How do I programmatically create a blockwise register with setreg()?
:call setreg('a', "foo\nbar", 'b')
Most register examples focus on interactive yanks, but setreg() lets you construct registers programmatically, including their type.
Search: paste
225 results for "paste"
How do I append the current filename to a named register from Ex command-line?
:let @a .= expand('%:t') . "\n"
Named registers are not just for yanks and deletes.
How do I collapse consecutive duplicate words across a file?
:%s/\v<(\w+)\s+\1>/\1/g\<CR>
OCR cleanup, copy-paste artifacts, and rushed note-taking often produce repeated words like the the or is is.
How do I transform register contents using Vimscript functions?
:put =map(getreg('a', 1, 1), 'toupper(v:val)')
By using getreg() with the list flag and applying map(), you can transform register contents with any Vimscript function before pasting.
How do I reindent the previous visual selection and keep it selected?
gv=gv
When you are iterating on indentation, repeating selection steps is wasted motion.
visual-mode #visual-mode #indentation #editing #formatting #workflow
How do I move a line or selection up or down in Vim?
:move +1 / :move -2
The :move command relocates lines to a specific position without using delete and paste.
How do I apply an Ex command only to the exact range of my last change or yank?
:'[,']normal! =
When you need to run a command on exactly the text you just changed, yanked, or pasted, Vim's automatic marks are faster and safer than reselecting manually.
command-line #command-line #marks #indentation #ex-commands #normal-mode
How do I move all lines matching a pattern to the end of a file?
:g/pattern/m$
The :g (global) command combined with :m (move) relocates all matching lines to a specified destination.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #global #editing #organization
How do I search for a character by its ASCII or Unicode code point value in a Vim pattern?
/\%d{decimal}
Vim's regex engine supports special atoms that match characters by their numeric value rather than their glyph.
How do I open the current file at a previous Git revision with vim-fugitive?
:Gedit HEAD~1:%
When you are deep in a refactor, you often need to compare the current buffer with an older version of the same file.
How do I quickly re-insert the text I just typed without leaving insert mode?
<C-a> (in insert mode)
While in insert mode, pressing re-inserts whatever text you typed during your previous insert session.
How do I fix the indentation of a code block without affecting surrounding code?
=i{
When editing code with messy indentation — after a paste, a merge conflict, or a refactor — you often need to fix just one block rather than the entire file
How do I insert a register in Insert mode without reindenting each inserted line?
<C-r><C-o>a
When you paste multiline snippets from a register while in Insert mode, default insertion can trigger indentation and formatting side effects line by line.
registers #registers #insert-mode #formatting #indentation #editing
How do I normalize curly quotes to straight quotes in the current buffer?
:%s/[“”]/"/ge<CR>:%s/[‘’]/'/ge<CR>
When text comes from docs, email, or CMS exports, it often contains typographic quotes (“”‘’) that break code snippets, Markdown tooling, or shell comma
How do I modify the contents of a register without re-recording it?
:let @a = substitute(@a, 'old', 'new', 'g')
After recording a macro or yanking text into a named register, you may need to tweak it — fix a typo in a recorded macro, change a variable name in yanked tex
How do I diff two files that are already open in Vim splits?
:diffthis
You often have two files open side by side and want to compare them without leaving Vim or launching vimdiff.
How do I programmatically load text or a macro into a named register from the command line?
:let @a="text"
:let @{register}=".
How do I create a macro by typing it out instead of recording it interactively?
:let @q = "dwelp"
Recording macros with q works well for simple sequences, but complex macros with special keys can be hard to get right in one take.
How do I programmatically set the contents of a register from the command line?
:let @a = "value"
The :let @{reg} = expr command lets you assign any string or expression directly into a named register without entering insert mode or performing a yank.
How do I programmatically extend or modify a recorded macro without re-recording it?
:let @a = @a . "\<CR>extra"
Vim stores macros as plain text in registers — the same registers used for yanked text.