Just want to insert a word or text at the beginning of range of lines, or the entire file. How do it in vim.
thx
You can, but you really shouldn't.
innaM
2009-10-20 18:36:29
+11
A:
The command:
:%s/^/foo: /
...inserts foo: at the beginning of each line.
For a range you can use line numbers:
:10,20s/^/foo: /
...will do it for line 10 to 20.
My preferred way to do it for a range of lines is this: move the cursor to the first line of the range, then enter ma to set the marker a to the current line. Move to the end of the range and enter
:'a,.s/^/foo: /
tangens
2009-10-20 17:20:39
Another good, more interactive method is to use visual block mode (ctrl-V) to select the first column, then `I` to insert - type what you need, hit escape, and it'll be added to all the lines. This of course works in any column, not just the first, and you can also use `A` to append, or `c` or `d`.
Jefromi
2009-10-20 17:26:01
Err.... Hefromi: why didn't you make this an answer? It's a good one. Or could have been.
innaM
2009-10-20 18:35:55
@Jefromi: You should make your comment an answer, ctrl-V is easier to use than `:s`.
too much php
2009-10-21 00:04:01
I've seen some colleagues using ctrl-V but the advantage of `:s` is that it works on every vim and every vi.
tangens
2009-10-21 06:06:41
:substitute is also much more powerful. BTW, :s can be used with lines visually selected.
Luc Hermitte
2009-10-21 09:34:56
+1
A:
I've become much more accustomed to use visual blocks for this kind of thing:
- Move to the start of the first line in your range (
ggfor first line,^to move to the start) <C-V>- Move down to the last line in your range
Ifoo<ESC>
That would insert foo at the start of each line.
Walter
2009-10-21 07:26:51