How do I create shortcuts for long Ex commands I type frequently?
:cabbrev
:cabbrev (command-line abbreviation) lets you define short aliases for longer Ex commands.
Search: :q
272 results for ":q"
How do I create abbreviations for common Ex commands?
:cabbrev tn tabnew
Command-line abbreviations with cabbrev let you create short aliases for frequently used Ex commands.
command-line #command-line #abbreviation #shortcuts #productivity
How do I make a macro prompt for user input at a specific point during its execution?
<C-r>=input('Enter: ')<CR>
By embedding =input('prompt: ') inside a recorded macro, you can pause the macro at any point to ask for user input and insert the result.
How do I create a custom Ex command?
:command Name action
The :command command defines a new user Ex command.
How do I switch from typing a command to the full command-line window so I can edit it with all normal Vim keys?
<C-f> (from command-line)
When you are already in the middle of typing a command (after pressing :) and realize you need to compose something complex — a long substitution, a multi-pip
How do I set the leader key for custom mappings?
let mapleader = " "
The leader key is a prefix for custom mappings.
How do I add more commands to a macro I already recorded?
qA
If you finish recording a macro and realize you forgot a step, you don't need to re-record the whole thing.
macros #macros #registers #normal-mode #editing #productivity
How do I inspect the contents of specific Vim registers without listing all of them?
:reg {names}
The :registers command dumps every register at once, which is noisy when you only care about a handful.
How do I switch from the active command line into the command-line window to edit the command with full Vim power?
<C-f> (in command line)
Pressing while you are already typing in the Vim command line (:), search line (/ or ?), or input prompt switches you into the command-line window with the curr
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #editing #normal-mode
How do I close the current window in Vim?
<C-w>c
The c (Ctrl+w then c) command closes the current window without closing the buffer it contains.
How do I replace only the current match and then stop when doing an interactive substitution in Vim?
l (in :%s///gc confirm prompt)
When running an interactive substitution with the c flag (e.
editing #search #editing #substitution #ex-commands #normal-mode
How do I edit a recorded macro by modifying it as text in a buffer?
:put a ... edit ... "ayy
Recorded macros are stored as plain text in registers, but editing them by re-recording is tedious for complex sequences.
How do I call one macro from inside another macro?
@a (within macro @b)
Vim macros can call other macros, enabling modular macro composition.
How do I open the command-line window mid-command to edit it with full Vim capabilities?
<C-f> (in command-line mode)
When you're already on the Vim command line and realize you need complex edits — inserting text from multiple positions, reordering arguments, or referencing
How do I prevent a macro from stopping when a command fails?
Use :s/pat/rep/e flag or :silent! prefix
By default, Vim macros abort on the first error — a failed search, a substitute with no matches, or a movement that can't be performed.
How do I write and edit a macro as text instead of recording it live?
Write keystrokes in buffer, then "qy$
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 ya
macros #macros #editing #registers #workflow #best-practices
How do I use a counter variable inside a Vim macro?
:let i=1 then use <C-r>=i<CR> in macro
By combining a Vimscript variable with the expression register inside a macro, you can create a counter that increments on each replay.
How do I write a Vim macro that automatically repeats until it fails?
qa{actions}@aq
A recursive macro is one that calls itself as its final action, causing it to repeat indefinitely until any command in the body fails (e.
How do I quickly toggle options and navigate lists using bracket mappings in Vim?
[on / ]on / yon
The vim-unimpaired plugin by Tim Pope provides a consistent set of bracket-based mappings for toggling Vim options, navigating paired lists, and performing comm
How do I save and quit Vim quickly from normal mode without typing a colon command?
ZZ
ZZ is a normal mode shorthand that saves and quits only if the buffer has been modified.