vim commands/shortcuts

Vim Basics

• Save and Exit (Command mode)

          1. 'w'  : Save the file with latest changes but not exit out of editor

          2. 'wq': Save the file and exit.

          3. 'e'   : Refresh the file if the file has undergone modification from a different process.

                      Note: Any changes to that file from the editor will be lost.

• Navigation keys

          1. 'Ctrl f' : One page forward

          2. 'Ctrl b' : One page backwards

          3. 'w' : Move forward by 1 word

              'W' : Move forward until next space character

          4. 'b' : Move back 1 word

              'B' : Move back to previous space character.

• Search

          1. 'Shift 8' /  '*' : Search the word under cursor

• Increment and Decrement number ( normal/edit mode ):  

          'Ctrl-a' and 'Ctrl-x'

• Add/modify a column of file (vertically)

          Follow the steps:

          1. 'Ctrl-v' : Creates visual block.

          2. Navigate up/down the lines for which you need add/modify. ( Still in visual mode)

          3. 'Shift i'

          4. 'esc'

             

• Windows (commandline mode):

          'vsp <filename>' : Vertical Split
          'sp  <filename>'   : Split window horizontally

          Navigation keys:

           'Ctrl-ww' : Rotate between windows
           'Ctrl-w<arrow keys>' : Navigate to corresponding window as per the arrow key. [ eg: right arrow to move to right window from current line in the current window]

• Tabs (commandline mode):

           'tabe <filename>': Will open the file in a new tab.

          Navigation keys:

           'gt' : Move to next tab. Rotates to first if it's the last tab.
           'gt <number> : Moves to the tab with the given number. [ Ex: 'gt 2' will goto the second tab]

Optimizing file operations efforts using 'vim'. 

Modify multiple files with "similar" operation

This is achieved by recording the operation and recursing that over all the files.

1. Open all the files in vim together. 'vim file1 file2 file3.. file4'  ( If you have a file with list of all the filenames, you can open as: vim `cat file_with_paths` ( notice that back quotes are used here!)
2. Start the first recording: Type 'q' followed by <any character> in command mode.That particular character will be the name of what is being recorded.  Example: 'qs'. All the vim operations you do or commands you run, will start getting recorded now.
3. Do the "similar" operation. Lets consider substituting all the occurrences of  the word "BAD" with "GOOD" as "similar" operation. In command mode, type '%s/BAD/GOOD/g'
4. Save the file and move to the next file: 'wn'  ( 'w' for save, 'n' is to open next file.)
5. Now, run the recording. '@' followed by <any character> will run the recording. In our example, its '@s'. Basically, this particular recording is calling itself! which makes it recursive.
6. End the recording: Type just the single character 'q' to end recording.We have the first recording encapsulated inside itself along with the commands which need to be run for all the files.
7. Run the recording to finish: Type '@s'. Now, all the files having the word 'BAD' will have replaced with the word 'GOOD', in a jiffy :)

Vim Sessions

Create session

:mksession ~/mysession.vim

source that vim file to get the old session

:source ~/mysession.vim

$ vim -S ~/mysession.vim