How do I save a macro permanently in my vimrc?
let @a = 'sequence'
How it works Macros recorded with q are stored in registers, but they are lost when you close Vim (unless you have the viminfo or shada file preserving them).
Tag: macros
How do I quickly repeat the last macro I executed?
@@
How it works After running a macro with @a (or any other register), you can repeat that same macro by pressing @@.
How do I make a macro that finds and operates on specific patterns?
qq /pattern<CR> {commands} q
By incorporating a search command inside a macro, you can make it jump to the next occurrence of a pattern before performing its edits.
How do I apply a macro across multiple files at once?
:argdo normal @q | update
The :argdo command runs a command in every file in the argument list.
macros #macros #batch-editing #multi-file #ex-commands #workflow
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 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 make my macros robust regardless of cursor position?
0 or ^ at start of macro
A common macro pitfall is assuming the cursor starts at a specific column.
How do I convert a recorded macro into a permanent key mapping?
:let @q then use in nnoremap
Macros are stored in registers as plain keystroke strings.
How do I run a macro on every line matching a pattern?
:g/pattern/normal @q
The :global command combined with :normal lets you execute a recorded macro on every line that matches a given pattern.
macros #macros #command-line #ex-commands #global #batch-editing
How do I save a recorded macro permanently so it persists across Vim sessions?
let @a = 'macro_contents'
Recorded macros are stored in registers, which are lost when you quit Vim (unless viminfo saves them).
How do I create a macro that runs itself repeatedly until it fails?
qaqqa...@aq
A recursive macro calls itself at the end of its recording, creating a loop that repeats until a motion or command fails (like reaching the end of the file or f
How do I run a macro across all open buffers at once?
:bufdo normal @a
The :bufdo command executes an Ex command in every open buffer, and when combined with :normal @a, it replays macro a across all of them.
macros #macros #buffers #ex-commands #automation #productivity
How do I run a macro only on lines that match a specific pattern?
:g/pattern/normal @a
The :g (global) command combined with :normal @a lets you execute a recorded macro only on lines matching a pattern.
macros #macros #ex-commands #global-command #editing #automation
How do I use a macro to generate a numbered list automatically?
qaYp<C-a>q99@a
By recording a macro that duplicates a line and increments its number, you can generate a numbered list of any length with a single replay command.
macros #macros #editing #normal-mode #automation #productivity
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 replay a macro multiple times in Vim?
10@a
The 10@a command replays the macro recorded in register a exactly 10 times.
How do I run a macro on every line in a visual selection?
:'<,'>normal @a
The :'normal @a command executes the macro stored in register a on every line within the current visual selection.
How do I edit a recorded macro in Vim?
"ap, edit, "ayy
Vim stores macros in registers, which means you can paste a macro's contents into a buffer, edit it as regular text, and yank it back into the register.
How do I record and replay a macro in Vim?
qa ... q ... @a
Macros let you record a sequence of commands and replay them.