Editing
Enter Insert Mode - by character
i enter insert mode, at current cursor position
a enter insert mode, AFTER current cursor position
Enter Insert Mode - by line
A go to end of line, then enter Insert Mode (Append text at end of line)
I go to first character of line, then enter insert mode
o add new line, BELOW current cursor position, then enter Insert Mode
("open" a new line)
O add new line ABOVE current cursor, then enter Insert Mode
ea go to End of word, insert cursor after
Navigation whilst in Insert mode
<C-o> gives you one Normal command, before returning to Insert mode [170927]
<C-o>A will put cursor at the end of the line (staying in edit mode)
this is <C-e> in MacOS
can also just type over the closing ) though...
<C-o>j will move the cursor down to next line (staying in edit mode)
this is <C-n> in MacOS
we can also map <C-hjkl> to allow us to use these keys to navigate inside insert mode
Selecting Text
- Enter visual mode
- Use direction keys to modify selection
V select whole line (then motion keys)
v select character (and then motion keys)
viw select characters Inside current Word
Example: Select 2 lines
Shift + V Enter visual mode
j Increase selection down (now it is 2 lines)
Y Copy to clipboad
Example: Select all
ggVG Go to top > Visual mode > Go to bottom
Yank (Copy)
y Yank 1 character (the character under the current cursor position)
3y Yank 3 characters
y3l Yank 3 characters, to the right
["x]y into
y$ Yank from here, to end of line
EXCLUDES the newline character
Y or yy Yank entire current line
INCLUDES the newline character at the end of the line [170828]
"*Y Yank entire current line to the * register
"* is clipboard access, where we are using the * register
(there are other registers, such as the + register)
yiw Yank inner word
inside (no surrounding whitespace) [170828]
yaw Yank around word
around (no surrounding whitespace) [170828]
We can also make a visual selection and then use "y" to yank
Delete (Cut)
D cut from current cursor position to the end of the line
dd cut current line, include the newline character at the end of the line [170828]
x cut current character
a throwback to typewriters and having to over-write an 'x' to "delete"
r Replace single character (returns back to Normal mode)
rt = replace the current character with "t"
di( Delete characters inside matching parentheses "(" and ")"
dt( Delete characters up to (but excluding) the first "(" character [171103]
df( Delete characters up to (and including) the first "(" character
Delete to where we Find the first "(" character
d0 Delete backwards, from current cursor to start of line
Excludes current cursor
dB Delete backwards, one word.
(B is the motion command for back one word)
dF( Delete backwards, to the first occurrence of "(" (inclusive)
Change (Replace)
ci( Change characters inside matching parentheses "(" and ")"
ciw Change inner word
Remove current word, and enter Insert Mode
[170915]
ct( Change characters up to (but excluding) the first "("
[171108]
cf( Change characters up to (and excluding) the first "("
Paste
p paste below current line
the "default" behaviour is always the next line / below
cf. "o" for insert new line below, and "O" for insert new line above
P paste above current line
"*p paste from the "*" register, above the current line
Move line
:m +1 Move line down 1 line
(or :m+1, space not needed)
Implmented <A-j> and <A-k> as mappings for these [170909A]
:m -2 Move line down 1 line
(or :m-2, space not needed)
:m 0 Move current line to BEFORE first line
:m $ Move current line to AFTER last line
:m 12 Move to exactly line 12 (if line 12 is below current line)
:m 12 Move to line after line 12 (ie. line 13, if line 12 is above current line)
(this explains why :m -2 works; the line is above, so we need to move one line extra)
Vjj:m +10 Visual Select 3 lines, then move down 10 lines
Search and Replace
We can use the :s substitute command [170915]
:%s/one/two/g Find "one" in ALL lines, and replace with "two"
:%s/one/two/gc Same, but ask for confirmation
:%s/\<one>\>/two/gc Same, but for EXACT match
:s/one/two/g Find "one" in THIS line, and replace with "two"
% operator
It can be a "range operator"
:%s/hi/bye/g (find and replace hi with bye in whole file)
% shortcut for 1,$ (line 1 to line end)
we can get help for it at :help :%
It can also be a "file operator"
Here, it represents "the current file name"
:%s/\<<C-r><C-w>\>
/ Search forward for the [count]'th occurrence of the {pattern} exclusive
\< \> Ensures that the whole word is matched
<C-r> Insert content of any register at the cursor (whilst staying in Insert mode)
The next character is the name of the register (will be prompted with a "=")
<C-w> Following <C-r> will insert the word under the cursor
:nnoremap <Leader>s :%s/\<<C-r><C-w>\>/
nnoremap Non-recursive mapping in Normal mode
<Leader>s The key combination <Leader> and "s"
Change case
We can use the ~ command [171022]
~ Toggle case of character under cursor
U Uppercase character under cursor
u lowercase character under cursor
viw~ Toggle case of current word
Visual Mode, select inner word, then ~/U/u
gUU Change current line to uppercase
guu Change current line to lowercase
Toggle case of...
~ character under cursor
3~ next three characters
g~3w next three words
g~iw current word (cursor can be anywhere in word)
g~$ all characters, from cursor, to end to line