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diff --git a/runtime/doc/usr_10.txt b/runtime/doc/usr_10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..220a7ab --- /dev/null +++ b/runtime/doc/usr_10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,825 @@ +*usr_10.txt* For Vim version 9.0. Last change: 2019 Nov 22 + + VIM USER MANUAL - by Bram Moolenaar + + Making big changes + + +In chapter 4 several ways to make small changes were explained. This chapter +goes into making changes that are repeated or can affect a large amount of +text. The Visual mode allows doing various things with blocks of text. Use +an external program to do really complicated things. + +|10.1| Record and playback commands +|10.2| Substitution +|10.3| Command ranges +|10.4| The global command +|10.5| Visual block mode +|10.6| Reading and writing part of a file +|10.7| Formatting text +|10.8| Changing case +|10.9| Using an external program + + Next chapter: |usr_11.txt| Recovering from a crash + Previous chapter: |usr_09.txt| Using the GUI +Table of contents: |usr_toc.txt| + +============================================================================== +*10.1* Record and playback commands + +The "." command repeats the preceding change. But what if you want to do +something more complex than a single change? That's where command recording +comes in. There are three steps: + +1. The "q{register}" command starts recording keystrokes into the register + named {register}. The register name must be between a and z. +2. Type your commands. +3. To finish recording, press q (without any extra character). + +You can now execute the macro by typing the command "@{register}". + +Take a look at how to use these commands in practice. You have a list of +filenames that look like this: + + stdio.h ~ + fcntl.h ~ + unistd.h ~ + stdlib.h ~ + +And what you want is the following: + + #include "stdio.h" ~ + #include "fcntl.h" ~ + #include "unistd.h" ~ + #include "stdlib.h" ~ + +You start by moving to the first character of the first line. Next you +execute the following commands: + + qa Start recording a macro in register a. + ^ Move to the beginning of the line. + i#include "<Esc> Insert the string #include " at the beginning + of the line. + $ Move to the end of the line. + a"<Esc> Append the character double quotation mark (") + to the end of the line. + j Go to the next line. + q Stop recording the macro. + +Now that you have done the work once, you can repeat the change by typing the +command "@a" three times. + The "@a" command can be preceded by a count, which will cause the macro to +be executed that number of times. In this case you would type: > + + 3@a + + +MOVE AND EXECUTE + +You might have the lines you want to change in various places. Just move the +cursor to each location and use the "@a" command. If you have done that once, +you can do it again with "@@". That's a bit easier to type. If you now +execute register b with "@b", the next "@@" will use register b. + If you compare the playback method with using ".", there are several +differences. First of all, "." can only repeat one change. As seen in the +example above, "@a" can do several changes, and move around as well. +Secondly, "." can only remember the last change. Executing a register allows +you to make any changes and then still use "@a" to replay the recorded +commands. Finally, you can use 26 different registers. Thus you can remember +26 different command sequences to execute. + + +USING REGISTERS + +The registers used for recording are the same ones you used for yank and +delete commands. This allows you to mix recording with other commands to +manipulate the registers. + Suppose you have recorded a few commands in register n. When you execute +this with "@n" you notice you did something wrong. You could try recording +again, but perhaps you will make another mistake. Instead, use this trick: + + G Go to the end of the file. + o<Esc> Create an empty line. + "np Put the text from the n register. You now see + the commands you typed as text in the file. + {edits} Change the commands that were wrong. This is + just like editing text. + 0 Go to the start of the line. + "ny$ Yank the corrected commands into the n + register. + dd Delete the scratch line. + +Now you can execute the corrected commands with "@n". (If your recorded +commands include line breaks, adjust the last two items in the example to +include all the lines.) + + +APPENDING TO A REGISTER + +So far we have used a lowercase letter for the register name. To append to a +register, use an uppercase letter. + Suppose you have recorded a command to change a word to register c. It +works properly, but you would like to add a search for the next word to +change. This can be done with: > + + qC/word<Enter>q + +You start with "qC", which records to the c register and appends. Thus +writing to an uppercase register name means to append to the register with +the same letter, but lowercase. + +This works both with recording and with yank and delete commands. For +example, you want to collect a sequence of lines into the a register. Yank +the first line with: > + + "aY + +Now move to the second line, and type: > + + "AY + +Repeat this command for all lines. The a register now contains all those +lines, in the order you yanked them. + +============================================================================== +*10.2* Substitution *find-replace* + +The ":substitute" command enables you to perform string replacements on a +whole range of lines. The general form of this command is as follows: > + + :[range]substitute/from/to/[flags] + +This command changes the "from" string to the "to" string in the lines +specified with [range]. For example, you can change "Professor" to "Teacher" +in all lines with the following command: > + + :%substitute/Professor/Teacher/ +< + Note: + The ":substitute" command is almost never spelled out completely. + Most of the time, people use the abbreviated version ":s". From here + on the abbreviation will be used. + +The "%" before the command specifies the command works on all lines. Without +a range, ":s" only works on the current line. More about ranges in the next +section |10.3|. + +By default, the ":substitute" command changes only the first occurrence on +each line. For example, the preceding command changes the line: + + Professor Smith criticized Professor Johnson today. ~ + +to: + + Teacher Smith criticized Professor Johnson today. ~ + +To change every occurrence on the line, you need to add the g (global) flag. +The command: > + + :%s/Professor/Teacher/g + +results in (starting with the original line): + + Teacher Smith criticized Teacher Johnson today. ~ + +Other flags include p (print), which causes the ":substitute" command to print +out the last line it changes. The c (confirm) flag tells ":substitute" to ask +you for confirmation before it performs each substitution. Enter the +following: > + + :%s/Professor/Teacher/c + +Vim finds the first occurrence of "Professor" and displays the text it is +about to change. You get the following prompt: > + + replace with Teacher (y/n/a/q/l/^E/^Y)? + +At this point, you must enter one of the following answers: + + y Yes; make this change. + n No; skip this match. + a All; make this change and all remaining ones without + further confirmation. + q Quit; don't make any more changes. + l Last; make this change and then quit. + CTRL-E Scroll the text one line up. + CTRL-Y Scroll the text one line down. + + +The "from" part of the substitute command is actually a pattern. The same +kind as used for the search command. For example, this command only +substitutes "the" when it appears at the start of a line: > + + :s/^the/these/ + +If you are substituting with a "from" or "to" part that includes a slash, you +need to put a backslash before it. A simpler way is to use another character +instead of the slash. A plus, for example: > + + :s+one/two+one or two+ + +============================================================================== +*10.3* Command ranges + +The ":substitute" command, and many other : commands, can be applied to a +selection of lines. This is called a range. + The simple form of a range is {number},{number}. For example: > + + :1,5s/this/that/g + +Executes the substitute command on the lines 1 to 5. Line 5 is included. +The range is always placed before the command. + +A single number can be used to address one specific line: > + + :54s/President/Fool/ + +Some commands work on the whole file when you do not specify a range. To make +them work on the current line the "." address is used. The ":write" command +works like that. Without a range, it writes the whole file. To make it write +only the current line into a file: > + + :.write otherfile + +The first line always has number one. How about the last line? The "$" +character is used for this. For example, to substitute in the lines from the +cursor to the end: > + + :.,$s/yes/no/ + +The "%" range that we used before, is actually a short way to say "1,$", from +the first to the last line. + + +USING A PATTERN IN A RANGE + +Suppose you are editing a chapter in a book, and want to replace all +occurrences of "grey" with "gray". But only in this chapter, not in the next +one. You know that only chapter boundaries have the word "Chapter" in the +first column. This command will work then: > + + :?^Chapter?,/^Chapter/s=grey=gray=g + +You can see a search pattern is used twice. The first "?^Chapter?" finds the +line above the current position that matches this pattern. Thus the ?pattern? +range is used to search backwards. Similarly, "/^Chapter/" is used to search +forward for the start of the next chapter. + To avoid confusion with the slashes, the "=" character was used in the +substitute command here. A slash or another character would have worked as +well. + + +ADD AND SUBTRACT + +There is a slight error in the above command: If the title of the next chapter +had included "grey" it would be replaced as well. Maybe that's what you +wanted, but what if you didn't? Then you can specify an offset. + To search for a pattern and then use the line above it: > + + /Chapter/-1 + +You can use any number instead of the 1. To address the second line below the +match: > + + /Chapter/+2 + +The offsets can also be used with the other items in a range. Look at this +one: > + + :.+3,$-5 + +This specifies the range that starts three lines below the cursor and ends +five lines before the last line in the file. + + +USING MARKS + +Instead of figuring out the line numbers of certain positions, remembering them +and typing them in a range, you can use marks. + Place the marks as mentioned in chapter 3. For example, use "mt" to mark +the top of an area and "mb" to mark the bottom. Then you can use this range +to specify the lines between the marks (including the lines with the marks): > + + :'t,'b + + +VISUAL MODE AND RANGES + +You can select text with Visual mode. If you then press ":" to start a colon +command, you will see this: > + + :'<,'> + +Now you can type the command and it will be applied to the range of lines that +was visually selected. + + Note: + When using Visual mode to select part of a line, or using CTRL-V to + select a block of text, the colon commands will still apply to whole + lines. This might change in a future version of Vim. + +The '< and '> are actually marks, placed at the start and end of the Visual +selection. The marks remain at their position until another Visual selection +is made. Thus you can use the "'<" command to jump to position where the +Visual area started. And you can mix the marks with other items: > + + :'>,$ + +This addresses the lines from the end of the Visual area to the end of the +file. + + +A NUMBER OF LINES + +When you know how many lines you want to change, you can type the number and +then ":". For example, when you type "5:", you will get: > + + :.,.+4 + +Now you can type the command you want to use. It will use the range "." +(current line) until ".+4" (four lines down). Thus it spans five lines. + +============================================================================== +*10.4* The global command + +The ":global" command is one of the more powerful features of Vim. It allows +you to find a match for a pattern and execute a command there. The general +form is: > + + :[range]global/{pattern}/{command} + +This is similar to the ":substitute" command. But, instead of replacing the +matched text with other text, the command {command} is executed. + + Note: + The command executed for ":global" must be one that starts with a + colon. Normal mode commands can not be used directly. The |:normal| + command can do this for you. + +Suppose you want to change "foobar" to "barfoo", but only in C++ style +comments. These comments start with "//". Use this command: > + + :g+//+s/foobar/barfoo/g + +This starts with ":g". That is short for ":global", just like ":s" is short +for ":substitute". Then the pattern, enclosed in plus characters. Since the +pattern we are looking for contains a slash, this uses the plus character to +separate the pattern. Next comes the substitute command that changes "foobar" +into "barfoo". + The default range for the global command is the whole file. Thus no range +was specified in this example. This is different from ":substitute", which +works on one line without a range. + The command isn't perfect, since it also matches lines where "//" appears +halfway through a line, and the substitution will also take place before the +"//". + +Just like with ":substitute", any pattern can be used. When you learn more +complicated patterns later, you can use them here. + +============================================================================== +*10.5* Visual block mode + +With CTRL-V you can start selection of a rectangular area of text. There are +a few commands that do something special with the text block. + +There is something special about using the "$" command in Visual block mode. +When the last motion command used was "$", all lines in the Visual selection +will extend until the end of the line, also when the line with the cursor is +shorter. This remains effective until you use a motion command that moves the +cursor horizontally. Thus using "j" keeps it, "h" stops it. + + +INSERTING TEXT + +The command "I{string}<Esc>" inserts the text {string} in each line, just +left of the visual block. You start by pressing CTRL-V to enter visual block +mode. Now you move the cursor to define your block. Next you type I to enter +Insert mode, followed by the text to insert. As you type, the text appears on +the first line only. + After you press <Esc> to end the insert, the text will magically be +inserted in the rest of the lines contained in the visual selection. Example: + + include one ~ + include two ~ + include three ~ + include four ~ + +Move the cursor to the "o" of "one" and press CTRL-V. Move it down with "3j" +to "four". You now have a block selection that spans four lines. Now type: > + + Imain.<Esc> + +The result: + + include main.one ~ + include main.two ~ + include main.three ~ + include main.four ~ + +If the block spans short lines that do not extend into the block, the text is +not inserted in that line. For example, make a Visual block selection that +includes the word "long" in the first and last line of this text, and thus has +no text selected in the second line: + + This is a long line ~ + short ~ + Any other long line ~ + + ^^^^ selected block + +Now use the command "Ivery <Esc>". The result is: + + This is a very long line ~ + short ~ + Any other very long line ~ + +In the short line no text was inserted. + +If the string you insert contains a newline, the "I" acts just like a Normal +insert command and affects only the first line of the block. + +The "A" command works the same way, except that it appends after the right +side of the block. And it does insert text in a short line. Thus you can +make a choice whether you do or don't want to append text to a short line. + There is one special case for "A": Select a Visual block and then use "$" +to make the block extend to the end of each line. Using "A" now will append +the text to the end of each line. + Using the same example from above, and then typing "$A XXX<Esc>, you get +this result: + + This is a long line XXX ~ + short XXX ~ + Any other long line XXX ~ + +This really requires using the "$" command. Vim remembers that it was used. +Making the same selection by moving the cursor to the end of the longest line +with other movement commands will not have the same result. + + +CHANGING TEXT + +The Visual block "c" command deletes the block and then throws you into Insert +mode to enable you to type in a string. The string will be inserted in each +line in the block. + Starting with the same selection of the "long" words as above, then typing +"c_LONG_<Esc>", you get this: + + This is a _LONG_ line ~ + short ~ + Any other _LONG_ line ~ + +Just like with "I" the short line is not changed. Also, you can't enter a +newline in the new text. + +The "C" command deletes text from the left edge of the block to the end of +line. It then puts you in Insert mode so that you can type in a string, +which is added to the end of each line. + Starting with the same text again, and typing "Cnew text<Esc>" you get: + + This is a new text ~ + short ~ + Any other new text ~ + +Notice that, even though only the "long" word was selected, the text after it +is deleted as well. Thus only the location of the left edge of the visual +block really matters. + Again, short lines that do not reach into the block are excluded. + +Other commands that change the characters in the block: + + ~ swap case (a -> A and A -> a) + U make uppercase (a -> A and A -> A) + u make lowercase (a -> a and A -> a) + + +FILLING WITH A CHARACTER + +To fill the whole block with one character, use the "r" command. Again, +starting with the same example text from above, and then typing "rx": + + This is a xxxx line ~ + short ~ + Any other xxxx line ~ + + + Note: + If you want to include characters beyond the end of the line in the + block, check out the 'virtualedit' feature in chapter 25. + + +SHIFTING + +The command ">" shifts the selected text to the right one shift amount, +inserting whitespace. The starting point for this shift is the left edge of +the visual block. + With the same example again, ">" gives this result: + + This is a long line ~ + short ~ + Any other long line ~ + +The shift amount is specified with the 'shiftwidth' option. To change it to +use 4 spaces: > + + :set shiftwidth=4 + +The "<" command removes one shift amount of whitespace at the left +edge of the block. This command is limited by the amount of text that is +there; so if there is less than a shift amount of whitespace available, it +removes what it can. + + +JOINING LINES + +The "J" command joins all selected lines together into one line. Thus it +removes the line breaks. Actually, the line break, leading white space and +trailing white space is replaced by one space. Two spaces are used after a +line ending (that can be changed with the 'joinspaces' option). + Let's use the example that we got so familiar with now. The result of +using the "J" command: + + This is a long line short Any other long line ~ + +The "J" command doesn't require a blockwise selection. It works with "v" and +"V" selection in exactly the same way. + +If you don't want the white space to be changed, use the "gJ" command. + +============================================================================== +*10.6* Reading and writing part of a file + +When you are writing an e-mail message, you may want to include another file. +This can be done with the ":read {filename}" command. The text of the file is +put below the cursor line. + Starting with this text: + + Hi John, ~ + Here is the diff that fixes the bug: ~ + Bye, Pierre. ~ + +Move the cursor to the second line and type: > + + :read patch + +The file named "patch" will be inserted, with this result: + + Hi John, ~ + Here is the diff that fixes the bug: ~ + 2c2 ~ + < for (i = 0; i <= length; ++i) ~ + --- ~ + > for (i = 0; i < length; ++i) ~ + Bye, Pierre. ~ + +The ":read" command accepts a range. The file will be put below the last line +number of this range. Thus ":$r patch" appends the file "patch" at the end of +the file. + What if you want to read the file above the first line? This can be done +with the line number zero. This line doesn't really exist, you will get an +error message when using it with most commands. But this command is allowed: +> + :0read patch + +The file "patch" will be put above the first line of the file. + + +WRITING A RANGE OF LINES + +To write a range of lines to a file, the ":write" command can be used. +Without a range it writes the whole file. With a range only the specified +lines are written: > + + :.,$write tempo + +This writes the lines from the cursor until the end of the file into the file +"tempo". If this file already exists you will get an error message. Vim +protects you from accidentally overwriting an existing file. If you know what +you are doing and want to overwrite the file, append !: > + + :.,$write! tempo + +CAREFUL: The ! must follow the ":write" command immediately, without white +space. Otherwise it becomes a filter command, which is explained later in +this chapter. + + +APPENDING TO A FILE + +In the first section of this chapter was explained how to collect a number of +lines into a register. The same can be done to collect lines in a file. +Write the first line with this command: > + + :.write collection + +Now move the cursor to the second line you want to collect, and type this: > + + :.write >>collection + +The ">>" tells Vim the "collection" file is not to be written as a new file, +but the line must be appended at the end. You can repeat this as many times +as you like. + +============================================================================== +*10.7* Formatting text + +When you are typing plain text, it's nice if the length of each line is +automatically trimmed to fit in the window. To make this happen while +inserting text, set the 'textwidth' option: > + + :set textwidth=72 + +You might remember that in the example vimrc file this command was used for +every text file. Thus if you are using that vimrc file, you were already +using it. To check the current value of 'textwidth': > + + :set textwidth + +Now lines will be broken to take only up to 72 characters. But when you +insert text halfway through a line, or when you delete a few words, the lines +will get too long or too short. Vim doesn't automatically reformat the text. + To tell Vim to format the current paragraph: > + + gqap + +This starts with the "gq" command, which is an operator. Following is "ap", +the text object that stands for "a paragraph". A paragraph is separated from +the next paragraph by an empty line. + + Note: + A blank line, which contains white space, does NOT separate + paragraphs. This is hard to notice! + +Instead of "ap" you could use any motion or text object. If your paragraphs +are properly separated, you can use this command to format the whole file: > + + gggqG + +"gg" takes you to the first line, "gq" is the format operator and "G" the +motion that jumps to the last line. + +In case your paragraphs aren't clearly defined, you can format just the lines +you manually select. Move the cursor to the first line you want to format. +Start with the command "gqj". This formats the current line and the one below +it. If the first line was short, words from the next line will be appended. +If it was too long, words will be moved to the next line. The cursor moves to +the second line. Now you can use "." to repeat the command. Keep doing this +until you are at the end of the text you want to format. + +============================================================================== +*10.8* Changing case + +You have text with section headers in lowercase. You want to make the word +"section" all uppercase. Do this with the "gU" operator. Start with the +cursor in the first column: > + + gUw +< section header ----> SECTION header + +The "gu" operator does exactly the opposite: > + + guw +< SECTION header ----> section header + +You can also use "g~" to swap case. All these are operators, thus they work +with any motion command, with text objects and in Visual mode. + To make an operator work on lines you double it. The delete operator is +"d", thus to delete a line you use "dd". Similarly, "gugu" makes a whole line +lowercase. This can be shortened to "guu". "gUgU" is shortened to "gUU" and +"g~g~" to "g~~". Example: > + + g~~ +< Some GIRLS have Fun ----> sOME girls HAVE fUN ~ + +============================================================================== +*10.9* Using an external program + +Vim has a very powerful set of commands, it can do anything. But there may +still be something that an external command can do better or faster. + The command "!{motion}{program}" takes a block of text and filters it +through an external program. In other words, it runs the system command +represented by {program}, giving it the block of text represented by {motion} +as input. The output of this command then replaces the selected block. + Because this summarizes badly if you are unfamiliar with UNIX filters, take +a look at an example. The sort command sorts a file. If you execute the +following command, the unsorted file input.txt will be sorted and written to +output.txt. (This works on both UNIX and Microsoft Windows.) > + + sort <input.txt >output.txt + +Now do the same thing in Vim. You want to sort lines 1 through 5 of a file. +You start by putting the cursor on line 1. Next you execute the following +command: > + + !5G + +The "!" tells Vim that you are performing a filter operation. The Vim editor +expects a motion command to follow, indicating which part of the file to +filter. The "5G" command tells Vim to go to line 5, so it now knows that it +is to filter lines 1 (the current line) through 5. + In anticipation of the filtering, the cursor drops to the bottom of the +screen and a ! prompt displays. You can now type in the name of the filter +program, in this case "sort". Therefore, your full command is as follows: > + + !5Gsort<Enter> + +The result is that the sort program is run on the first 5 lines. The output +of the program replaces these lines. + + line 55 line 11 + line 33 line 22 + line 11 --> line 33 + line 22 line 44 + line 44 line 55 + last line last line + +The "!!" command filters the current line through a filter. In Unix the "date" +command prints the current time and date. "!!date<Enter>" replaces the current +line with the output of "date". This is useful to add a timestamp to a file. + + +WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK + +Starting a shell, sending it text and capturing the output requires that Vim +knows how the shell works exactly. When you have problems with filtering, +check the values of these options: + + 'shell' specifies the program that Vim uses to execute + external programs. + 'shellcmdflag' argument to pass a command to the shell + 'shellquote' quote to be used around the command + 'shellxquote' quote to be used around the command and redirection + 'shelltype' kind of shell (only for the Amiga) + 'shellslash' use forward slashes in the command (only for + MS-Windows and alikes) + 'shellredir' string used to write the command output into a file + +On Unix this is hardly ever a problem, because there are two kinds of shells: +"sh" like and "csh" like. Vim checks the 'shell' option and sets related +options automatically, depending on whether it sees "csh" somewhere in +'shell'. + On MS-Windows, however, there are many different shells and you might have +to tune the options to make filtering work. Check the help for the options +for more information. + + +READING COMMAND OUTPUT + +To read the contents of the current directory into the file, use this: + +on Unix: > + :read !ls +on MS-Windows: > + :read !dir + +The output of the "ls" or "dir" command is captured and inserted in the text, +below the cursor. This is similar to reading a file, except that the "!" is +used to tell Vim that a command follows. + The command may have arguments. And a range can be used to tell where Vim +should put the lines: > + + :0read !date -u + +This inserts the current time and date in UTC format at the top of the file. +(Well, if you have a date command that accepts the "-u" argument.) Note the +difference with using "!!date": that replaced a line, while ":read !date" will +insert a line. + + +WRITING TEXT TO A COMMAND + +The Unix command "wc" counts words. To count the words in the current file: > + + :write !wc + +This is the same write command as before, but instead of a file name the "!" +character is used and the name of an external command. The written text will +be passed to the specified command as its standard input. The output could +look like this: + + 4 47 249 ~ + +The "wc" command isn't verbose. This means you have 4 lines, 47 words and 249 +characters. + +Watch out for this mistake: > + + :write! wc + +This will write the file "wc" in the current directory, with force. White +space is important here! + + +REDRAWING THE SCREEN + +If the external command produced an error message, the display may have been +messed up. Vim is very efficient and only redraws those parts of the screen +that it knows need redrawing. But it can't know about what another program +has written. To tell Vim to redraw the screen: > + + CTRL-L + +============================================================================== + +Next chapter: |usr_11.txt| Recovering from a crash + +Copyright: see |manual-copyright| vim:tw=78:ts=8:noet:ft=help:norl: |