How do I use a macro to automatically increment a number on each line?
qa<C-a>jq
By recording a one-step macro that increments a number and moves down a line, you can bulk-apply across as many lines as needed with a single count.
Search: :q
272 results for ":q"
How do I run the same command across all windows, buffers, or tabs?
:windo / :bufdo / :tabdo {command}
Vim's do commands iterate over collections and execute a command in each context.
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #tabs #batch-editing #ex-commands
How do I use Neovim's built-in default LSP keymaps for rename, references, and code actions?
grn
Neovim 0.
How do I search through command history and only see commands that start with what I've already typed?
<Up>
In Vim's command line, and navigate history in prefix-filtered mode — they only cycle through past commands that begin with whatever you have already typed.
How do I edit a macro in-place using Vimscript without re-recording it?
:let @a = substitute(@a, "old", "new", "g")
When a recorded macro has a typo or wrong command buried inside it, you don't have to re-record the entire thing.
How do I define a custom Ex command that can accept a line range or count like built-in Vim commands?
:command -range {Name} ...
Custom Ex commands defined with :command -range can be called with a line range (e.
How do I jump to the beginning of the previous word?
b
The b command moves the cursor backward to the beginning of the previous word.
How do I insert a literal control character or special key in insert mode?
<C-v>{char}
When you need to insert a literal tab character despite expandtab being set, or embed a control character like ^M (carriage return) into your text, in insert mo
editing #editing #insert-mode #special-characters #control-characters
How do I run normal mode commands in a script or macro without user mappings interfering?
:normal!
The :normal! command (with !) executes normal mode keystrokes exactly as Vim defines them, ignoring any user-defined mappings.
How do I make Vim reuse an already-open window or tab when jumping to a quickfix entry?
:set switchbuf=useopen,usetab
By default, Vim opens a new window (or reloads the buffer in the current window) whenever you navigate to a quickfix entry, tag, or :buffer command — even if
How do I apply a recorded macro to every line in a visual selection?
:'<,'>norm @a
Combining :normal with a visual range lets you replay a macro on each line of a selection individually — far more targeted than recursive macros or @@ repeati
How do I filter the output of a Vim command to show only lines matching a pattern?
:filter /pattern/ {command}
:filter /pattern/ {command} runs any Ex command but suppresses every output line that does not match the pattern.
How do I make Vim automatically reformat paragraphs as I type so lines stay within the textwidth?
:set formatoptions+=a
Vim's formatoptions setting controls how automatic text formatting works.
How do I make a macro repeat itself until it fails?
qaq qa...@aq @a
A recursive macro calls itself at the end of its recording, causing it to repeat indefinitely until a command inside it fails (like a search hitting the end of
How do I swap two words in Vim using visual paste without any plugins?
yiw{nav}viwp{nav}viwp
When you paste over a visual selection in Vim, the displaced text is moved into the unnamed register "".
registers #registers #visual-mode #editing #text-objects #normal-mode
How do I jump to a specific character on the current line?
f{char}
The f{char} command moves the cursor forward to the next occurrence of {char} on the current line.
How do I selectively replace occurrences one at a time, choosing to apply or skip each match?
n.
The n.
How do I record a macro that performs a search and replace on each line?
qa:s/old/new/g<CR>jq
How it works You can combine Ex commands like :s (substitute) with macro recording to create powerful repeatable find-and-replace operations that go beyond what
How do I change each occurrence of a search match one at a time, confirming each with the dot command?
cgn...{text}<Esc>.
The cgn + .
How do I use marks inside a macro to return to a specific position?
qama{edits}'aq
How it works When a macro needs to jump to different parts of the file and then return to a starting position, marks are the perfect tool.