How do I edit a binary file in hex mode using Vim?
:%!xxd
Vim can serve as a hex editor by piping buffer contents through xxd, a hex dump utility that ships with Vim.
Tag: editing
How do I append text to the end of multiple lines that have different lengths?
<C-v>jj$A;
Visual block mode normally selects a fixed-width column, which makes appending tricky when lines have different lengths.
How do I make a macro run repeatedly until it reaches the end of the file or encounters an error?
qaqqa{actions}@aq@a
A recursive macro is a macro that calls itself at the end of its recording.
How do I run an Ex command on all lines between two pattern matches?
:/start/,/end/ {command}
Vim's range addressing lets you specify a line range using search patterns instead of explicit line numbers.
How do I paste the contents of a register into the command line or search prompt?
:<C-r>"
When typing an Ex command or search pattern, you often need to insert text you've already yanked or deleted.
How do I increment or decrement hexadecimal and binary numbers with Ctrl-A and Ctrl-X?
:set nrformats+=hex,bin
By default, Vim's and only increment and decrement decimal numbers.
How do I quickly convert between snake_case, camelCase, and other naming conventions in Vim?
crs / crm / crc / cru
Tim Pope's vim-abolish plugin provides cr (coerce) commands that instantly convert the word under the cursor between common naming conventions.
How do I reformat a paragraph to fit a specific line width in Vim?
gqap
The gq operator reformats text by wrapping lines to fit within the textwidth setting.
How do I move all lines matching a pattern to the end of the file in Vim?
:g/pattern/m $
The :g (global) command combined with :m (move) lets you collect all lines matching a pattern and relocate them to a specific position in the file.
command-line #ex-commands #editing #global #search #formatting
How do I match only part of a search pattern in Vim using \zs and \ze?
/\vfoo\zsbar\ze/
Vim's \zs (start of match) and \ze (end of match) atoms let you control which portion of a pattern is treated as the actual match.
How do I do a case-preserving search and replace across different naming conventions?
:%Subvert/old{,s}/new{,s}/g
Tim Pope's vim-abolish plugin provides the :Subvert command (aliased as :S), which performs substitutions that automatically preserve case variants and handle p
plugins #plugins #substitution #editing #ex-commands #search
How do I copy or transfer text between Vim registers?
:let @+ = @"
Vim's :let @{reg} syntax lets you read from one register and write to another.
How do I move the cursor to the other end of a Visual selection in Vim?
o (in Visual mode)
When you make a Visual selection in Vim, the cursor sits at one end while the other end is anchored.
How do I match only part of a search pattern in Vim using \zs and \ze?
/pattern\zs.*\ze/
Vim's \zs (start of match) and \ze (end of match) atoms let you define a search pattern but only highlight or operate on a portion of it.
How do I cycle through previously deleted text using numbered registers?
"1p then u then . to cycle
Vim stores your last 9 deletions in numbered registers "1 through "9.
How do I indent lines multiple times without reselecting in visual mode?
>gv
Normally, pressing > in visual mode indents the selection but exits visual mode, requiring you to press gv to reselect.
How do I append text at the end of lines with different lengths using visual block?
<C-v>j$A;<Esc>
When lines have varying lengths, a normal visual block selection stops at the shortest line.
How do I move a column of text to a different position using visual block mode?
<C-v>jjxp
Visual block mode lets you select, cut, and paste rectangular columns of text.
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 append a semicolon to every line in a file using :norm?
:%norm A;
The :%norm command runs normal mode commands on every line in the file (or a range).