The VIM presentation


:h intro
:help
:helpgrep
http://inside.github.io/vim-presentation/

Part 1

Part 2

Part 1

Overview

Qwerty, the coder's keyboard layout

  • One keystroke to frequently used characters . / [] ; ' \
  • Two keystrokes characters with easy access () {} < > :
  • One keystroke to type numbers
  • , . / ? are frequently used keys in vim

Azerty is good for writing french

Use dead keys to type accented characters

Touch typing

  • Use klavaro to learn touch typing
  • The goal is to stay as close as possible to home row (asdf jkl;)

  • Vim uses hjkl for cursor movement

A brief history of vim

  • Written by Bram Moolenaar
  • 1991, v1.14 - First public release for the Amiga
  • 1994, v3.0 - Support for multiple windows
  • 1996, v4.0 - Graphical user interface
  • 1998, v5.2 - Long line support, file browser, dialogs, popup menu, select mode, session files, user defined functions and commands, Tcl interface
  • 2001, v6.0 - Folding, plugins, multi-language
  • 2006, v7.0 - Spell checking, code completion, tabs, current line and column highlighting, undo branches, and more
  • 2013, v7.4 - A new, faster regular expression engine

Why vim?

The best text editor is the one you know best. But...

  • Vim is preinstalled on almost every OS
  • Vim can be run from a terminal or with the graphical interface (gvim)
  • Access to your ~/.vimrc file from github and you're ready to code
  • If vim is not installed you can compile it from the sources

Vim compilation


~% mkdir src && cd src
~% hg clone https://vim.googlecode.com/hg/ vim
~% cd vim
~% hg pull && hg update

Uncommented options in ~/src/vim/src/Makefile 


CONF_OPT_GUI = --disable-gui
CONF_OPT_LUA = --enable-luainterp
CONF_OPT_PYTHON = --enable-pythoninterp
CONF_OPT_RUBY = --enable-rubyinterp
CONF_OPT_FEAT = --with-features=big
CONF_OPT_COMPBY = "--with-compiledby=ytg"
CONF_OPT_X = --without-x
# Home installation?
prefix = $(HOME)

Then type: 


~% make
~% sudo make install

If you change anything in the src/Makefile be sure to type: 


~% make reconfig

Minimal configuration

No configuration


% vim -u NONE -N
-u {vimrc} Use the commands in the file {vimrc}... ...It can also be used to skip all initializations by giving the name "NONE".
-N No-compatible mode.

What are options?

  • :h options
  • boolean can only be on or off
  • number has a numeric value
  • string has a string value

Setting options

  • :set {option}? show option value
  • :set {option}& Reset option to its default value
  • Boolean option
    • :set {option} switch it on
    • :set no{option} switch it off
    • :set {option}! or :set inv{option} toggle option
  • String or Number option
    • :set {option}={value} set string or number option to {value}
    • :set {option}+={value} add the {value} to a number option, or append the {value} to a string option
    • :set {option}-={value} same as above but substract or remove

Load an alternative configuration and plugins directory


vim -u ~/.another.vimrc
set runtimepath+=~/.another.vim

Load a local vimrc file

Use a .vimrc.local file for specific configuration you need and/or don't want to disclose on github 


if filereadable($HOME . '/.vimrc.local')
    source $HOME/.vimrc.local
endif

Tabs, spaces, indentation: dead simple ;-)

A ~/.vimrc sample:


set nocompatible
" Should always have the same value for simplicity's sake "
set shiftwidth=4 tabstop=4 softtabstop=4
set expandtab
filetype plugin on
syntax on

" When sourcing multiple times your vimrc file "
" clear the autocommands first instead of adding them "
augroup mygroup
    autocmd!
    autocmd FileType make setlocal noexpandtab
augroup END

See a full explanation about tabs and spaces

Advanced configuration, it's take a life time

  • Keep track of your ~/.vimrc file on github
  • Use the option's full name in favor of the shorthand version
  • Edit and source in a flash

nnoremap <leader>E :edit $MYVIMRC<cr>
nnoremap <leader>S :source $MYVIMRC<cr>

Colorschemes and eye candy

Terminal configuration


# ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
export TERM=xterm-256color
                    

# ~/.screenrc
term screen-256color

Colorschemes repository and viewer

Eye candy settings


# ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
# Disable cursor blinking
# http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Configuring_the_cursor
echo -ne "\033]12;#ffffff\007"
                    

" ~/.vimrc "
set cursorline " Highlight the cursor screen line "
set colorcolumn=80 " Draws a vertical line at column 80 "

" String to put at the start of lines that have been wrapped "
let &showbreak='↪ '

" Minimal number of screen lines to keep above and below the cursor "
set scrolloff=3

" If 't_vb' is cleared and 'visualbell' is set, "
" no beep and no flash will ever occur "
set visualbell
set t_vb=
set guicursor+=a:blinkon0 " Disable gui cursor blinking "

Buffers, windows and tabs


:help windows-intro

Buffers

  • A buffer is a file loaded into memory for editing
  • All opened files are associated with a buffer
  • There are also buffers not associated with any file

Buffers commands

  • :ls shows all buffers
  • % is the current file
  • # is the alternate file. Use the CTRL-^ to toggle between the current and alternate file
  • :buffer :b given a full or partial name (use tab to complete) or number, edit buffer
  • :bdelete :bd like the above but deletes one or more buffers
  • :bnext :bn go to next buffer
  • :bprevious :bp go to previous buffer
  • :bufdo to run a ex command on all buffers (:bufdo %s/foo/bar/g). Set the 'hidden' option so buffers do not need to be saved
  • :wall :wa Write all buffers
  • :saveas Write to file and edit it

Buffer mappings

Mapping suggestion, courtesy of the https://github.com/tpope/vim-unimpaired plugin. 


nnoremap [b :bprevious<cr>
nnoremap ]b :bnext<cr>

Prefer not to map the Tab key as CTRL-I and tab is the same in vim. CTRL-I goes forward in the jump list.

Windows

  • A window is a viewport onto a buffer
  • You can use multiple windows on one buffer, or several windows on different buffers
  • Use the mouse to scroll, give focus and resize a window (:set mouse=a)

Windows

Windows commands

  • Window commands start with CTRL-W
  • CTRL-W CTRL-S :split :sp Horizontally split current window in two. The ex command can take a file argument.
  • CTRL-W CTRL-V :vsplit :vs Vertically split current window in two
  • CTRL-W CTRL-Q :q to close a window
  • CTRL-W CTRL-O :on to close all other window but the current window
  • CTRL-W CTRL-= to redimension all windows
  • CTRL-W CTRL-W to move the cursor clockwise from window to window
  • CTRL-W CTRL-(H|J|K|L) to move the cursor to the left, top, bottom or right window
  • :windo to run a ex command on all windows

Tabs

  • :h tabpage
  • A tab page holds one or more windows
  • You can easily switch between tab pages, so that you have several collections of windows to work on different things

Tabs

Tabs

Tabs

Tabs

  • :tabnew or :tabnew {file}
  • :tabclose
  • :tabonly
  • :tabNext ({count}gt in normal mode)
  • :tabprevious ({count}gT in normal mode)
  • :tabdo {cmd} execute {cmd} in each tab page

Modes

Introduces normal mode motions


:h vim-modes

Normal mode

  • Default mode when the editor starts
  • Movements are made from normal mode
  • Pin point the location of your next change or insertion
  • Use :set relativenumber
  • Easy up and down on wrapped long lines
    nnoremap j gj
    nnoremap k gk
  • zz redraws at center of window
  • z<cr> redraws at top of window
  • {operator}/foo operates from the cursor position until the search

Vim movements cheat sheet

Insert mode

  • :h usr_24.txt
  • Enter insert mode using: i, I, a, A, o, O, gi (Go to last insertion and switch to insert mode)
  • CTRL-W to delete the word before the cursor
  • CTRL-U to delete the line before the cursor
  • Use completion CTRL-N, CTRL-P to complete a word
    • CTRL-N, CTRL-P again to cycle forward, backward
    • CTRL-Y to choose the value
    • CTRL-E to discard the completion menu

Leave insert mode

  • Esc
  • CTRL-[
  • CTRL-C

Or, remap jk to escape:


inoremap jk <esc>
inoremap <esc> <nop>

Paste in insert mode, terminal only


:set paste

Then paste using the system's paste command


:set nopaste

This is an unoptimized workflow.

Paste in insert mode


" Inspired by https://github.com/tpope/vim-unimpaired "
" Sets paste on and set nopaste when leaving insert mode "
" using an autocommand "
nnoremap <silent> yo  :set paste<cr>o
nnoremap <silent> yO  :set paste<cr>O

" Disables paste mode when leaving insert mode
autocmd InsertLeave *
    \ if &paste == 1 |
    \     set nopaste |
    \ endif

Command mode

  • In this mode, you type ex commands
  • Enter command mode by typing ':'
  • Do it faster by remapping ; to : and : to ;
  • Use the command history window q:
  • Use the search history window q/
  • CTRL-R CTRL-W brings the word under the cursor in the command line
  • CTRL-R CTRL-0 brings the yanked content in the command line

Vim modes in your shell

For zsh users


# ~/.zshrc
bindkey -v
# maps jk to escape, same as in my .vimrc
bindkey -M viins 'jk' vi-cmd-mode

For bash users


# ~/.bashrc
set -o vi
                    

# ~/.inputrc
$if mode=vi
set keymap vi-insert
    "jk": vi-movement-mode
$endif

For all users

Use ctrl-z and fg to switch between the command line and vim

Visual modes

Visual modes

  • v, character visual mode
  • V, line wise visual mode
  • CTRL-V, visual bloc mode (I insert at start, A insert at end)
  • Use the mouse to select character wise
  • Each key combination is a toggle from visual to normal mode and vice versa
  • Extend the visual selection with o and j / k
  • Recall the last visual selection with gv

Text objects


:h text-objects

Text objects

  • Used while in visual mode or after an operator (d, y, c...)
  • The movement command operates from here (cursor position) to where the movement takes us.
  • When using an object the whole object is operated upon, no matter where on the object the cursor is.
  • "i" selects an "inner" object
  • "a" selects "a"n object including whitespace
  • "a" always selects more text than "i"

Text objects

  • iw, iW inner word, WORD
  • aw, aW a word, WORD with a leading or trailing space
  • ip inner paragraph, ap a paragraph including trailing space
  • i] or i[ inner brackets
  • a] or a[ inner brackets and brackets included
  • i) or i(
  • a) or a(
  • i} or i{
  • a} or a{
  • i> or i<
  • a> or a<
  • it inner tag, at a tag
  • i', i" quoted text
  • a', a" quoted text quotes included

Text objects examples

  • diw, delete inner word
  • daw, delete a word
  • diW, delete inner WORD
  • daW, delete a WORD
  • yip, yank inner paragraph
  • yap, yank a paragraph
  • cit, change inner tag
  • cat, change a tag
  • ci(, ca(, vi', vi", ci', ci"

Operators


:h operator

Operators

  • After a visual selection
  • Before a motion
  • Before a text object
  • They can be prefixed by a count:

    3yw 3cw 2dap

    or the equivalent more like a phrase:

    y3w c3w d2ap

  • When an operator is repeated, it operates on the line

    dd 3yy 5>>

Operators list

cchange
ddelete
yyank into register (does not change the text)
~swap case (only if 'tildeop' is set)
g~swap case
gumake lowercase
gUmake uppercase
! filter through an external program
= filter through 'equalprg' or C-indenting if empty
gqtext formatting
g?ROT13 encoding
>shift right
<shift left

Idioms

count + operator + motion or text object == idioms == actions

Idioms is more or less a synonym for grammar

Marks

Marks are similar to bookmarks

  • m{a-z} set buffer local marks
  • m{A-Z} set global marks
  • '{a-zA-Z} go to {a-zA-Z} mark at first non blank character
  • `{a-zA-Z} go to {a-zA-Z} mark, preserve cursor column number
  • Marks can be used as motions, v'a (visually select from here to mark "a")
  • '. is the last change mark
  • '', `` to the position before the latest jump
  • :marks lists all marks

Jumps

Jumps are like breadcrumb navigation

  • Next/prev search, paragraph, matchpair, edit file...
  • Tiny movements are not jumps, hjkl, 10j, w, b
  • Each window has its own jumps list
  • CTRL-O go to older jump
  • CTRL-I go to newer jump
  • :jumps lists all jumps

Changes

When making a change the cursor position is remembered

  • g; go to older change
  • g, go to newer change
  • '. is the last change mark
  • :changes lists all changes

Tag navigation

Uses ctags to create a tag index, functions, variables, classes, etc...

  • CTRL-] to jump to the first found tag
  • :tag {ident} same as above
  • g CTRL-] jump to the tag directly when there is only one match. If many matches, prompts the user for a file number.
  • :tjump {ident} same as above
  • CTRL-T, :pop jump to older tag position
  • :tag jump to newer tag position
  • :tags shows the tag stack

Tag navigation configuration


# In a shellscript somewhere
find ~/dailymotion -name .git -prune -o -name '*.php' -type f |\
    ctags --PHP-kinds=cif -f ~/.vim/tags/dailymotion -L - --totals=yes
                    

" ~/.vimrc "
set tags=~/.vim/tags/dailymotion

Summary

Part 2

Registers

Registers

  • A register is a storage place for strings
  • "a to "z are user defined registers
  • "A to "Z append strings to registers "a to "z
  • "0 is the yank register
  • "" is the unnamed register
  • "= the expression register
  • "_ the black hole register
  • :reg shows the registers list
  • :reg a shows the content of register a

Get from a register

  • "ap in normal mode
  • CTRL-R a in insert or command mode
  • :echo @a in Vimscript

Write to a register

  • "ayiw in normal mode
  • :let @a = 'foo' in Vimscript

My yank gets overwritten

The problem:

  • I yanked a line and deleted a word
  • When I press p, the deleted word is put into the document
  • Where's the line I just yanked?

The solution:

  • Use the yank register ("0) to put the last yank into the document

Yank and delete operations, the explanation

  • Yank operations populate the yank ("0) and unnamed ("") registers
  • Delete operations populate the unnamed ("") register
  • The put command uses the unnamed register by default
  • Use the yank register ("0) to put the last yank into the document

Macros

The dot command, the mini macro

. Repeat the last change.

  • Repeats the last delete
  • Repeats the last paste
  • Repeats the last edit: A change starts when entering insert mode and stops when going back to normal mode
  • Compose atomic changes to be repeatable

Recording a macro

  • Going to the start of the line is good idea
  • qa starts recording the macro in register "a
  • Make your changes...
  • q stops recording
  • :reg a shows the content of register "a

Execute a macro

  • @a executes a macro from register "a
  • @@ repeats the last macro
  • 22@a repeats the macro "a 22 times
  • Visually select lines and then :normal @a

Edit a macro

  • "ap pastes the macro from register "a into the document
  • Make your changes by adding or removing characters
  • Special charaters like Esc or Backspace can be inserted via CTRL-V{char}
  • 0"ayg_ yanks back the new macro in register "a
  • The important thing is not to include the "new line" charater in the new macro

Practice what you have learned

From this:


Enter   13
Up arrow    38
Down arrow  40
Left arrow  37
Right arrow 39
Escape  27
Spacebar    32
Ctrl    17
Alt 18
Tab 9
Shift   16
Caps-lock   20
Windows key 91
Windows option key  93
Backspace   8
Home    36
End 35
Insert  45
Delete  46
Page Up 33
Page Down   34
Numlock 144
Scroll-lock 145
Pause-break 19
F1-F12  112-123

To this:


9,    # Tab
13,   # Enter
16,   # Shift
17,   # Ctrl
18,   # Alt
19,   # Pause-break
20,   # Caps-lock
27,   # Escape
32,   # Spacebar
33,   # Page-Up
34,   # Page-Down
35,   # End
36,   # Home
37,   # Left-arrow
38,   # Up-arrow
39,   # Right-arrow
40,   # Down-arrow
91,   # Windows-key
93,   # Windows-option-key
112,  # F1
113,  # F2
114,  # F3
115,  # F4
116,  # F5
117,  # F6
118,  # F7
119,  # F8
120,  # F9
121,  # F10
122,  # F11
123,  # F12
144,  # Numlock
145,  # Scroll-lock

Solution

  • Execute the macro: $diw0Pa, # <esc>
  • Execute this vimscript to handle F1-F12:
  • 
let c = 1
for i in range(112, 123) | put =(i . ', # F' . c) | let c = c + 1 | endfor
  • Visually select the paragraph and press :!sort -u -h or !ipsort -u -h

Opening files

Some commands for opening files

  • vim file1 file2 file3...
  • :edit file or :e file
  • :split file
  • :vsplit file or :vs file
  • :Explore or :Ex opens the local-directory browser on the current file's directory
  • :args app/scripts/*.js
  • :args app/scripts/**/*.js
  • :find file requires setting the path options properly (:set path+=app/scripts/**)

Opening files under the cursor

  • gf edit the file whose name is under or after the cursor. Set the path option properly.
  • :set suffixesadd=.coffee,.js if the filename's extension is omitted.

Search commands

  • :h pattern.txt
  • / searches forward
  • ? searches backward
  • n next search
  • N previous search
  • * searches forward for word under the cursor
  • # searches backward for word under the cursor

Some useful search options


set incsearch " Preview as you type "
set ignorecase " Don't be case sensitive "
set smartcase " If you type a capital letter, be case sensitive "

Search pattern options

  • /\c{pattern} forces no case sensitivity
  • /\C{pattern} forces case sensitivity
  • /\v{pattern} enables very magic patterns ~= perl regular expressions (vim uses ~= posix regular expressions by default)
  • /\V{pattern} enables very no magic patterns == literal search
  • /{pattern}/e puts the cursor at the end of the match

Visual cursor line pulse

https://github.com/inside/vim-search-pulse

Visual pattern pulse

https://github.com/inside/vim-search-pulse

Grep the code

  • CTRL-Z
  • % git grep foo
  • Copy the interesting filename, remember the line number
  • % fg
  • :e filename
  • Eventually search foo again
  • This is an unoptimized workflow

Grep the code with vim

  • :set grepprg=git grep -n $*
  • :grep foo
  • Navigate matches with the builtin quicklist
  • :cn go to next match, open the file if needed and puts the cursor on the line matching the pattern
  • :cp go to previous match
  • If you run :grep several times, use :colder and :cnewer to navigate through older/newer grepped code

Grep the code with the grep operator

Use text objects, motions or visual selections to operate on the grep command. In this case: <leader>giw

https://github.com/inside/vim-grep-operator

Grep the code with the grep operator

Ask the user for directories. In this case: <leader><leader>giw

https://github.com/inside/vim-grep-operator

Use the global command

  • :g/re/p
  • :g/re
  • :g/re/d
  • :g/console.log/d to remove all debug statements in one command

Search and replace

Search and replace


:%s/{pattern}/{string}/gc
  • :h :s
  • % is the range, here it means the whole file. Can be 5,14 or '<,'> the last visual selection
  • g means every occurence on the line
  • c prompts the user for an action

Use the dot command to search and replace

  • * finds the next word under the cursor
  • cw{replacement}
  • n.
  • n.
  • n.
  • etc...

Complex searches and replacement


:%s/\v(foo) bar/\1 baz/gc

Or use Tim Pope's https://github.com/tpope/vim-abolish plugin.

Search and replace in all buffers


:bufdo %s/foo/bar/g

Mappings

Mappings

  • :h map
  • :h key-notation
  • :map {lhs} {rhs}
  • Use mode maps n, i, v
  • Always use noremap

Mappings


" save file whether in insert or normal mode "
inoremap <leader>s <c-o>:w<cr><esc>
nnoremap <leader>s :w<cr>

A tiny bit of VimL a.k.a Vimscript

VimL a.k.a Vimscript

Code sample: a toggle tab function


" Toggles between the active and last active tab "
" The first tab is always 1 "
let g:last_active_tab = 1
nnoremap <leader>gt :execute 'tabnext ' . g:last_active_tab<cr>
autocmd TabLeave * let g:last_active_tab = tabpagenr()

Plugins

Resources

Questions&Answers