1*visual.txt* For Vim version 7.4. Last change: 2014 Mar 23 2 3 4 VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar 5 6 7Visual mode *Visual* *Visual-mode* *visual-mode* 8 9Visual mode is a flexible and easy way to select a piece of text for an 10operator. It is the only way to select a block of text. 11 12This is introduced in section |04.4| of the user manual. 13 141. Using Visual mode |visual-use| 152. Starting and stopping Visual mode |visual-start| 163. Changing the Visual area |visual-change| 174. Operating on the Visual area |visual-operators| 185. Blockwise operators |blockwise-operators| 196. Repeating |visual-repeat| 207. Examples |visual-examples| 218. Select mode |Select-mode| 22 23{Vi has no Visual mode, the name "visual" is used for Normal mode, to 24distinguish it from Ex mode} 25{Since Vim 7.4.200 the |+visual| feature is always included} 26 27============================================================================== 281. Using Visual mode *visual-use* 29 30Using Visual mode consists of three parts: 311. Mark the start of the text with "v", "V" or CTRL-V. 32 The character under the cursor will be used as the start. 332. Move to the end of the text. 34 The text from the start of the Visual mode up to and including the 35 character under the cursor is highlighted. 363. Type an operator command. 37 The highlighted characters will be operated upon. 38 39The 'highlight' option can be used to set the display mode to use for 40highlighting in Visual mode. 41The 'virtualedit' option can be used to allow positioning the cursor to 42positions where there is no actual character. 43 44The highlighted text normally includes the character under the cursor. 45However, when the 'selection' option is set to "exclusive" and the cursor is 46after the Visual area, the character under the cursor is not included. 47 48With "v" the text before the start position and after the end position will 49not be highlighted. However, all uppercase and non-alpha operators, except 50"~" and "U", will work on whole lines anyway. See the list of operators 51below. 52 53 *visual-block* 54With CTRL-V (blockwise Visual mode) the highlighted text will be a rectangle 55between start position and the cursor. However, some operators work on whole 56lines anyway (see the list below). The change and substitute operators will 57delete the highlighted text and then start insertion at the top left 58position. 59 60============================================================================== 612. Starting and stopping Visual mode *visual-start* 62 63 *v* *characterwise-visual* 64[count]v Start Visual mode per character. 65 With [count] select the same number of characters or 66 lines as used for the last Visual operation, but at 67 the current cursor position, multiplied by [count]. 68 When the previous Visual operation was on a block both 69 the width and height of the block are multiplied by 70 [count]. 71 When there was no previous Visual operation [count] 72 characters are selected. This is like moving the 73 cursor right N * [count] characters. One less when 74 'selection' is not "exclusive". 75 76 *V* *linewise-visual* 77[count]V Start Visual mode linewise. 78 With [count] select the same number of lines as used 79 for the last Visual operation, but at the current 80 cursor position, multiplied by [count]. When there 81 was no previous Visual operation [count] lines are 82 selected. 83 84 *CTRL-V* *blockwise-visual* 85[count]CTRL-V Start Visual mode blockwise. Note: Under Windows 86 CTRL-V could be mapped to paste text, it doesn't work 87 to start Visual mode then, see |CTRL-V-alternative|. 88 [count] is used as with `v` above. 89 90If you use <Esc>, click the left mouse button or use any command that 91does a jump to another buffer while in Visual mode, the highlighting stops 92and no text is affected. Also when you hit "v" in characterwise Visual mode, 93"CTRL-V" in blockwise Visual mode or "V" in linewise Visual mode. If you hit 94CTRL-Z the highlighting stops and the editor is suspended or a new shell is 95started |CTRL-Z|. 96 97 new mode after typing: *v_v* *v_CTRL-V* *v_V* 98old mode "v" "CTRL-V" "V" ~ 99 100Normal Visual blockwise Visual linewise Visual 101Visual Normal blockwise Visual linewise Visual 102blockwise Visual Visual Normal linewise Visual 103linewise Visual Visual blockwise Visual Normal 104 105 *gv* *v_gv* *reselect-Visual* 106gv Start Visual mode with the same area as the previous 107 area and the same mode. 108 In Visual mode the current and the previous Visual 109 area are exchanged. 110 After using "p" or "P" in Visual mode the text that 111 was put will be selected. 112 113 *gn* *v_gn* 114gn Search forward for the last used search pattern, like 115 with `n`, and start Visual mode to select the match. 116 If the cursor is on the match, visually selects it. 117 If an operator is pending, operates on the match. 118 E.g., "dgn" deletes the text of the next match. 119 If Visual mode is active, extends the selection 120 until the end of the next match. 121 122 *gN* *v_gN* 123gN Like |gn| but searches backward, like with `N`. 124 125 *<LeftMouse>* 126<LeftMouse> Set the current cursor position. If Visual mode is 127 active it is stopped. Only when 'mouse' option is 128 contains 'n' or 'a'. If the position is within 'so' 129 lines from the last line on the screen the text is 130 scrolled up. If the position is within 'so' lines from 131 the first line on the screen the text is scrolled 132 down. 133 134 *<RightMouse>* 135<RightMouse> Start Visual mode if it is not active. The text from 136 the cursor position to the position of the click is 137 highlighted. If Visual mode was already active move 138 the start or end of the highlighted text, which ever 139 is closest, to the position of the click. Only when 140 'mouse' option contains 'n' or 'a'. 141 142 Note: when 'mousemodel' is set to "popup", 143 <S-LeftMouse> has to be used instead of <RightMouse>. 144 145 *<LeftRelease>* 146<LeftRelease> This works like a <LeftMouse>, if it is not at 147 the same position as <LeftMouse>. In an older version 148 of xterm you won't see the selected area until the 149 button is released, unless there is access to the 150 display where the xterm is running (via the DISPLAY 151 environment variable or the -display argument). Only 152 when 'mouse' option contains 'n' or 'a'. 153 154If Visual mode is not active and the "v", "V" or CTRL-V is preceded with a 155count, the size of the previously highlighted area is used for a start. You 156can then move the end of the highlighted area and give an operator. The type 157of the old area is used (character, line or blockwise). 158- Linewise Visual mode: The number of lines is multiplied with the count. 159- Blockwise Visual mode: The number of lines and columns is multiplied with 160 the count. 161- Normal Visual mode within one line: The number of characters is multiplied 162 with the count. 163- Normal Visual mode with several lines: The number of lines is multiplied 164 with the count, in the last line the same number of characters is used as 165 in the last line in the previously highlighted area. 166The start of the text is the Cursor position. If the "$" command was used as 167one of the last commands to extend the highlighted text, the area will be 168extended to the rightmost column of the longest line. 169 170If you want to highlight exactly the same area as the last time, you can use 171"gv" |gv| |v_gv|. 172 173 *v_<Esc>* 174<Esc> In Visual mode: Stop Visual mode. 175 176 *v_CTRL-C* 177CTRL-C In Visual mode: Stop Visual mode. When insert mode is 178 pending (the mode message shows 179 "-- (insert) VISUAL --"), it is also stopped. 180 181============================================================================== 1823. Changing the Visual area *visual-change* 183 184 *v_o* 185o Go to Other end of highlighted text: The current 186 cursor position becomes the start of the highlighted 187 text and the cursor is moved to the other end of the 188 highlighted text. The highlighted area remains the 189 same. 190 191 *v_O* 192O Go to Other end of highlighted text. This is like 193 "o", but in Visual block mode the cursor moves to the 194 other corner in the same line. When the corner is at 195 a character that occupies more than one position on 196 the screen (e.g., a <Tab>), the highlighted text may 197 change. 198 199 *v_$* 200When the "$" command is used with blockwise Visual mode, the right end of the 201highlighted text will be determined by the longest highlighted line. This 202stops when a motion command is used that does not move straight up or down. 203 204For moving the end of the block many commands can be used, but you cannot 205use Ex commands, commands that make changes or abandon the file. Commands 206(starting with) ".", "&", CTRL-^, "Z", CTRL-], CTRL-T, CTRL-R, CTRL-I 207and CTRL-O cause a beep and Visual mode continues. 208 209When switching to another window on the same buffer, the cursor position in 210that window is adjusted, so that the same Visual area is still selected. This 211is especially useful to view the start of the Visual area in one window, and 212the end in another. You can then use <RightMouse> (or <S-LeftMouse> when 213'mousemodel' is "popup") to drag either end of the Visual area. 214 215============================================================================== 2164. Operating on the Visual area *visual-operators* 217 218The operators that can be used are: 219 ~ switch case |v_~| 220 d delete |v_d| 221 c change (4) |v_c| 222 y yank |v_y| 223 > shift right (4) |v_>| 224 < shift left (4) |v_<| 225 ! filter through external command (1) |v_!| 226 = filter through 'equalprg' option command (1) |v_=| 227 gq format lines to 'textwidth' length (1) |v_gq| 228 229The objects that can be used are: 230 aw a word (with white space) |v_aw| 231 iw inner word |v_iw| 232 aW a WORD (with white space) |v_aW| 233 iW inner WORD |v_iW| 234 as a sentence (with white space) |v_as| 235 is inner sentence |v_is| 236 ap a paragraph (with white space) |v_ap| 237 ip inner paragraph |v_ip| 238 ab a () block (with parenthesis) |v_ab| 239 ib inner () block |v_ib| 240 aB a {} block (with braces) |v_aB| 241 iB inner {} block |v_iB| 242 at a <tag> </tag> block (with tags) |v_at| 243 it inner <tag> </tag> block |v_it| 244 a< a <> block (with <>) |v_a<| 245 i< inner <> block |v_i<| 246 a[ a [] block (with []) |v_a[| 247 i[ inner [] block |v_i[| 248 a" a double quoted string (with quotes) |v_aquote| 249 i" inner double quoted string |v_iquote| 250 a' a single quoted string (with quotes) |v_a'| 251 i' inner simple quoted string |v_i'| 252 a` a string in backticks (with backticks) |v_a`| 253 i` inner string in backticks |v_i`| 254 255Additionally the following commands can be used: 256 : start Ex command for highlighted lines (1) |v_:| 257 r change (4) |v_r| 258 s change |v_s| 259 C change (2)(4) |v_C| 260 S change (2) |v_S| 261 R change (2) |v_R| 262 x delete |v_x| 263 D delete (3) |v_D| 264 X delete (2) |v_X| 265 Y yank (2) |v_Y| 266 p put |v_p| 267 J join (1) |v_J| 268 U make uppercase |v_U| 269 u make lowercase |v_u| 270 ^] find tag |v_CTRL-]| 271 I block insert |v_b_I| 272 A block append |v_b_A| 273 274(1): Always whole lines, see |:visual_example|. 275(2): Whole lines when not using CTRL-V. 276(3): Whole lines when not using CTRL-V, delete until the end of the line when 277 using CTRL-V. 278(4): When using CTRL-V operates on the block only. 279 280Note that the ":vmap" command can be used to specifically map keys in Visual 281mode. For example, if you would like the "/" command not to extend the Visual 282area, but instead take the highlighted text and search for that: > 283 :vmap / y/<C-R>"<CR> 284(In the <> notation |<>|, when typing it you should type it literally; you 285need to remove the 'B' and '<' flags from 'cpoptions'.) 286 287If you want to give a register name using the """ command, do this just before 288typing the operator character: "v{move-around}"xd". 289 290If you want to give a count to the command, do this just before typing the 291operator character: "v{move-around}3>" (move lines 3 indents to the right). 292 293 *{move-around}* 294The {move-around} is any sequence of movement commands. Note the difference 295with {motion}, which is only ONE movement command. 296 297Another way to operate on the Visual area is using the |/\%V| item in a 298pattern. For example, to replace all '(' in the Visual area with '#': > 299 300 :'<,'>s/\%V(/#/g 301 302Note that the "'<,'>" will appear automatically when you press ":" in Visual 303mode. 304 305============================================================================== 3065. Blockwise operators *blockwise-operators* 307 308{not available when compiled without the |+visualextra| feature} 309 310Reminder: Use 'virtualedit' to be able to select blocks that start or end 311after the end of a line or halfway a tab. 312 313Visual-block Insert *v_b_I* 314With a blockwise selection, I{string}<ESC> will insert {string} at the start 315of block on every line of the block, provided that the line extends into the 316block. Thus lines that are short will remain unmodified. TABs are split to 317retain visual columns. 318See |v_b_I_example|. 319 320Visual-block Append *v_b_A* 321With a blockwise selection, A{string}<ESC> will append {string} to the end of 322block on every line of the block. There is some differing behavior where the 323block RHS is not straight, due to different line lengths: 324 3251. Block was created with <C-v>$ 326 In this case the string is appended to the end of each line. 3272. Block was created with <C-v>{move-around} 328 In this case the string is appended to the end of the block on each line, 329 and whitespace is inserted to pad to the end-of-block column. 330See |v_b_A_example|. 331Note: "I" and "A" behave differently for lines that don't extend into the 332selected block. This was done intentionally, so that you can do it the way 333you want. 334 335Visual-block change *v_b_c* 336All selected text in the block will be replaced by the same text string. When 337using "c" the selected text is deleted and Insert mode started. You can then 338enter text (without a line break). When you hit <Esc>, the same string is 339inserted in all previously selected lines. 340 341Visual-block Change *v_b_C* 342Like using "c", but the selection is extended until the end of the line for 343all lines. 344 345 *v_b_<* 346Visual-block Shift *v_b_>* 347The block is shifted by 'shiftwidth'. The RHS of the block is irrelevant. The 348LHS of the block determines the point from which to apply a right shift, and 349padding includes TABs optimally according to 'ts' and 'et'. The LHS of the 350block determines the point upto which to shift left. 351See |v_b_>_example|. 352See |v_b_<_example|. 353 354Visual-block Replace *v_b_r* 355Every screen char in the highlighted region is replaced with the same char, ie 356TABs are split and the virtual whitespace is replaced, maintaining screen 357layout. 358See |v_b_r_example|. 359 360 361============================================================================== 3626. Repeating *visual-repeat* 363 364When repeating a Visual mode operator, the operator will be applied to the 365same amount of text as the last time: 366- Linewise Visual mode: The same number of lines. 367- Blockwise Visual mode: The same number of lines and columns. 368- Normal Visual mode within one line: The same number of characters. 369- Normal Visual mode with several lines: The same number of lines, in the 370 last line the same number of characters as in the last line the last time. 371The start of the text is the Cursor position. If the "$" command was used as 372one of the last commands to extend the highlighted text, the repeating will 373be applied up to the rightmost column of the longest line. 374 375 376============================================================================== 3777. Examples *visual-examples* 378 379 *:visual_example* 380Currently the ":" command works on whole lines only. When you select part of 381a line, doing something like ":!date" will replace the whole line. If you 382want only part of the line to be replaced you will have to make a mapping for 383it. In a future release ":" may work on partial lines. 384 385Here is an example, to replace the selected text with the output of "date": > 386 :vmap _a <Esc>`>a<CR><Esc>`<i<CR><Esc>!!date<CR>kJJ 387 388(In the <> notation |<>|, when typing it you should type it literally; you 389need to remove the 'B' and '<' flags from 'cpoptions') 390 391What this does is: 392<Esc> stop Visual mode 393`> go to the end of the Visual area 394a<CR><Esc> break the line after the Visual area 395`< jump to the start of the Visual area 396i<CR><Esc> break the line before the Visual area 397!!date<CR> filter the Visual text through date 398kJJ Join the lines back together 399 400 *visual-search* 401Here is an idea for a mapping that makes it possible to do a search for the 402selected text: > 403 :vmap X y/<C-R>"<CR> 404 405(In the <> notation |<>|, when typing it you should type it literally; you 406need to remove the 'B' and '<' flags from 'cpoptions') 407 408Note that special characters (like '.' and '*') will cause problems. 409 410Visual-block Examples *blockwise-examples* 411With the following text, I will indicate the commands to produce the block and 412the results below. In all cases, the cursor begins on the 'a' in the first 413line of the test text. 414The following modeline settings are assumed ":ts=8:sw=4:". 415 416It will be helpful to 417:set hls 418/<TAB> 419where <TAB> is a real TAB. This helps visualise the operations. 420 421The test text is: 422 423abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 424abc defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 425abcdef ghi jklmnopqrstuvwxyz 426abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 427 4281. fo<C-v>3jISTRING<ESC> *v_b_I_example* 429 430abcdefghijklmnSTRINGopqrstuvwxyz 431abc STRING defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 432abcdef ghi STRING jklmnopqrstuvwxyz 433abcdefghijklmnSTRINGopqrstuvwxyz 434 4352. fo<C-v>3j$ASTRING<ESC> *v_b_A_example* 436 437abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzSTRING 438abc defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzSTRING 439abcdef ghi jklmnopqrstuvwxyzSTRING 440abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzSTRING 441 4423. fo<C-v>3j3l<.. *v_b_<_example* 443 444abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 445abc defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 446abcdef ghi jklmnopqrstuvwxyz 447abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 448 4494. fo<C-v>3j>.. *v_b_>_example* 450 451abcdefghijklmn opqrstuvwxyz 452abc defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 453abcdef ghi jklmnopqrstuvwxyz 454abcdefghijklmn opqrstuvwxyz 455 4565. fo<C-v>5l3jrX *v_b_r_example* 457 458abcdefghijklmnXXXXXXuvwxyz 459abc XXXXXXhijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 460abcdef ghi XXXXXX jklmnopqrstuvwxyz 461abcdefghijklmnXXXXXXuvwxyz 462 463============================================================================== 4648. Select mode *Select* *Select-mode* 465 466Select mode looks like Visual mode, but the commands accepted are quite 467different. This resembles the selection mode in Microsoft Windows. 468When the 'showmode' option is set, "-- SELECT --" is shown in the last line. 469 470Entering Select mode: 471- Using the mouse to select an area, and 'selectmode' contains "mouse". 472 'mouse' must also contain a flag for the current mode. 473- Using a non-printable movement command, with the Shift key pressed, and 474 'selectmode' contains "key". For example: <S-Left> and <S-End>. 'keymodel' 475 must also contain "startsel". 476- Using "v", "V" or CTRL-V command, and 'selectmode' contains "cmd". 477- Using "gh", "gH" or "g_CTRL-H" command in Normal mode. 478- From Visual mode, press CTRL-G. *v_CTRL-G* 479 480Commands in Select mode: 481- Printable characters, <NL> and <CR> cause the selection to be deleted, and 482 Vim enters Insert mode. The typed character is inserted. 483- Non-printable movement commands, with the Shift key pressed, extend the 484 selection. 'keymodel' must include "startsel". 485- Non-printable movement commands, with the Shift key NOT pressed, stop Select 486 mode. 'keymodel' must include "stopsel". 487- ESC stops Select mode. 488- CTRL-O switches to Visual mode for the duration of one command. *v_CTRL-O* 489- CTRL-G switches to Visual mode. 490 491Otherwise, typed characters are handled as in Visual mode. 492 493When using an operator in Select mode, and the selection is linewise, the 494selected lines are operated upon, but like in characterwise selection. For 495example, when a whole line is deleted, it can later be pasted halfway a line. 496 497 498Mappings and menus in Select mode. *Select-mode-mapping* 499 500When mappings and menus are defined with the |:vmap| or |:vmenu| command they 501work both in Visual mode and in Select mode. When these are used in Select 502mode Vim automatically switches to Visual mode, so that the same behavior as 503in Visual mode is effective. If you don't want this use |:xmap| or |:smap|. 504 505Users will expect printable characters to replace the selected area. 506Therefore avoid mapping printable characters in Select mode. Or use 507|:sunmap| after |:map| and |:vmap| to remove it for Select mode. 508 509After the mapping or menu finishes, the selection is enabled again and Select 510mode entered, unless the selected area was deleted, another buffer became 511the current one or the window layout was changed. 512 513When a character was typed that causes the selection to be deleted and Insert 514mode started, Insert mode mappings are applied to this character. This may 515cause some confusion, because it means Insert mode mappings apply to a 516character typed in Select mode. Language mappings apply as well. 517 518 *gV* *v_gV* 519gV Avoid the automatic reselection of the Visual area 520 after a Select mode mapping or menu has finished. 521 Put this just before the end of the mapping or menu. 522 At least it should be after any operations on the 523 selection. 524 525 *gh* 526gh Start Select mode, characterwise. This is like "v", 527 but starts Select mode instead of Visual mode. 528 Mnemonic: "get highlighted". 529 530 *gH* 531gH Start Select mode, linewise. This is like "V", 532 but starts Select mode instead of Visual mode. 533 Mnemonic: "get Highlighted". 534 535 *g_CTRL-H* 536g CTRL-H Start Select mode, blockwise. This is like CTRL-V, 537 but starts Select mode instead of Visual mode. 538 Mnemonic: "get Highlighted". 539 540 vim:tw=78:ts=8:ft=help:norl: 541