3

I have some lines of text that follow a pattern and some that don't. I'd like to copy the lines that follow this pattern and then copy/yank them into a register so that I can paste them as is someplace else.

Example:

def function_1(param1,param2):
    // do something1
    // do something2
    // do something3
    return

def function_Nullify(param=None):
    // does nothing
    pass

Now I'd basically like to select the lines that match def.*$, copy them and paste them.

so the output would kindof look like this:

def function_1(param1,param2):
def function_Nullify(param=None):

I want to know if it's possible to do this in vim.

Something like copy matched regex lines into register "m. Then I'd be able to do a "mp where ever else I need this.

I understand that something like sed, awk or grep with some redirection operators might be better suited to this task, but I'd like to know if I can use vim to do this.

ffledgling
  • 448

1 Answers1

6

You can use "Myy (capital letter M) to append into register m. This allows you write a global command to yank all lines matching def.*$ and yank all the lines into the m register. Then all you have to do is paste the m register to get the contents "mp

:g/def.*$/normal "Myy

The above global command tell you to find all lines that match the pattern def.*$ and execute the command "Myy in normal mode.

However this has one problem. What happens if the m register is not empty when you start. Well you will end up with what ever you put into the register last time plus all the stuff you appended.

To empty the register you can use to set the register to the empty string.

:let @m=''

So in vim you would type

:let @m=''
:g/def.*$/normal "Myy

To yank everything that matches def.*$ into the m register.

FDinoff
  • 1,871