How do I write and edit a macro as text instead of recording it live?

Explanation

Instead of recording a macro in real-time (where mistakes mean starting over), you can write the keystrokes as text in a buffer, edit them visually, and then yank the line into a register to use as a macro.

How it works

1. Open a scratch line or buffer
2. Type the macro keystrokes as text
3. For special keys, use <C-v> to insert literal characters:
   • <C-v><Esc> inserts ^[ (Escape)
   • <C-v><CR> inserts ^M (Enter)
   • <C-v><C-w> inserts ^W (Ctrl-W)
4. Yank the line into the target register: "qy$ or "q0y$
5. Execute with @q

Example

Type this line in your buffer:

0f:dt;A,^[j

(Where ^[ is a literal Escape character inserted with <C-v><Esc>)

Then yank it: "q0y$

Now @q executes: go to column 0, find :, delete to ;, append ,, escape, move down.

Why this is better than recording

• You can see the entire macro before running it
• Editing is trivial — just modify the text
• No need to re-record for small changes
• You can copy macros between files or share them
• Complex macros with many special characters are easier to debug

Using :let for readability

" Set a register using Vim notation (more readable)
:let @q = "0f:dt;A,\<Esc>j"

Tips

• <C-v> is your friend for inserting literal control characters
• Use "qp to paste an existing macro for editing, then "qy$ to save it back
• This technique is recommended for any macro longer than a few keystrokes
• :let @q = "..." syntax uses \<Esc>, \<CR> etc. for special keys
• Documented under :help i_CTRL-V and :help let-register