various.txt Nvim VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar
Various commands various
Type gO to see the table of contents.
1. Various commands various-cmds
CTRL-L CTRL-L Clear and redraw the screen. The redraw may happen later, after processing typeahead.
:redr :redraw :redr[aw][!] Redraw the screen right now. When ! is included it is cleared first. Useful to update the screen halfway through executing a script or function (or a mapping if 'lazyredraw' set).
:redraws :redrawstatus :redraws[tatus][!] Redraw the status line of the current window. When ! is included all status lines are redrawn. Useful to update the status line(s) when 'statusline' includes an item that doesn't cause automatic updating.
N<Del> <Del> When entering a number: Remove the last digit. Note: if you like to use <BS> for this, add this mapping to your vimrc:
map CTRL-V <BS> CTRL-V <Del>:as[cii] or ga :as :ascii ga Print the ascii value of the character under the cursor in decimal, hexadecimal and octal. For example, when the cursor is on a 'R': <R> 82, Hex 52, Octal 122When the character is a non-standard ASCII character, but printable according to the 'isprint' option, the non-printable version is also given. When the character is larger than 127, the <M-x> form is also printed. For example: <~A> <M-^A> 129, Hex 81, Octal 201 <p> <|~> <M-~> 254, Hex fe, Octal 376(where <p> is a special character) The <Nul> character in a file is stored internally as <NL>, but it will be shown as: <^@> 0, Hex 00, Octal 000If the character has composing characters these are also shown. The value of 'maxcombine' doesn't matter. Mnemonic: Get ASCII value.
g8 g8 Print the hex values of the bytes used in the character under the cursor, assuming it is in UTF-8 encoding. This also shows composing characters. The value of 'maxcombine' doesn't matter. Example of a character with two composing characters: e0 b8 81 + e0 b8 b9 + e0 b9 89
8g8 8g8 Find an illegal UTF-8 byte sequence at or after the cursor. This works in two situations: 1. when 'encoding' is any 8-bit encoding 2. when 'encoding' is "utf-8" and 'fileencoding' is any 8-bit encoding Thus it can be used when editing a file that was supposed to be UTF-8 but was read as if it is an 8-bit encoding because it contains illegal bytes. Does not wrap around the end of the file. Note that when the cursor is on an illegal byte or the cursor is halfway through a multi-byte character the command won't move the cursor.
:p :pr :print E749 :[range]p[rint] [flags] Print [range] lines (default current line). Note: If you are looking for a way to print your text on paper see :hardcopy. In the GUI you can use the File.Print menu entry. See ex-flags for [flags]. The :filter command can be used to only show lines matching a pattern. :[range]p[rint] {count} [flags] Print {count} lines, starting with [range] (default current line cmdline-ranges). See ex-flags for [flags].
:l :list :[range]l[ist] [count] [flags] Same as :print, but display unprintable characters with '^' and put $ after the line. This can be further changed with the 'listchars' option. See ex-flags for [flags].
:nu :number :[range]nu[mber] [count] [flags] Same as :print, but precede each line with its line number. (See also hl-LineNr and 'numberwidth'). See ex-flags for [flags].
:# :[range]# [count] [flags] synonym for :number.
:#! :#!{anything} Ignored, so that you can start a Vim script with:
#!vim -Secho "this is a Vim script"quit
:z E144 :{range}z[+-^.=]{count} Display several lines of text surrounding the line specified with {range}, or around the current line if there is no {range}. If there is a {count}, that's how many lines you'll see; if there is only one window then twice the value of the 'scroll' option is used, otherwise the current window height minus 3 is used. If there is a {count} the 'window' option is set to its value. :z can be used either alone or followed by any of several punctuation marks. These have the following effect: mark first line last line new cursor line ---- ---------- --------- ------------ + current line 1 scr forward 1 scr forward - 1 scr back current line current line ^ 2 scr back 1 scr back 1 scr back . 1/2 scr back 1/2 scr fwd 1/2 scr fwd = 1/2 scr back 1/2 scr fwd current line Specifying no mark at all is the same as "+". If the mark is "=", a line of dashes is printed around the current line.
:{range}z#[+-^.=]{count} :z# Like ":z", but number the lines. {not in all versions of Vi, not with these arguments}
:= := [flags] Print the last line number. See ex-flags for [flags]. :{range}= [flags] Prints the last line number in {range}. For example, this prints the current line number:
.=See ex-flags for [flags].
:norm[al][!] {commands} :norm :normal Execute Normal mode commands {commands}. This makes it possible to execute Normal mode commands typed on the command-line. {commands} are executed like they are typed. For undo all commands are undone together. Execution stops when an error is encountered. If the [!] is given, mappings will not be used. Without it, when this command is called from a non-remappable mapping (:noremap), the argument can be mapped anyway. {commands} should be a complete command. If {commands} does not finish a command, the last one will be aborted as if <Esc> or <C-C> was typed. This implies that an insert command must be completed (to start Insert mode, see :startinsert). A ":" command must be completed as well. And you can't use "Q" or "gQ" to start Ex mode. The display is not updated while ":normal" is busy. {commands} cannot start with a space. Put a count of 1 (one) before it, "1 " is one space. The 'insertmode' option is ignored for {commands}. This command cannot be followed by another command, since any '|' is considered part of the command. This command can be used recursively, but the depth is limited by 'maxmapdepth'. An alternative is to use :execute, which uses an expression as argument. This allows the use of printable characters to represent special characters. Example:
exe "normal \<c-w>\<c-w>":{range}norm[al][!] {commands} :normal-range Execute Normal mode commands {commands} for each line in the {range}. Before executing the {commands}, the cursor is positioned in the first column of the range, for each line. Otherwise it's the same as the ":normal" command without a range.
:sh :shell E371 E360 :sh[ell] Removed. vim-differences {Nvim}
:terminal :te :te[rminal][!] [{cmd}] Execute {cmd} with 'shell' in a new terminal-emulator buffer. Without {cmd}, start an interactive 'shell'. Type i to enter Terminal-mode, then keys are sent to the job running in the terminal. Type <C-\><C-N> to leave Terminal-mode. CTRL-\_CTRL-N Fails if changes have been made to the current buffer, unless 'hidden' is set. To enter Terminal-mode automatically:
autocmd TermOpen * startinsert:!cmd :! E34 :!{cmd} Execute {cmd} with 'shell'. See also :terminal. Any '!' in {cmd} is replaced with the previous external command (see also 'cpoptions'). But not when there is a backslash before the '!', then that backslash is removed. Example: ":!ls" followed by ":!echo ! \! \\!" executes "echo ls ! \!". A '|' in {cmd} is passed to the shell, you cannot use it to append a Vim command. See :bar. If {cmd} contains "%" it is expanded to the current file name. Special characters are not escaped, use quotes to avoid their special meaning:
!ls "%"If the file name contains a "$" single quotes might work better (but a single quote causes trouble):
!ls '%'This should always work, but it's more typing:
exe "!ls " . shellescape(expand("%"))A newline character ends {cmd}, what follows is interpreted as a following ":" command. However, if there is a backslash before the newline it is removed and {cmd} continues. It doesn't matter how many backslashes are before the newline, only one is removed. The command runs in a non-interactive shell connected to a pipe (not a terminal). Use :terminal to run an interactive shell connected to a terminal. For Win32 also see :!start. After the command has been executed, the timestamp and size of the current file is checked timestamp. If the command produces too much output some lines may be skipped so the command can execute quickly. No data is lost, this only affects the display. The last few lines are always displayed (never skipped). Vim redraws the screen after the command is finished, because it may have printed any text. This requires a hit-enter prompt, so that you can read any messages. To avoid this use:
silent !{cmd}The screen is not redrawn then, thus you have to use CTRL-L or ":redraw!" if the command did display something. :!start :!start {cmd} (Windows only). Special-case of :! which works asynchronously, for running a program that does not affect the files you are editing. Optional arguments (can only use one at a time): /min window will be minimized /b no console window will be opened Note: If the process requires input, /b will get an EOF error because its input stream (stdin) would be redirected to \\.\NUL (stdout and stderr too). Programs begun with :!start do not get passed Vim's open file handles, which means they do not have to be closed before Vim. To avoid this special treatment, use ":! start".
:!! :!! Repeat last ":!{cmd}".
:ve :version :ve[rsion] Print the version number of the editor. The following lines contain information about which features were enabled when Vim was compiled. When there is a preceding '+', the feature is included, when there is a '-' it is excluded. To change this, you have to edit feature.h and recompile Vim. To check for this in an expression, see has(). Here is an overview of the features. The first column shows the smallest version in which they are included: T tiny S small N normal B big H huge m manually enabled or depends on other features (none) system dependent Thus if a feature is marked with "N", it is included in the normal, big and huge versions of Vim.
+feature-list +acl ACL support included B +arabic Arabic language support N +autocmd :autocmd, automatic commands N +browse :browse command N +byte_offset support for 'o' flag in 'statusline' option, "go" and ":goto" commands. N +cindent 'cindent', C indenting N +clientserver Unix and Win32: Remote invocation clientserver +clipboard clipboard support N +cmdline_compl command line completion cmdline-completion S +cmdline_hist command line history cmdline-history N +cmdline_info 'showcmd' and 'ruler' N +comments 'comments' support B +conceal "conceal" support, see conceal :syn-conceal etc. B +cscope cscope support m +cursorbind 'cursorbind' support m +debug Compiled for debugging. N +dialog_gui Support for :confirm with GUI dialog. N +dialog_con Support for :confirm with console dialog. N +dialog_con_gui Support for :confirm with GUI and console dialog. N +digraphs digraphs E196 N +eval expression evaluation eval.txt N +ex_extra always on now, used to be for Vim's extra Ex commands N +extra_search 'hlsearch' and 'incsearch' options. B +farsi farsi language N +file_in_path gf, CTRL-W_f and <cfile> N +find_in_path include file searches: [I, :isearch, CTRL-W_CTRL-I, :checkpath, etc. N +folding folding N +gettext message translations multi-lang +iconv Compiled with the iconv() function +iconv/dyn Likewise iconv-dynamic /dyn N +insert_expand insert_expand Insert mode completion S +jumplist jumplist B +keymap 'keymap' N +lambda lambda and closure B +langmap 'langmap' N +libcall libcall() N +linebreak 'linebreak', 'breakat' and 'showbreak' N +lispindent 'lisp' N +listcmds Vim commands for the list of buffers buffer-hidden and argument list :argdelete N +localmap Support for mappings local to a buffer :map-local N +menu :menu N +mksession :mksession N +modify_fname filename-modifiers N +mouse Mouse handling mouse-using N +mouseshape 'mouseshape' N +multi_byte 16 and 32 bit characters multibyte +multi_byte_ime Win32 input method for multibyte chars multibyte-ime N +multi_lang non-English language support multi-lang +num64 64-bit Number support Number N +path_extra Up/downwards search in 'path' and 'tags' N +persistent_undo Persistent undo undo-persistence +postscript :hardcopy writes a PostScript file N +printer :hardcopy command H +profile :profile command m +python Python 2 interface python m +python3 Python 3 interface python N +quickfix :make and quickfix commands N +reltime reltime() function, 'hlsearch'/'incsearch' timeout, 'redrawtime' option B +rightleft Right to left typing 'rightleft' N +scrollbind 'scrollbind' N +shada 'shada' B +signs :sign N +smartindent 'smartindent' N +startuptime --startuptime argument N +statusline Options 'statusline', 'rulerformat' and special formats of 'titlestring' and 'iconstring' N +syntax Syntax highlighting syntax N +tablineat 'tabline' option recognizing %@Func@ items. T +tag_binary binary searching in tags file tag-binary-search N +tag_old_static old method for static tags tag-old-static m +tag_any_white any white space allowed in tags file tag-any-white B +termguicolors 24-bit color in xterm-compatible terminals support N +termresponse support for t_RV and v:termresponse N +textobjects text-objects selection N +timers the timer_start() function N +title Setting the window 'title' and 'icon' N +toolbar gui-toolbar N +user_commands User-defined commands. user-commands +vertsplit Vertically split windows :vsplit N +virtualedit 'virtualedit' S +visual Visual mode Visual-mode Always enabled since 7.4.200. N +visualextra extra Visual mode commands blockwise-operators N +vreplace gR and gr N +wildignore 'wildignore' N +wildmenu 'wildmenu' +windows more than one window m +writebackup 'writebackup' is default on m +xim X input method xim +xfontset X fontset support xfontset +xpm pixmap support m +xpm_w32 Win32 GUI only: pixmap support w32-xpm-support
/dyn E370 E448 To some of the features "/dyn" is added when the feature is only available when the related library can be dynamically loaded. :ve[rsion] {nr} Is now ignored. This was previously used to check the version number of a .vimrc file. It was removed, because you can now use the ":if" command for version-dependent behavior.
:redi :redir :redi[r][!] > {file} Redirect messages to file {file}. The messages which are the output of commands are written to that file, until redirection ends. The messages are also still shown on the screen. When [!] is included, an existing file is overwritten. When [!] is omitted, and {file} exists, this command fails. Only one ":redir" can be active at a time. Calls to ":redir" will close any active redirection before starting redirection to the new target. For recursive use check out execute(). To stop the messages and commands from being echoed to the screen, put the commands in a function and call it with ":silent call Function()". Alternatives are the 'verbosefile' option or execute() function, these can be used in combination with ":redir". :redi[r] >> {file} Redirect messages to file {file}. Append if {file} already exists. :redi[r] @{a-zA-Z} :redi[r] @{a-zA-Z}> Redirect messages to register {a-z}. Append to the contents of the register if its name is given uppercase {A-Z}. The ">" after the register name is optional. :redi[r] @{a-z}>> Append messages to register {a-z}. :redi[r] @*> :redi[r] @+> Redirect messages to the selection or clipboard. For backward compatibility, the ">" after the register name can be omitted. See quotestar and quoteplus. :redi[r] @*>> :redi[r] @+>> Append messages to the selection or clipboard. :redi[r] @"> Redirect messages to the unnamed register. For backward compatibility, the ">" after the register name can be omitted. :redi[r] @">> Append messages to the unnamed register. :redi[r] => {var} Redirect messages to a variable. If the variable doesn't exist, then it is created. If the variable exists, then it is initialized to an empty string. The variable will remain empty until redirection ends. Only string variables can be used. After the redirection starts, if the variable is removed or locked or the variable type is changed, then further command output messages will cause errors. To get the output of one command the execute() function can be used. :redi[r] =>> {var} Append messages to an existing variable. Only string variables can be used. :redi[r] END End redirecting messages.
:filt :filter :filt[er][!] {pat} {command} :filt[er][!] /{pat}/ {command} Restrict the output of {command} to lines matching with {pat}. For example, to list only xml files:
filter /\.xml$/ oldfilesIf the [!] is given, restrict the output of {command} to lines that do NOT match {pat}. {pat} is a Vim search pattern. Instead of enclosing it in / any non-ID character (see 'isident') can be used, so long as it does not appear in {pat}. Without the enclosing character the pattern cannot include the bar character. The pattern is matched against the relevant part of the output, not necessarily the whole line. Only some commands support filtering, try it out to check if it works. Only normal messages are filtered, error messages are not.
:sil :silent :silent! :sil[ent][!] {command} Execute {command} silently. Normal messages will not be given or added to the message history. When [!] is added, error messages will also be skipped, and commands and mappings will not be aborted when an error is detected. v:errmsg is still set. When [!] is not used, an error message will cause further messages to be displayed normally. Redirection, started with :redir, will continue as usual, although there might be small differences. This will allow redirecting the output of a command without seeing it on the screen. Example:
redir >/tmp/foobarsilent g/Aap/predir END
To execute a Normal mode command silently, use the :normal command. For example, to search for a string without messages:
silent exe "normal /path\<CR>"":silent!" is useful to execute a command that may fail, but the failure is to be ignored. Example:
let v:errmsg = ""silent! /^beginif v:errmsg != ""... pattern was not found
":silent" will also avoid the hit-enter prompt. When using this for an external command, this may cause the screen to be messed up. Use CTRL-L to clean it up then. ":silent menu ..." defines a menu that will not echo a Command-line command. The command will still produce messages though. Use ":silent" in the command itself to avoid that: ":silent menu .... :silent command".
:uns :unsilent :uns[ilent] {command} Execute {command} not silently. Only makes a difference when :silent was used to get to this command. Use this for giving a message even when :silent was used. In this example :silent is used to avoid the message about reading the file and :unsilent to be able to list the first line of each file.
silent argdo unsilent echo expand('%') . ": " . getline(1):verb :verbose :[count]verb[ose] {command} Execute {command} with 'verbose' set to [count]. If [count] is omitted one is used. ":0verbose" can be used to set 'verbose' to zero. The additional use of ":silent" makes messages generated but not displayed. The combination of ":silent" and ":verbose" can be used to generate messages and check them with v:statusmsg and friends. For example:
let v:statusmsg = ""silent verbose runtime foobar.vimif v:statusmsg != """ foobar.vim could not be foundendif
When concatenating another command, the ":verbose" only applies to the first one:
4verbose set verbose | set verboseverbose=4 verbose=0For logging verbose messages in a file use the 'verbosefile' option.
:verbose-cmd When 'verbose' is non-zero, listing the value of a Vim option or a key map or an abbreviation or a user-defined function or a command or a highlight group or an autocommand will also display where it was last defined. If it was defined manually then there will be no "Last set" message. When it was defined while executing a function, user command or autocommand, the script in which it was defined is reported. {not available when compiled without the +eval feature}
K [count]K Run a program to lookup the keyword under the cursor. The name of the program is given with the 'keywordprg' (kp) option (default is "man"). The keyword is formed of letters, numbers and the characters in 'iskeyword'. The keyword under or right of the cursor is used. The same can be done with the command
!{program} {keyword}Special cases: - If 'keywordprg' begins with ":" it is invoked as a Vim command with [count]. - If 'keywordprg' is empty, the ":help" command is used. It's a good idea to include more characters in 'iskeyword' then, to be able to find more help. - When 'keywordprg' is equal to "man", a [count] before "K" is inserted after the "man" command and before the keyword. For example, using "2K" while the cursor is on "mkdir", results in:
!man 2 mkdir- When 'keywordprg' is equal to "man -s", a [count] before "K" is inserted after the "-s". If there is no count, the "-s" is removed.
v_K {Visual}K Like "K", but use the visually highlighted text for the keyword. Only works when the highlighted text is not more than one line.
gO gO Show a filetype-specific, navigable "outline" of the current buffer. For example, in a help buffer this shows the table of contents. Currently works in help and :Man buffers.
[N]gs gs :sl :sleep :[N]sl[eep] [N] [m] Do nothing for [N] seconds. When [m] is included, sleep for [N] milliseconds. The count for "gs" always uses seconds. The default is one second.
:sleep "sleep for one second:5sleep "sleep for five seconds:sleep 100m "sleep for a hundred milliseconds10gs "sleep for ten seconds
Can be interrupted with CTRL-C (CTRL-Break on Windows). "gs" stands for "goto sleep". While sleeping the cursor is positioned in the text, if at a visible position.
2. Using Vim like less or more less
If you use the less or more program to view a file, you don't get syntax highlighting. Thus you would like to use Vim instead. You can do this by using the shell script "$VIMRUNTIME/macros/less.sh". This shell script uses the Vim script "$VIMRUNTIME/macros/less.vim". It sets up mappings to simulate the commands that less supports. Otherwise, you can still use the Vim commands. This isn't perfect. For example, when viewing a short file Vim will still use the whole screen. But it works good enough for most uses, and you get syntax highlighting. The "h" key will give you a short overview of the available commands. If you want to set options differently when using less, define the LessInitFunc in your vimrc, for example:
func LessInitFunc()set nocursorcolumn nocursorlineendfunc
vim:noet:tw=78:ts=8:ft=help:norl: