Unix Power Tools, 3rd Edition

Chapter 18. Creating Custom Commands in vi

Why Type More Than You Have To?

Summary Box

Keymapping — storing complex command sequences so that they can be executed with a single keystroke — is one of my favorite timesavers. There’s nothing like typing one key and watching a whole string of work take place. For repetitive edits (e.g., font changes) it’s a real wrist-saver, too. In this chapter we show you how to:

• Save time by mapping keys: Section 18.2, Section 18.4, Section 18.7, and Section 18.8.

• Know when to map a key and when not to: Section 18.3.

• Map keys like ESC and RETURN: Section 18.6.

• Move around the file without leaving text-input mode: Section 18.11

• Protect the text you’re pasting in from another window: Section 18.5.

• Put custom commands in your .exrc file: Section 18.9 and Section 18.12.

• Break long lines of text: Section 18.13.

— EK

Save Time and Typing with the vi map Commands

While you’re editing, you may find that you are using a command sequence frequently, or you may occasionally use a very complex command sequence. To save yourself keystrokes — or the time it takes to remember the sequence — assign the sequence to an unused key by using the map and map! commands.

Command Mode Maps

The map command acts a lot like ab (Section 17.23) except that you define a macro for command mode instead of text-input mode. The map! command works during text-input mode; see the following list.

map x sequence

Define x as a sequence of editing commands.

unmap x

Disable the x definition.

map

List the characters ...