How to map Enter to custom command EXCEPT in quick fix?
I've remapped <cr> (enter) to za so I can quickly open/close folds.
However, now when I use the quickfix window and hit enter it no longer jumps to the line with the error (because it's trying ...
- 521
12
votes
2
answers
388
views
Quickly switch between fonts at runtime
While fonts can be manually selected in GVim from the menu, I have a few preferred fonts I would like to switch between depending on the task at hand (small bitmap, larger OTF... etc).
Is there a way ...
- 3,673
11
votes
1
answer
632
views
Map a sequence of letters in insert mode
I can already map a key combination in insert mode:
:inoremap abc <do stuff>
However, this has a few drawbacks:
When typing a partial version of the sequence, such as ab, the characters aren'...
- 14.8k
11
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Bundling command sequences together for repeat (.)
Consider:
apple
pear
Put your cursor on the first line and type Yp, producing:
apple
apple
pear
Put your cursor on the pear line and type . to repeat the last command. This repeats only the p (...
- 743