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This is related to/a continuation of How do I replace-paste yanked text in vim without yanking the deleted lines?

In summary, vnoremap p "_dP is used to paste over visually selected text without overwriting the "* register with the replaced text. That way, subsequent visually-selected pastes are kept the same.

That remap works as expected except when a characterwise visual selection goes to the end of the line. I'm trying to figure out a way to handle this conditionally, so that:

  • in that specific case, do "_dp
  • otherwise, do "_dP

I'm thinking of vnoremap p to a vimscript function that checks for that specific case, i.e. "if visual selection is characterwise and cursor is at the end of the line", and execute accordingly.

meta - if vimscript is the answer, maybe I should post to StackOverflow?

Update

It works with:

vnoremap <expr> p (getregtype() ==# 'v' && col(".") == col("$") - 1 ? '"_dp' : '"_dP')
Community
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Kache
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2 Answers2

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For conditional remapping, you can use an expression mapping (:help map-expr). I don't know if this already works for you, but it should get you started:

:vnoremap <expr> p (getregtype() ==# 'v' && col("'>") == col('$') ? '"_dp' : '"_dP')
Ingo Karkat
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Using the black hole register can be a solution to two problems: you want to keep your numbered registers to only contain explicitly yanked text or you want to be able to paste the same text multiple times.

For the first problem, using "_d instead of d is the right tool because none of what you delete will appear in any register.

For the second problem, combining "_d and p or P inevitably creates problems because of cursor position and the orientation of p and P.

Ingo's answer seems to be a perfect compromise.

But if you don't care about the state of your numbered registers, an alternative is to use the "0 register which always contains the latest yanked text and is not impacted by c or d?

Test yank: foo, yanked with yiw.

Test line: Lorem [i]psum dolor sit amet., with the cursor on the i of ipsum.

Test selection: v$.

"_dP
Loremfoo <-- trailing whitespace and mashed text, bad

"_dp
Lorem foo <-- good

"0p
Lorem foo <-- good

Test selection: vee.

"_dP
Lorem foo sit amet. <-- good

"_dp
Lorem  foosit amet. <-- bad

"0p
Lorem foo sit amet. <-- good
romainl
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