Did you know/2009

This is an archive of the Did you know? section on the home page for 2009.

December 2009

• Vim tutorials has videos illustrating simple and advanced topics.
• Searching with /\%>80v.\+ finds the next line longer than 80 characters (after expanding tabs).
• Mapping a key to execute :update makes it easy to save the current file, if changed.
• If a file from a Mac is garbled, reload it with :e ++ff=mac.
• The command :set et|retab expands all tab indents to use spaces.
• Typing "+P pastes the clipboard before the cursor and sets mark `[ to the beginning of the pasted text, and mark `] to the end.
• With the cursor on an http link, pressing Ctrl-W Ctrl-F uses netrw to open the html source in a new window.
• The search /hello/e finds "hello" (like /hello), but puts the cursor at the end of the match.
• Some mappings or a substitute will help convert PHP variables from $this_variable_style to $thisVariableStyle.
• You can use the git version control system from Vim.
• We have an example of a simple vimrc with suggestions for configuring Vim.

November 2009

• Vim tutorials has videos illustrating simple and advanced topics.
• On Windows, when using PuTTY to execute Vim, you should disable application keypad mode.
• Enter :scriptnames to list all scripts run by Vim.
• Using :execute allows '|' to separate multiple commands, even those that eat '|'.
• Entering :m'}-1 moves the current line to the end of the current paragraph.
• You can see what script defined a mapping (say for comma) with :verbose map ,.
• Using :noautocmd vimgrep ... will speed up vimgrep.
• Under Windows, enter :!start calc to asynchronously execute a GUI program (say calc.exe).
• In a script, execute normal-mode commands with a bang (example: normal! gqip) to avoid mappings.
• Scripts can use filereadable() to check if a file exists and can be read (example).
• Scripts can use readfile() to read all lines from a file (same example).

October 2009

• Vim Recipes is a new and free cookbook in PDF and HTML.
• Using :set splitright causes a new split window to be on the right.
• Using :set lines=50 columns=100 in your vimrc sets the initial window size.
• Press I to insert text in multiple lines in a visual block.
• Setting 'guifont' in your vimrc can set the font used in gvim.
• Clever scripts can show what colors are available for use in Vim.
• A command like :e ++enc=cp850 reloads the file using a different encoding.
• Enter :windo wincmd K to change a "horizontal list" of windows to a "vertical list".
• We have some ideas for moving through camelCaseWords.
• Changing the status line color helps to show whether you are in insert or normal mode.
• Many cindent options can be configured with 'cinoptions', including continuation lines.

September 2009

• Vim Recipes is a new and free cookbook in PDF and HTML.
• You can enter a command like :set ft=python to set the filetype for a new buffer.
• Typing _ or g_ moves to the first or last non-blank character of the current line.
• Use :verbose set ai? cin? cink? cino? si? inde? indk? to see the current indent settings and where they were set.
• A great one page summary of color schemes is available.
• Typing gwap formats the paragraph without changing the cursor position.
• A search (/ \+\ze\t) can highlight spaces that occur before a tab.
• Perl subs can be folded if enabled with :let perl_fold = 1 in your vimrc.
• The command :%s/\%Vold/new/g changes "old" to "new" in the last visual selection.
• A format option like :setl fo=aw2tq can reflow paragraphs while you type.
• Using Ctrl-o in an :imap can execute a normal mode command and stay in insert mode.

August 2009

• Vim Recipes is a new and free cookbook in PDF and HTML.
• Your syntax files may have configurable options.
• With au FileType qf ... you can adjust the quickfix window height.
• With au CursorHoldI * ... you can exit insert mode when idle.
• A sweet regex can exchange adjacent words regardless of separator.
• Typing ci( changes text from anywhere inside parentheses (a text object).
• Type :v/pattern/d to delete all lines not matching pattern.
• Make your own dynamic template with eval().
• Temporarily mapping j and k to Ctrl-e and Ctrl-y (and more) makes scrolling text easy.
• Using :set statusline+=%{MyFunction()} can show the syntax highlight group in the statusline.
• You can use the Vim color schemes in PuTTY.

July 2009

• Vim Recipes is a new and free cookbook in PDF and HTML.
• An environment variable can be displayed, for example :echo $PATH.
• The 'opfunc' option can be used to define your own operator.
• A temporary change to the 'grepprg' option allows git grep in Vim.
• :pedit myfile opens a file in the preview window; useful for pydoc.
• Use :wa to save all modified files (no save if no change).
• Use :e .. to list files in the parent directory.
• Use :set showcmd to show the size of the visually-selected area.
• Press Ctrl-w then o to show only the current window (close others).
• Windows users should use the GnuWin32 diff package.
• You can search only unfolded text with :set fdo-=search.

June 2009

• Vim Recipes is a new and free cookbook in PDF and HTML
• The command :cabbrev can expand commands and fix your frequent typos.
• In insert mode, typing <C-R>=strftime("%c") inserts the current date and time.
• You can toggle folds open/closed with za.
• perldoc can be used to open a Perl module from its module name.
• A plugin allows sorting lines based on a visually-selected column.
• Under Windows, you can have pl2bat scripts detected as Perl filetype.
• Some mappings allow easy move up/down of current line.
• Use :set wildchar=<Tab> wildmenu wildmode=full for a menu to complete buffer/file names.
• In some terminals, meta keys are sent as escape sequences which can exit insert mode.
• The command :set cursorline highlights the current line.

May 2009

• Type gd to jump to the definition of a local variable, or gD for a global variable.
• Sort and remove duplicate lines with :sort u ("unique").
• Some code is needed for unique sorting in a script.
• Map the Enter key to Esc to quickly exit insert mode.
• And map Enter to insert a newline from normal mode.
• A mapping can search for the current word in a new window.
• It can be easy to cycle through buffers including hidden buffers.
• The pastetoggle option should be used when pasting into a terminal.
• Commands like :set wrap! wrap? are useful when toggling boolean options.
• Use \V to make a regex "very nomagic", or use :sno for a "very nomagic" substitute.

April 2009

• A Byte of Vim is a free ebook on Vim
• Vim 7.2 has been released
• Press [ then the Tab key to jump to the first line containing the current keyword.
• The 'pastetoggle' option should be used when pasting into console Vim.
• Using :set wrap! wrap? is handy to toggle an option and see its value.
• A simple map <CR> o<Esc> can insert a newline in normal mode.
• Using nr2char() helps convert from "quoted printable" to plain text.
• In a regex, \v is "very magic" (all characters except a-zA-Z0-9_ have special meaning).
• The 'binary' and 'eol' options can help preserve a missing final end-of-line.
• Using the ftplugin directory helps keep your vimrc clean.
• The command :scriptnames lists all scripts that have been sourced (more).
• Vim Doclet is a Doclet for Java that generates documentation in Vim Help format.

March 2009

• A Byte of Vim is a free ebook on Vim
• Vim 7.2 has been released
• Press [I to display all lines containing the current variable.
• Press gF to jump to a specified line number in a file.
• A mapping allows jumping sections in Latex documents.
• Using a mapping (with :update) allows quick saves of the current buffer, if changed.
• It's easy to replace the current word with the last yanked text.
• A keymap allows entry of characters that are not available on your keyboard.
• The command :e $MYVIMRC will edit your vimrc file.
• You can add a dashed line under a title.
• Some scripting allows fast changes to your font size.
• Using :set foldlevel=20 means all folds are open when a file is opened.

February 2009

• A Byte of Vim is a free ebook on Vim
• Vim 7.2 has been released
• Type [i to display the definition of the current variable, or [d for a macro.
• The :set hlsearch command highlights all search hits; use :noh to temporarily switch off.
• You may be able to recover lost text if the power fails while you are editing.
• Use digraphs to enter special characters: in insert mode, press Ctrl-K then Co for ©, or Ctrl-K then Pd for £.
• The quickfix list can be used to fold away lines with no errors/matches.
• The 'whichwrap' option controls whether the backspace and cursor keys wrap to the previous/next line.
• Manual fold markers can be hidden using the Ignore highlighting group.
• Some mappings allow Ctrl-S to save the current file, or a new file.
• It's useful to map a key for quicker access to recorded macros.

January 2009

• A Byte of Vim is a free ebook on Vim
• Vim 7.2 has been released
• You can keep your window layout by deleting a buffer without closing the window.
• A script makes it easy to move lines up or down.
• We have lots of opinions on the perfect programming font.
• gg"+yG is one way to copy the entire buffer to the clipboard.
• It is possible to run native-Windows Vim from cygwin without a wrapper.
• Some mappings allow you to quickly add or delete empty lines.
• A FocusLost autocommand is one way to auto-save files when the focus is lost.
• We have an extensive tutorial on mapping keys.
• With a suitable definition for b:match_words, you can fold a C# region.