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Tool docs

Vim built in features

Toggle last used buffer

  • Ctrl + 6 to change to the last buffer

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/53664/how-to-effectively-work-with-multiple-files-in-vim

Go to definition

  • gd will take you to the local declaration.
  • gD will take you to the global declaration.
  • g* search for the word under the cursor (like , but g on ‘rain’ will find words like ‘rainbow’).
  • g# same as g* but in backward direction.
  • gg goes to the first line in the buffer (or provide a count before the command for a specific line).
  • G goes to the last line (or provide a count before the command for a specific line).

Execute external command

  • :! + external command

Select all Text

  1. gg
  2. dG

https://codeyarns.com/2011/04/18/how-to-delete-all-lines-of-file-in-vim/

Delete specific lines

100dd

:1,19d

https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/88185/delete-100-lines-from-vi-editor-using-single-command

Select range of lines

10GV12G 10GV2j

Delete all lines

Type gg to move the cursor to the first line of the file, if it is not already there. Type dG to delete all the lines.

Scrolling

  • CTRL-E window N lines downwards (default: 1)
  • CTRL-D window N lines Downwards (default: 1/2 window)
  • CTRL-F window N pages Forwards (downwards)
  • CTRL-Y window N lines upwards (default: 1)
  • CTRL-U window N lines Upwards (default: 1/2 window)
  • CTRL-B window N pages Backwards (upwards)

Inserting text

  • A append text at the end of the line (N times)
  • O open a new line above the current line, append text (N times)
  • o open a new line below the current line(& go there)
  • Ctrl-j/k deletes blank line below/above, and Alt-j/k inserts.

Deleting text

  • x delete N characters under and after the cursor
  • X delete N characters before the cursor
  • D delete to the end of the line (and N-1 more lines)
  • d$ delete until end of line
  • db deletes current to beginning of current word
  • dG Deletes all lines from current to last
  • dgg Deletes all line from current to first

  • dipO on a blank line deletes it and all adjacent blank lines.+ opens a new empty line, then goes back to normal mode.

    • OR: cip
    • Without insert mode: vipJ

Replace Text

The change operator works in the same way as delete.

c    [number]   motion
  • rx Replace character
  • ce To change until the end of a word
  • cw replace word

To change every occurrence of a character string between two lines, type :#,#s/old/new/g where #,# are the line numbers of the range of lines where the substitution is to be done. Type :%s/old/new/g to change every occurrence in the whole file. Type :%s/old/new/gc to find every occurrence in the whole file, with a prompt whether to substitute or not.

  • Type a capital R to replace more than one character.

General

  • + G To show status from file
  • When typing a : command, press CTRL-D to see possible completions and press to use one completion.

Use the action + motions mindset

operator [number] motion

where: operator - is what to do, such as d for delete [number] - is an optional count to repeat the motion motion - moves over the text to operate on, such as w (word), $ (to the end of line), etc.

  • Use count to maximize commands like deleting

Undo

  • U to undo last line
  • + R to redo

Multiline editing

  1. Ctr +
  2. Select lines
  3. Hit I”

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/11784408/vim-multiline-editing-like-in-sublimetext

Select blocks of text

  1. press ma to place mark a
  2. : to go to line
  3. + v for visual mode
  4. `a to select back to mark a

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7406949/vim-faster-way-to-select-blocks-of-text-in-visual-mode

Custom commands Visual Studio

  • gh - show the hover tooltip.
  • gb - add an additional cursor at the next place that matches *
  • Add numeric prefixes before commands
  • gd - jump to definition.
  • gq - on a visual selection reflow and wordwrap blocks of text, preserving commenting style. Great for formatting * documentation comments.
  • gb - adds another cursor on the next word it finds which is the same as the word under the cursor.
  • af - visual mode command which selects increasingly large blocks of text. For example, if you had “blah (foo [bar ‘ba|z’])” then it would select ‘baz’ first. If you pressed af again, it’d then select [bar ‘baz’], and if you did it a third time it would select “(foo [bar ‘baz’])“.
  • gh - equivalent to hovering your mouse over wherever the cursor is. Handy for seeing types and error messages * without reaching for the mouse!

Left-Right motions

  • g0 to first character in screen line (differs from “0” when lines wrap)
  • g$ to last character in screen line
  • gm to middle of the screen line

Up-down motions

  • G goto line N (default: last line), on the first non-blank character
  • % goto line N percentage down in the file; N must be given, otherwise it is the % command
  • H goto first line in file
  • L goto last line in file
  • M goto middle of the file
  • gk up N screen lines (differs from “k” when line wraps)
  • gj down N screen lines (differs from “j” when line wraps)

Text object motions

  • e N words forward to the end of the Nth word
  • ) N sentences forward
  • ( N sentences backward
  • } N paragraphs forward
  • { N paragraphs backward

Markers

Set places to quickly get back

  1. mk - mark current position (can use a-z)
  2. ‘k - move to mark k
  3. d’k - delete from current position to mark k
  4. ‘a-z - same file
  5. ‘A-Z - between files

https://www.cs.oberlin.edu/~kuperman/help/vim/markers.html

Folding

  1. zf{motion} Fold(+motion)
  2. zd Removing folding
  3. zo Open folding
  4. zc Close folding

Docu

Additional folding commands

  • zr: reduces fold level throughout the buffer
  • zR: opens all folds
  • zm: increases fold level throughout the buffer
  • zM: folds everything all the way
  • za: open a fold your cursor is on
  • zA: open a fold your cursor is on recursively zc: close a fold your cursor is on

Change line

C will delete everything from the cursor to the end of the line and put you in INSERT mode, then you write your replacement, leave INSERT mode, use . to repeat the process somewhere else.

https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/31924/vim-replace-all-character-till-end-of-line

Go last position

The quickest way is to hit either: two apostrophes two backticks

Note that the difference is that the backtick goes to the same location on the line, whereas the apostrophe goes to the start of the line. On a UK keyboard, the apostrophe is more accessible, so I tend to use that one. There are loads of useful marks like this, see :help mark-motions.

For some other motions (not 2j I think), there’s also the jump-list that lets you navigate back and forth among a number of motions. CtrlO and CtrlI do this navigation, but see :help jump-motions for more information

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5052079/vim-move-cursor-to-its-last-position

Go to next error

  1. ‘[l’
  2. ‘]l’

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6361733/jump-to-next-error-code-highlighted-in-red

Go to…

  1. gd will take you to the local declaration.
  2. gD will take you to the global declaration.
  3. g* search for the word under the cursor (like , but g\ on ‘rain’ will find words like ‘rainbow’).
  4. g## same as g* but in backward direction.
  5. gg goes to the first line in the buffer (or provide a count before the command for a specific line).
  6. G goes to the last line (or provide a count before the command for a specific line).

Search & replace

Use vim substitute command(:s)

%s/foo/bar/gc

https://vim.fandom.com/wiki/Search_and_replace

Paste multiple times

For example: 30p

Use Macros

  1. Normal mode + qq(start)
  2. Do pattern
  3. Normal mode + q(stop)
  4. Paste with .(Also multiple times)

Multicursor editing

  1. The . command
  2. macros
  3. visual block

https://vi.stackexchange.com/questions/4307/multiple-cursors-at-desired-location https://medium.com/@schtoeffel/you-don-t-need-more-than-one-cursor-in-vim-2c44117d51db https://stackoverflow.com/questions/11784408/vim-multiline-editing-like-in-sublimetext https://engagor.github.io/blog/2018/02/21/why-vim-doesnt-need-multiple-cursors/

Pattern searches

  • /{pattern}[/[offset]]<CR> search forward for the Nth occurrence of {pattern}
  • ?{pattern}[?[offset]]<CR> search backward for the Nth occurrence of {pattern}
  • Search forward / & search backward ?
  • Go to next result forward nand backwards N
  • Go to next same word * and # backwards
  • + O go back where you come from
  • <Ctrl< + I go forward where you come from
  • Type % to find a matching ),], or } -> Debugging

Searching

  1. n $\rightarrow$ Forward searching(/)
  2. N $\rightarrow$ Opposite Direction(?)
type   :##,##s/old/new/g    where ##,## are the line numbers of the range
                               of lines where the substitution is to be done.
Type   :%s/old/new/g      to change every occurrence in the whole file.
Type   :%s/old/new/gc     to find every occurrence in the whole file,
                  with a prompt whether to substitute or not

Registers & Macros

Use registers logically to work flexible with code + macros to automate repetitive tipping

  • To keep values in register use “hidden” register "_d or yank in other unused register

https://www.brianstorti.com/vim-registers/

Registers

k is the used register

  • Copy the current line into register: "kyy
  • Append to register "Kyy
  • Paste from register `“kp”
  • Access current registers: :reg
  • Help: :help registers

Use Operators and motions to edit more productively

Operator + motion

  • Motion = What operator will operate on
  • Example: de

https://www.systutorials.com/240159/vim-tutorial-beginners-vimtutor/##lesson-23-on-operators-and-motions-8734

Matching Parentheses

1. Place the cursor on any (, [, or { in the line below marked
2. Now type the  %  character.
3. The cursor will move to the matching parenthesis or bracket.
4. Type  %  to move the cursor to the other matching bracket.
5. Move the cursor to another (,),[,],{ or } and see what  %  does.

Navigate more efficiently vim

 )
    Jump forward one sentence.

(
    Jump backward one sentence.

}
    Jump forward one paragraph.

{
    Jump backward one paragraph.

j
    Jump forward one line.

10j
    Jump forward 10 lines

k
    Jump backward one line.

10k
    Jump backward 10 lines.

Use movement t

Use t to execute command up to character

  • Use dtc, where c is any character, e.g. for you, you want dt

tags

Use tags to jump to certain parts of program easier

Run ctags: ctags -R .

  1. In normal mode and press <C-]> to go to definition & <C-t> to go back.
  2. Go directly to the definition:

Also use Regex

:tag function_name
:ta function_name
  1. Open the function definition in a slit: Ctrl + W Ctrl + ]

Navigating through the tag list:

:ts or :tselect shows the list
:tn or :tnext goes to the next tag in that list
:tp or :tprev goes to the previous tag in that list
:tf or :tfirst goes to the first tag of the list
:tl or :tlast goes to the last tag of the list
^]	Jump to definition
^t	Jump back from definition
^W }	Preview definition
g]	See all definitions

Useful tags Plugins

  1. Gutentags: Autogenerate ctags
  2. Tagbar: Show tags overview
  3. FZF: Sort through tags

Indentation

  1. ctrl-t, ctrl-d - indent current line forward, backwards (insert mode)
  2. visual > or < - indent block by sw (repeat with . )

Reformating

  1. V= - select text, then reformat with =
  2. = - will correct alignment of code
  3. == - one line;
  4. gq - reformat paragraph
  5. https://www.cs.swarthmore.edu/oldhelp/vim/reformatting.html
  6. https://vim.fandom.com/wiki/Fix_indentation

Mapping

Difference remap, noremap, nnoremap and vnoremap

  1. remap: makes mappings work recursively
  2. :map and :noremap are recursive and non-recursive versions of the various mapping commands for all modes
  3. :nmap and :nnoremap are recursive and non-recursive versions of the various mapping commands for all normal mode.
  4. :vmap and :vnoremap are recursive and non-recursive versions of the various mapping commands for all visual mode.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3776117/what-is-the-difference-between-the-remap-noremap-nnoremap-and-vnoremap-mapping https://medium.com/vim-drops/understand-vim-mappings-and-create-your-own-shortcuts-f52ee4a6b8ed

Debugging mappings

  1. Check: :verbose map <tab>
  2. Check for mappings: :[in]map
  3. :nmap for normal mode mappings
  4. :vmap for visual mode mappings
  5. :imap for insert mode mappings

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7642746/ddg##7642762 https://raddevon.com/articles/what-to-do-when-a-vim-keymap-doesnt-work/ https://superuser.com/questions/839451/mapping-from-vimrc-does-not-apply

Built in terminal

Go to begnning brackets

    [( ...(go to previous unmatched ( character)
    [{ ...(go to previous unmatched { character)

These two commands have matching forwards partners:

    ]) ...(go to next unmatched ) character)
    ]} ...(go to next unmatched } character)

https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/30396/in-vim-search-backwards-for-matching-braces-parens

Resizing vim splits

Count + Ctrl+W +/-

  • Ctrl+W +/-: increase/decrease height (ex. 20+)
  • Ctrl+W >/<: increase/decrease width (ex. 30<)
  • Ctrl+W : set height (ex. 50)
  • Ctrl+W |: set width (ex. 50|)
  • Ctrl+W =: equalize width and height of all windows

<https://vi.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/split

Grammar

  1. Use Vim Grammar checker + LanguageTool for spell checking

  2. Use system spell check + vim spell check for simple things

    • :LanguageToolCheck to check for Grammar
    • :lne & :lopen to navigate through errors
    • :LanguageToolClear to remove highlighting of grammar mistakes
  3. https://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=3223
  4. https://www.languagetool.org/
  5. https://ncona.com/2018/12/spell-and-grammar-checking-on-vim/
  6. Alternative: https://github.com/rhysd/vim-grammarous
  7. Alternative 2: https://github.com/dpelle/vim-LanguageTool

Spell check

  1. Global: :set spell spelllang=en_us
  2. Local: :setlocal spell spelllang=en_us
  3. Quit: :set nospell
  4. Next misspelled word: s]
  5. Previous misspelled word: [s
  6. Suggest alternatives: z=
  7. Add word to dictionary: zg
  8. Mark word as incorrect: zw
  9. https://www.linux.com/learn/using-spell-checking-vim
  10. https://linuxhint.com/vim_spell_check/
  11. http://thejakeharding.com/tutorial/2012/06/13/using-spell-check-in-vim.html
  12. Spell file: https://codeyarns.com/2015/09/30/how-to-make-spellfile-in-vim/

  13. Alternative Linux build in aspell:

Alternative

Go to corresponding bracket

%

Copy/Paste/Cut

Use the system clipboard to be able to use buffers system wide

" Copy/Paste/Cut
if has('unnamedplus')
  set clipboard=unnamed,unnamedplus
endif
noremap YY "+y<CR>
noremap <leader>p "+gP<CR>
noremap XX "+x<CR>

Use set clipboard=unnamedplus to use system clipboard.

References:

Sources