VIM, Using the Normal Mode Part 2

Hello there Nullbyters,

Last tutorial we discussed navigating and setting some options.

Today we will be discussing searching, copy/cut & paste and some quick editing techniques.

Important:

Use u to undo changes.

Use Ctrl + r to re-do changes.

Searching

First make sure you are in Normal Mode.

Now to navigate simply type / and then the word you want to search and press Enter.

To go to the next result, press n.

To go to the previous result (it loops), press N, (Shift + n).

Once again, you can combine this with integers to go to the n'th next result (for example tap 5 then n).

To quickly search the word that is under your cursor, press:

Aterisk (bounded).

gAterisk (unbounded).

And then once again n and N to go the different results.

Copy, Cut and Paste

To Copy or Cut a piece of text in VIM you need to first select what you want to Copy / Cut.

To select (multiple) line(s), press V (Shift+v).

You'll see the line your cursor had selected get highlighted.

To select multiple lines, simply navigate downwards. (TIP: use an integer/navigation combo).

Once you've selected the lines of text you want to Copy/Cut press d to cut (d is for delete), or y to copy (y is for yank).

Now navigate to where you want to paste the lines and press P to paste it 'before' your cursor and p after the cursor (p will create a new-line if you're on an empty line, whereas P won't).

To select a piece of text, place your cursor on the beginning and press v, from here you can use the navigation (TIP: integers ;p ) to select your text.

Once again d to cut, y to copy and p/P to paste.

Some Tips and Tricks

• Editing something in (), {}, Brackets (Goddamnit).

Navigate your cursor on the (, { or BRACKETOPEN ( ... ).

Now press c, i, ( (or { or BRACKETOPEN).

To simply delete what's in it replace c with d.

Think of it as change in (), that way the commands will be easier to remember.

• Move to the n'th letter 'a' (this can be any letter).

For example move to 4th letter 'o' type:

4, f, o

Alright that will be it for today.

One important thing I would like to add is the importance of switching back and forth to Normal Mode. These techniques are useless if you keep spamming backspace and the arrow keys.

Personally I mapped Esc to the Caps Lock key, since I never use it. Alternatively there is a second way to go to Normal Mode using Ctrl+{.