setreg()
The setreg(reg, value, type) and getreg(reg, 1, 1) functions give you full programmatic control over registers, including their type (characterwise, linewise, o
gP
The gP command works like P (paste before the cursor) but leaves your cursor after the pasted text rather than at its beginning.
:let @/ = @"
After yanking text, you can promote it directly to the search register with :let @/ = @".
qqq then qq{commands}@qq
A recursive macro in Vim calls itself at the end of its body, repeating automatically until one of its commands fails.
:echo getregtype('a')
The getregtype() function returns the motion type of a register's content — whether it was yanked characterwise, linewise, or as a visual block.
:let @q = substitute(@q, 'from', 'to', 'g')
Macros are stored as plain text in named registers, so you can manipulate them with any Vimscript string function.
:s/\(\w\+\) \(\w\+\)/\=submatch(2) . ' ' . submatch(1)/
The submatch(N) function lets you access individual capture groups inside a \= (expression replacement) in a substitution.
"1p and .
When you paste from a numbered register with "1p, Vim's dot command (.
:[range]normal @a
The :[range]normal @a command runs a recorded macro against every line in a given range.
macros #macros #registers #ex-commands #normal-mode #advanced
getreg()
The getreg({name}) function returns the content of any register as a string.
autocmd TextYankPost
The TextYankPost event fires immediately after any yank operation completes — including y, Y, dd, dw, and any other command that writes to a register.
systemlist()
systemlist({cmd}) runs a shell command and returns the output as a list of strings, one per line — unlike system() which returns everything as a single string
:let @q = 'keystrokes'
You can assign a string directly to any register using :let, turning it into a macro instantly.
<C-r><C-r>
In command-line mode, {reg} inserts a register's contents — but it processes certain sequences, potentially misinterpreting backslashes, pipe characters, or e
:0put
The :put Ex command inserts register contents as a new line below the specified line number.
<C-r>= (command-line mode)
Just like = lets you insert evaluated expressions in insert mode, you can use it inside an Ex command on the command line to embed any Vimscript expression resu
<C-r><C-r>x
When you press x in insert mode to paste a register, Vim inserts the text "as if you typed it" — meaning autoindent, textwidth, and other insert behaviors can
:let @a .= "text"
Vim registers are just strings, and you can read and write them directly using the :let command.
searchcount()
The searchcount() function returns a dictionary containing the current search state: which match the cursor is on, how many total matches exist, and whether the
"#p
The # register holds the name of the alternate file — the file you were editing just before the current one.
