Vim documentation: change
main help file
*change.txt* For Vim version 5.6. Last change: 1999 Dec 21
VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar
This file describes commands that delete or change text. In this context,
changing text means deleting the text and replacing it with other text using
one command. You can undo all of these commands. You can repeat the non-Ex
commands with the "." command.
1. Deleting text |deleting|
2. Delete and insert |delete-insert|
3. Simple changes |simple-change| *changing*
4. Complex changes |complex-change|
5. Copying and moving text |copy-move|
6. Formatting text |formatting|
7. Indenting C programs |C-indenting|
For inserting text see |insert.txt|.
==============================================================================
1. Deleting text *deleting*
["x]<Del> or *<Del>* *x* *dl*
["x]x Delete [count] characters under and after the cursor
[into register x] (not linewise). Does the same as
"dl". See |:fixdel| if the <Del> key does not do what
you want. See |'whichwrap'| for deleting the <EOL>
(join lines). {Vi does not support <Del>}
*X* *dh*
["x]X Delete [count] characters before the cursor [into
register x] (not linewise). Does the same as "dh".
Also see |'whichwrap'|.
*d*
["x]d{motion} Delete text that {motion} moves over [into register
x]. See below for exceptions.
*dd*
["x]dd Delete [count] lines [into register x] (linewise).
*D*
["x]D Delete the characters under the cursor until the end
of the line and [count]-1 more lines [into register
x]; synonym for d$ (not linewise).
{Visual}["x]x or *v_x* *v_d*
{Visual}["x]d Delete the highlighted text [into register x] (for
{Visual} see |Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
{Visual}["x]CTRL-H or *v_CTRL-H* *v_<BS>*
{Visual}["x]<BS> When in Select mode: Delete the highlighted text [into
register x].
{Visual}["x]X or *v_X* *v_D* *v_b_D*
{Visual}["x]D Delete the highlighted lines [into register x] (for
{Visual} see |Visual-mode|). In Visual block mode,
"D" deletes the highlighted text plus all text until
the end of the line. {not in Vi}
*:d* *:de* *:del* *:delete*
:[range]d[elete] [x] Delete [range] lines (default: current line) [into
register x].
:[range]d[elete] [x] {count}
Delete {count} lines, starting with [range]
(default: current line |cmdline-ranges|) [into
register x].
These commands delete text. You can repeat them with the "." command
(except ":d") and undo them. Use Visual mode to delete blocks of text. See
|registers| for an explanation of registers.
An exception for the d{motion} command: If the motion is not linewise, the
start and end of the motion are not in the same line, and there are only
blanks before the start and after the end of the motion, the delete becomes
linewise. This means that the delete also removes the line of blanks that you
might expect to remain.
Trying to delete an empty region of text (e.g., "d0" in the first column)
is an error when 'cpoptions' includes the 'E' flag.
*J*
J Join [count] lines, with a minimum of two lines.
Remove the indent and insert up to two spaces (see
below).
*v_J*
{Visual}J Join the highlighted lines, with a minimum of two
lines. Remove the indent and insert up to two spaces
(see below). {not in Vi}
*gJ*
gJ Join [count] lines, with a minimum of two lines.
Don't insert or remove any spaces. {not in Vi}
*v_gJ*
{Visual}gJ Join the highlighted lines, with a minimum of two
lines. Don't insert or remove any spaces. {not in
Vi}
*:j* *:join*
:[range]j[oin][!] Join [range] lines. Same as "J", except with [!]
the join does not insert or delete any spaces.
If a [range] has equal start and end values, this
command does nothing. The default behavior is to
join the current line with the line below it.
:[range]j[oin][!] {count}
Join {count} lines, starting with [range] (default:
current line |cmdline-ranges|). Same as "J", except
with [!] the join does not insert or delete any
spaces.
These commands delete the <EOL> between lines. This has the effect of joining
multiple lines into one line. You can repeat these commands (except ":j") and
undo them.
These commands, except "gJ", insert one space in place of the <EOL> unless
there is trailing white space or the next line starts with a ')'. These
commands, except "gJ", delete any leading white space on the next line. If
the 'joinspaces' option is on, these commands insert two spaces after a '.',
'!' or '?' (but if 'cpoptions' includes the 'j' flag, they insert two spaces
only after a '.').
==============================================================================
2. Delete and insert *delete-insert* *replacing*
*R*
R Enter Replace mode: Each character you type replaces
an existing character, starting with the character
under the cursor. Repeat the entered text [count]-1
times. See |Replace-mode| for more details.
*gR*
gR Enter Virtual replace mode: Each character you type
replaces existing characters in screen space. So a
<Tab> may replace several characters at once.
Repeat the entered text [count]-1 times. See
|Virtual-replace-mode| for more details.
*c*
["x]c{motion} Delete {motion} text [into register x] and start
insert. When 'cpoptions' includes the 'E' flag and
there is no text to delete (e.g., with "cTx" when the
cursor is just after an 'x'), an error occurs and
insert mode does not start (this is Vi compatible).
When 'cpoptions' does not include the 'E' flag, the
"c" command always starts insert mode, even if there
is no text to delete.
*cc*
["x]cc Delete [count] lines [into register x] and start
insert (linewise). If 'autoindent' is on, preserve
the indent of the first line.
*C*
["x]C Delete from the cursor position to the end of the
line and [count]-1 more lines [into register x], and
start insert. Synonym for c$ (not linewise).
*s*
["x]s Delete [count] characters [into register x] and start
insert (s stands for Substitute). Synonym for "cl"
(not linewise).
*S*
["x]S Delete [count] lines [into register x] and start
insert. Synonym for "cc" (linewise).
{Visual}["x]c or
{Visual}["x]s or *v_c* *v_r* *v_s*
{Visual}["x]r Delete the highlighted text [into register x] and
start insert (for {Visual} see |Visual-mode|). {not
in Vi}
{Visual}["x]C or
{Visual}["x]S or *v_C* *v_R* *v_S*
{Visual}["x]R Delete the highlighted lines [into register x] and
start insert (for {Visual} see |Visual-mode|). {not
in Vi}
Notes:
- You can end Insert and Replace mode with <Esc>.
- See the section "Insert and Replace mode" |mode-ins-repl| for the other
special characters in these modes.
- The effect of [count] takes place after Vim exits Insert or Replace mode.
- When the 'cpoptions' option contains '$' and the change is within one line,
Vim continues to show the text to be deleted and puts a '$' at the last
deleted character.
See |registers| for an explanation of registers.
Replace mode is just like Insert mode, except that every character you enter
deletes one character. If you reach the end of a line, Vim appends any
further characters (just like Insert mode). In Replace mode, the backspace
key restores the original text (if there was any). (See section "Insert and
Replace mode" |mode-ins-repl|).
*cw* *cW*
Special case: "cw" and "cW" work the same as "ce" and "cE" if the cursor is
on a non-blank. This is because Vim interprets "cw" as change-word, and a
word does not include the following white space. {Vi: "cw" when on a blank
followed by other blanks changes only the first blank; this is probably a
bug, because "dw" deletes all the blanks}
*:c* *:ch* *:change*
:{range}c[hange] Replace lines of text with some different text.
Type a line containing only "." to stop replacing.
Without {range}, this command changes only the current
line.
==============================================================================
3. Simple changes *simple-change*
*r*
r{char} Replace the character under the cursor with {char}.
If {char} is a <CR> or <NL>, a line break replaces the
character. To replace with a real <CR>, use CTRL-V
<CR>. CTRL-V <NL> replaces with a <Nul>. {Vi: CTRL-V
<CR> still replaces with a line break, cannot replace
something with a <CR>} If you give a [count], Vim
replaces [count] characters with [count] {char}s.
When {char} is a <CR> or <NL>, however, Vim inserts
only one <CR>: "5r<CR>" replaces five characters with
a single line break. When {char} is a <CR> or <NL>,
Vim performs autoindenting. This works just like
deleting the characters that are replaced and then
doing "i<CR><Esc>".
*gr*
gr{char} Replace the virtual characters under the cursor with
{char}. This replaces in screen space, not file
space. See |gR| and |Virtual-replace-mode| for more
details. As with |r| a count may be given.
*case* *locale* *$LANG*
The following commands change the case of letters. The currently active
locale is used. This depends on your system On Unix, setting the $LANG
environment variable can make a difference. For example, to enable changing
the case of letters with umlauts:
setenv LANG de
*~*
~ 'notildeop' option: Switch case of the character
under the cursor and move the cursor to the right.
If a [count] is given, do that many characters. {Vi:
no count}
~{motion} 'tildeop' option: switch case of {motion} text. {Vi:
tilde cannot be used as an operator}
*g~*
g~{motion} Switch case of {motion} text. {not in Vi}
g~g~ *g~g~* *g~~*
g~~ Switch case of current line. {not in Vi}.
*v_~*
{Visual}~ Switch case of highlighted text (for {Visual} see
|Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
*v_U*
{Visual}U Make highlighted text uppercase (for {Visual} see
|Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
*gU* *uppercase*
gU{motion} Make {motion} text uppercase. {not in Vi}
gUgU *gUgU* *gUU*
gUU Make current line uppercase. {not in Vi}.
*v_u*
{Visual}u Make highlighted text lowercase (for {Visual} see
|Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
*gu* *lowercase*
gu{motion} Make {motion} text lowercase. {not in Vi}
gugu *gugu* *guu*
guu Make current line lowercase. {not in Vi}.
*g?*
g?{motion} Rot13 encode {motion} text. {not in Vi}
*v_g?*
{Visual}g? Rot13 encode the highlighted text (for {Visual} see
|Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
g?g? *g?g?* *g??*
g?? Rot13 encode current line. {not in Vi}.
Adding and subtracting
*CTRL-A*
CTRL-A Add [count] to the number at or after the cursor.
{not in Vi}
*CTRL-X*
CTRL-X Subtract [count] from the number at or after the
cursor. {not in Vi}
The CTRL-A and CTRL-X commands work for (signed) decimal numbers and
unsigned octal and hexadecimal numbers. This depends on the 'nrformats'
option.
- When 'nrformats' includes "hex", Vim assumes numbers starting with '0x' or
'0X' are hexadecimal. The case of the rightmost letter in the number
determines the case of the resulting hexadecimal number. If there is no
letter in the current number, Vim uses the previously detected case.
- When 'nrformats' includes "octal", Vim considers numbers starting with a '0'
to be octal. Other numbers are decimal and may have a preceding minus sign.
If the cursor is on a number, the commands apply to that number; otherwise
Vim uses the number to the right of the cursor.
For numbers with leading zeros (including all octal and hexadecimal numbers),
Vim preserves the number of characters in the number when possible. CTRL-A on
"0077" results in "0100", CTRL-X on "0x100" results in "0x0ff". Note that
when 'nrformats' includes "octal", decimal numbers with leading zeros are
impossible because they are indistinguishable from octal numbers.
The CTRL-A command is very useful in a macro. Example: Use the following
steps to make a numbered list.
1. Create the first list entry, make sure it starts with a number.
2. qa - start recording into buffer 'a'
3. Y - yank the entry
4. p - put a copy of the entry below the first one
5. CTRL-A - increment the number
6. q - stop recording
7. <count>@a - repeat the yank, put and increment <count> times
SHIFTING LINES LEFT OR RIGHT *shift-left-right*
*<*
<{motion} Shift {motion} lines one 'shiftwidth' leftwards.
*<<*
<< Shift [count] lines one 'shiftwidth' leftwards.
*v_<*
{Visual}[count]< Shift the highlighted lines [count] 'shiftwidth'
leftwards (for {Visual} see |Visual-mode|). {not in
Vi}
*>*
>{motion} Shift {motion} lines one 'shiftwidth' rightwards.
*>>*
>> Shift [count] lines one 'shiftwidth' rightwards.
*v_>*
{Visual}[count]> Shift the highlighted lines [count] 'shiftwidth'
rightwards (for {Visual} see |Visual-mode|). {not in
Vi}
*:<*
:[range]< Shift [range] lines one 'shiftwidth' left. Repeat '<'
for shifting multiple 'shiftwidth's.
:[range]< {count} Shift {count} lines one 'shiftwidth' left, starting
with [range] (default current line |cmdline-ranges|).
Repeat '<' for shifting multiple 'shiftwidth's.
:[range]le[ft] [indent] left align lines in [range]. Sets the indent in the
lines to [indent] (default 0). {not in Vi}
*:>*
:[range]> Shift {count} [range] lines one 'shiftwidth' right.
Repeat '>' for shifting multiple 'shiftwidth's.
:[range]> {count} Shift {count} lines one 'shiftwidth' right, starting
with [range] (default current line |cmdline-ranges|).
Repeat '>' for shifting multiple 'shiftwidth's.
The ">" and "<" commands are handy for changing the indentation within
programs. Use the 'shiftwidth' option to set the size of the white space
which these commands insert or delete. Normally the 'shiftwidth' option is 8,
but you can set it to, say, 3 to make smaller indents. The shift leftwards
stops when there is no indent. The shift right does not affect empty lines.
If the 'shiftround' option is on, the indent is rounded to a multiple of
'shiftwidth'.
If the 'smartindent' option is on, or 'cindent' is on and 'cinkeys' contains
'#', shift right does not affect lines starting with '#' (these are supposed
to be C preprocessor lines that must stay in column 1).
When the 'expandtab' option is off (this is the default) Vim uses <Tab>s as
much as possible to make the indent. You can use ">><<" to replace an indent
made out of spaces with the same indent made out of <Tab>s (and a few spaces
if necessary). If the 'expandtab' option is on, Vim uses only spaces. Then
you can use ">><<" to replace <Tab>s in the indent by spaces (or use
":retab!").
To move a line several 'shiftwidth's, use Visual mode or the ":" commands.
For example:
Vjj4> move three lines 4 indents to the right
:<<< move current line 3 indents to the left
:>> 5 move 5 lines 2 indents to the right
:5>> move line 5 2 indents to the right
==============================================================================
4. Complex changes *complex-change*
*!* *filter*
!{motion}{filter} Filter {motion} text through the external program
{filter}.
*!!*
!!{filter} Filter [count] lines through the external program
{filter}.
*v_!*
{Visual}!{filter} Filter the highlighted lines through the external
program {filter} (for {Visual} see |Visual-mode|).
{not in Vi}
:{range}![!]{filter} [!][arg] *:range!*
Filter {range} lines through the external program
{filter}. Vim replaces the optional bangs with the
latest given command and appends the optional [arg].
Vim saves the output of the filter command in a
temporary file and then reads the file into the
buffer. Vim uses the 'shellredir' option to redirect
the filter output to the temporary file.
*=*
={motion} Filter {motion} lines through the external program
given with the 'equalprg' option. When the 'equalprg'
option is empty (this is the default), use the
internal formatting function to set the indent of each
line |C-indenting|.
*==*
== Filter [count] lines through the external program
given with the 'equalprg' option. When the 'equalprg'
option is empty (this is the default), use the
internal formatting function |C-indenting|.
*v_=*
{Visual}= Filter the highlighted lines through the external
program given with the 'equalprg' option. When the
'equalprg' option is empty (this is the default),
use the internal formatting function |C-indenting|.
(for {Visual} see |Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
A filter is a program that accepts text at standard input, changes it in some
way, and sends it to standard output. You can use the commands above to send
some text through a filter. Examples of filters are "sort", which sorts lines
alphabetically, and "indent", which formats C program files (you need a
version of indent that works like a filter; not all versions do). The 'shell'
option specifies the shell Vim uses to execute the filter command (See also
the 'shelltype' option). You can repeat filter commands with ".". Vim does
not recognize a comment (starting with '"'') after the ":!" command.
*:s* *:su* *:substitute*
:[range]s[ubstitute]/{pattern}/{string}/[c][e][g][p][r][i][I] [count]
For each line in [range] replace a match of {pattern}
with {string}. See |:s_flags| for the flags.
:[range]s[ubstitute] [c][e][g][r][i][I] [count]
:[range]&[c][e][g][r][i][I] [count] *:&*
Repeat last :substitute with same search pattern and
substitute string, but without the same flags. You
may add extra flags (see |:s_flags|).
:[range]~[c][e][g][r][i][I] [count] *:~*
Repeat last substitute with same substitute string
but with last used search pattern. This is like
"&r". See |:s_flags| for the flags.
*&*
& Synonym for ":s//~/" (repeat last substitute).
*:snomagic*
:[range]sno[magic] ... Same as ":substitute", but always use 'nomagic'.
*:smagic*
:[range]sm[agic] ... Same as ":substitute", but always use 'magic'.
*:s_flags*
The arguments that you can use for the substitute commands:
[c] Confirm each substitution. Vim positions the cursor on the matching
string. You can type: *:s_c*
'y' to substitute this match
'n' to skip this match
<Esc> to skip this match
'a' to substitute this and all remaining matches {not in Vi}
'q' to quit substituting {not in Vi}
CTRL-E to scroll the screen up {not in Vi}
CTRL-Y to scroll the screen down {not in Vi}.
If the 'edcompatible' option is on, Vim remembers the [c] flag and
toggles it each time you use it, but resets it when you give a new
search pattern.
[e] When the search pattern fails, do not issue an error message and, in
particular, continue in maps as if no error occurred. This is most
useful to prevent the "No match" error from breaking a mapping. Vim
does not suppress the following error messages, however:
Regular expressions can't be delimited by letters
\ should be followed by /, ? or &
No previous substitute regular expression
Trailing characters
Interrupted
[g] Replace all occurrences in the line. Without this argument,
replacement occurs only for the first occurrence in each line. If
the 'edcompatible' option is on, Vim remembers this flag and toggles
it each time you use it, but resets it when you give a new search
pattern. If the 'gdefault' option is on, this flag is on by default
and the [g] argument switches it off.
[i] Ignore case for the pattern. The 'ignorecase' and 'smartcase' options
are not used.
[I] Don't ignore case for the pattern. The 'ignorecase' and 'smartcase'
options are not used.
[p] Print the line containing the last substitute.
[r] Only useful in combination with ":&" or ":s" without arguments. ":&r"
works the same way as ":~": When the search pattern is empty, use the
previously used search pattern instead of the search pattern from the
last substitute or ":global". If the last command that did a search
was a substitute or ":global", there is no effect. If the last
command was a search command such as "/", use the pattern from that
command.
For ":s" with an argument this already happens:
:s/blue/red/
/green
:s//red/ or :~ or :&r
The last commands will replace "green" with "red".
:s/blue/red/
/green
:&
The last command will replace "blue" with "red".
Note that there is no flag to change the "magicness" of the pattern. A
different command is used instead. The reason is that the flags can only be
found by skipping the pattern, and in order to skip the pattern the
"magicness" must be known. Catch 22!
[count] Search [count] lines, starting with the last line number
in [range] (default is to search only the current line |cmdline-ranges|).
If the {pattern} for the substitute command is empty, the command uses the
pattern from the last substitute or ":global" command. With the [r] flag, the
command uses the pattern from the last substitute, ":global", or search
command.
For compatibility with Vi these two exceptions are allowed:
"\/{string}/" and "\?{string}?" do the same as "//{string}/r".
"\&{string}&" does the same as "//{string}/".
Instead of the '/' which surrounds the pattern and replacement string, you
can use any other character, but not an alphanumeric character, '\', '"'' or
'|'. This is useful if you want to include a '/' in the search pattern or
replacement string. Example:
:s+/+//+
For the definition of a pattern, see |pattern|.
*sub-replace-special*
Some characters in {string} have a special meaning:
magic nomagic action
& \& replaced with the whole matched pattern
\& & replaced with &
\0 replaced with the whole matched pattern
\1 replaced with the matched pattern in the first pair of ()
\2 replaced with the matched pattern in the second pair of ()
.. ..
\9 replaced with the matched pattern in the ninth pair of ()
~ \~ replaced with the {string} of the previous substitute
\~ ~ replaced with ~
\u next character made uppercase
\U following characters made uppercase
\l next character made lowercase
\L following characters made lowercase
\e end of \u, \U, \l and \L (NOTE: not <Esc>!)
\E end of \u, \U, \l and \L
<CR> split line in two at this point
\r idem
CTRL-V <CR> insert a carriage-return (CTRL-M)
\n <NL> (does NOT break the line)
\b <BS>
\t <Tab>
Examples:
:s/a\|b/xxx\0xxx/g modifies "a b" in "xxxaxxx xxxbxxx"
:s/\([abc]\)\([efg]\)/\2\1/g modifies "af fa bg" in "fa fa gb"
:s/abcde/abc^Mde/ modifies "abcde" in "abc", "de" (two lines)
:s/$/^V^M/ modifies "abcde" in "abcde^M"
Note: To insert a ^M you have to type CTRL-V <CR>. To insert a ^V you have
to type CTRL-V CTRL-V. So to insert the ^V^M in the last example you have to
type CTRL-V CTRL-V CTRL-V <CR>.
Because CTRL-V <CR> inserts a <CR>, it is impossible to insert a CTRL-V just
in front of a line break. You will have to perform the substitution in two
steps:
:s/foo/^Vxxxx/
:s/xxxx/^M/
When using parentheses in combination with '|', like in \([ab]\)\|\([cd]\),
either the first or second pattern in parentheses did not match, so either
\1 or \2 is empty. Example:
:s/\([ab]\)\|\([cd]\)/\1x/g modifies "a b c d" in "ax bx x x"
*:pro* *:promptfind*
:promptf[ind] [string]
Win32 GUI only: Put up a Search dialog. When [string]
is given, it is used as the initial search string.
*:promptr* *:promptrepl*
:promptr[epl] [string]
Win32 GUI only: Put up a Search/Replace dialog. When
[string] is given, it is used as the initial search
string.
*:ret* *:retab*
:[range]ret[ab][!] [new_tabstop]
Replace all sequences of white-space containing a
<Tab> with new strings of white-space using the new
tabstop value given. If you do not specify a new
tabstop size, Vim uses the current value of 'tabstop'.
The current value of 'tabstop' is always used to
compute the width of existing tabs.
With !, Vim also replaces strings of normal spaces
with tabs where appropriate. With 'expandtab' on, Vim
replaces all tabs with the appropriate number of
spaces. This command sets 'tabstop' to the new
value given, and if performed on the whole file,
which is default, should not make any visible
change. Careful: This command modifies any <Tab>
characters inside of strings in a C program. Use
"\t" to avoid this (that's a good habit anyway).
":retab!" may also change a sequence of spaces by
<Tab> characters, which can mess up a printf().
{not in Vi}
Not available when |+ex_extra| feature was disabled at
compile time.
*retab-example*
Example for using autocommands and ":retab" to edit a file which is stored
with tabstops at 8 but edited with tabstops set at 4. Warning: white space
inside of strings can change! Also see 'softtabstop' option.
auto BufReadPost *.xx retab! 4
auto BufWritePre *.xx retab! 8
auto BufWritePost *.xx retab! 4
auto BufNewFile *.xx set ts=4
==============================================================================
5. Copying and moving text *copy-move*
*quote*
"{a-zA-Z0-9.%#:-"} Use register {a-zA-Z0-9.%#:-"} for next delete, yank
or put (use uppercase character to append with
delete and yank) ({.%#:} only work with put).
*:reg* *:registers*
:reg[isters] Display the contents of all numbered and named
registers. {not in Vi}
:reg[isters] {arg} Display the contents of the numbered and named
registers that are mentioned in {arg}. For example:
:dis 1a
to display registers '1' and 'a'. Spaces are allowed
in {arg}. {not in Vi}
*:di* *:display*
:di[splay] [arg] Same as :registers. {not in Vi}
*y* *yank*
["x]y{motion} Yank {motion} text [into register x]. When no
characters are to be yanked (e.g., "y0" in column 1),
this is an error when 'cpoptions' includes the 'E'
flag.
*yy*
["x]yy Yank [count] lines [into register x] (linewise).
*Y*
["x]Y yank [count] lines [into register x] (synonym for
yy, linewise). If you like "Y" to work from the
cursor to the end of line (which is more logical,
but not Vi-compatible) use ":map Y y$".
*v_y*
{Visual}["x]y Yank the highlighted text [into register x] (for
{Visual} see |Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
*v_Y*
{Visual}["x]Y Yank the highlighted lines [into register x] (for
{Visual} see |Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
*:y* *:yank*
:[range]y[ank] [x] Yank [range] lines [into register x].
:[range]y[ank] [x] {count}
Yank {count} lines, starting with last line number
in [range] (default: current line |cmdline-ranges|),
[into register x].
*p* *put*
["x]p Put the text [from register x] after the cursor
[count] times. {Vi: no count}
["x]P or *P* *<MiddleMouse>*
["x]<MiddleMouse> Put the text [from register x] before the cursor
[count] times. Using the mouse only works when
'mouse' contains 'n' or 'a'. {Vi: no count}
*gp*
["x]gp Just like "p", but leave the cursor just after the new
text. {not in Vi}
*gP*
["x]gP Just like "P", but leave the cursor just after the new
text. {not in Vi}
*:pu* *:put*
:[line]pu[t] [x] Put the text [from register x] after [line] (default
current line). The register can also be '=' followed
by an optional expression. The expression continues
until the end of the command. You need to escape the
'|' and '"'' characters to prevent them from
terminating the command. Example:
:put ='path' . \",/test\"
If there is no expression after '=', Vim uses the
previous expression. You can see it with ":dis =".
:[line]pu[t]! [x] Put the text [from register x] before [line] (default
current line).
["x]]p or *]p* *]<MiddleMouse>*
["x]]<MiddleMouse> Like "p", but adjust the indent to the current line.
Using the mouse only works when 'mouse' contains 'n'
or 'a'. {not in Vi}
["x][P or *[P*
["x]]P or *]P*
["x][p or *[p* *[<MiddleMouse>*
["x][<MiddleMouse> Like "P", but adjust the indent to the current line.
Using the mouse only works when 'mouse' contains 'n'
or 'a'. {not in Vi}
You can use these commands to copy text from one place to another. Do this
by first getting the text into a register with a yank, delete or change
command, then inserting the register contents with a put command. You can
also use these commands to move text from one file to another, because Vim
preserves all registers when changing buffers (the CTRL-^ command is a quick
way to toggle between two files).
*linewise-register* *characterwise-register*
You can repeat the put commands with "." (except for :put) and undo them. If
the command that was used to get the text into the register was linewise, Vim
inserts the text below ("p") or above ("P") the line where the cursor is.
Otherwise Vim inserts the text after ("p") or before ("P") the cursor. With
the ":put" command, Vim always inserts the text in the next line. You can
exchange two characters with the command sequence "xp". You can exchange two
lines with the command sequence "ddp". You can exchange two words with the
command sequence "deep" (start with the cursor in the blank space before the
first word). You can use the "']" or "`]" command after the put command to
move the cursor to the end of the inserted text, or use "'[" or "`[" to move
the cursor to the start.
*blockwise-register*
If you use a blockwise Visual mode command to get the text into the register,
the block of text will be inserted before ("P") or after ("p") the cursor
column in the current and next lines. Vim makes the whole block of text start
in the same column. Thus the inserted text looks the same as when it was
yanked or deleted. Vim may replace some <Tab> characters with spaces to make
this happen. However, if the width of the block is not a multiple of a <Tab>
width and the text after the inserted block contains <Tab>s, that text may be
misaligned.
Note that after a yank command, Vim leaves the cursor on the first yanked
character that is closest to the start of the buffer. This means that "yl"
doesn't move the cursor, but "yh" moves the cursor one character left.
Rationale: In Vi the "y" command followed by a backwards motion would
sometimes not move the cursor to the first yanked character,
because redisplaying was skipped. In Vim it always moves to
the first character, as specified by Posix.
There are nine types of registers: *registers*
1. The unnamed register ""
2. 10 numbered registers "0 to "9
3. The small delete register "-
4. 26 named registers "a to "z or "A to "Z
5. four read-only registers ":, "., "% and "#
6. the expression register "=
7. The selection register "*
8. The black hole register "_
9. Last search pattern register "/
1. Unnamed register "" *quote_quote* *quotequote*
Vim fills this register with text deleted with the "d", "c", "s", "x" commands
or copied with the yank "y" command, regardless of whether or not a specific
register was used (e.g. "xdd). An exception is the '_' register: "_dd does
not store the deleted text in any register. Vim uses the contents of this
register for any put command (p or P) which does not specify a register.
Additionally you can access it with the name '"''. This means you have to type
two double quotes. {Vi: register contents are lost when changing files, no
'"''}
2. Numbered registers "0 to "9 *quote_number* *quote0* *quote1*
*quote2* *quote3* *quote4* *quote9*
Vim fills these registers with text from yank and delete commands. Numbered
register 0 contains the text from the most recent yank command, unless the
command specified another register with ["x]. Numbered register 1 contains
the text deleted by the most recent delete or change command, unless the
command specified another register or the text is less than one line (Vim puts
text deleted with "x" or "dw" in the small delete register). With each
successive deletion or change, Vim shifts the previous contents of register 1
into register 2, 2 into 3, and so forth, losing the previous contents of
register 9. {Vi: numbered register contents are lost when changing files;
register 0 does not exist}
3. Small delete register "- *quote_-* *quote-*
This register contains text from commands that delete less than one line,
except when the command specifies a register with ["x].
{not in Vi}
4. Named registers "a to "z or "A to "Z *quote_alpha* *quotea*
Vim fills these registers only when you say so. Specify them as lowercase
letters to replace their previous contents or as uppercase letters to append
to their previous contents.
5. Read-only registers ":, "., "% and "#
These are '%', '#', ':' and '.'. You can use them only with the "p", "P",
and ":put" commands and with CTRL-R. {not in Vi}
*quote_.* *quote.*
". Contains the last inserted text (the same as what is inserted
with the insert mode commands CTRL-A and CTRL-@). Note: this
doesn't work with CTRL-R on the command-line. It works a bit
differently, like inserting the text instead of putting it
('textwidth' and other options affect what is inserted).
*quote_%* *quote%*
"% Contains the name of the current file.
*quote_#* *quote#*
"# Contains the name of the alternate file.
*quote_:* *quote:*
": Contains the most recent command-line. Example: Use "@:"
to repeat the most recent command-line.
6. Expression register "= *quote_=* *quote=*
This is not really a register that stores text, but is a way to use an
expression in commands which use a register. The expression register is
read-only; you cannot put text into it. After the '=', the cursor moves to
the command-line, where you can enter any expression (see |expression|). All
normal command-line editing commands are available, including a special
history for expressions. When you end the command-line by typing <CR>, Vim
computes the result of the expression. If you end it with <Esc>, Vim abandons
the expression. If you do not enter an expression, Vim uses the previous
expression (like with the "/" command). If the "= register is used for the
"p" command, the string is split up at <NL> characters. If the string ends in
a <NL>, it is regarded as a linewise register. {not in Vi}
7. Selection register "*
Use this register for storing and retrieving the selected text for the GUI.
See |quotestar|. When the clipboard is not available or not working, the
unnamed register is used instead. {not in Vi}
8. Black hole register "_ *quote_*
When writing to this register, nothing happens. This can be used to delete
text without affecting the normal registers. When reading from this register,
nothing is returned. {not in Vi}
9. Last search pattern register "/ *quote_/* *quote/*
Contains the most recent search-pattern. This is used for "n" and 'hlsearch'.
{not in Vi}
*@/*
You can write to a register with a ":let" command |:let-@|. Example:
:let @/ = "the"
If you use a put command without specifying a register, Vim uses the register
that was last filled (this is also the contents of the unnamed register). If
you are confused, use the ":dis" command to find out what Vim will put (this
command displays all named and numbered registers; the unnamed register is
labelled '"'').
The next three commands always work on whole lines.
:[range]co[py] {address} *:co* *:copy*
Copy the lines given by [range] to below the line
given by {address}.
*:t*
:t Synonym for copy.
:[range]m[ove] {address} *:m* *:mo* *:move*
Move the lines given by [range] to below the line
given by {address}.
==============================================================================
6. Formatting text *formatting*
:[range]ce[nter] [width] *:ce* *:center*
Center lines in [range] between [width] columns
(default 'textwidth' or 80 when 'textwidth' is 0).
{not in Vi}
Not available when |+ex_extra| feature was disabled at
compile time.
:[range]ri[ght] [width] *:ri* *:right*
Right-align lines in [range] at [width] columns
(default 'textwidth' or 80 when 'textwidth' is 0).
{not in Vi}
Not available when |+ex_extra| feature was disabled at
compile time.
*:le* *:left*
:[range]le[ft] [indent] Left-align lines in [range]. Sets the indent in the
lines to [indent] (default 0). {not in Vi}
Not available when |+ex_extra| feature was disabled at
compile time.
*gq*
gq{motion} Format the lines that {motion} moves over. The
'textwidth' option controls the length of each
formatted line (see below). If the 'textwidth' option
is 0, the formatted line length is the screen width
(with a maximum width of 79). {not in Vi}
The 'formatoptions' option controls the type of
formatting |fo-table|.
NOTE: The "Q" command formerly performed this
function. If you still want to use "Q" for
formatting, use this mapping:
:nnoremap Q gq
gqgq *gqgq* *gqq*
gqq Format the current line. {not in Vi}
*v_gq*
{Visual}gq Format the highlighted text. (for {Visual} see
|Visual-mode|). {not in Vi}
Example: To format the current paragraph use
gqap
The "gq" command leaves the cursor in the line where the motion command takes
the cursor. This allows you to repeat formatting repeated with ".". This
works well with "gqj" (format current and next line) and "gq}" (format until
end of paragraph). Note: When 'formatprg' is set, "gq" leaves the cursor on
the first formatted line (as with using a filter command).
If the 'autoindent' option is on, Vim uses the indent of the first line for
the following lines.
Formatting does not change empty lines (but it does change lines with only
white space!).
The 'joinspaces' option is used when lines are joined together.
You can set the 'formatprg' option to the name of an external program for Vim
to use for text formatting. The 'textwidth' and other options have no effect
on formatting by an external program.
*right-justify*
There is no command in Vim to right justify text. You can do it with
an external command, like "par" (e.g.: "!}par" to format until the end of the
paragraph) or set 'formatprg' to "par".
*format-comments*
Vim can format comments in a special way. Vim recognizes a comment by a
specific string at the start of the line (ignoring white space). Three types
of comments can be used:
- A comment string that repeats at the start of each line. An example is the
type of comment used in shell scripts, starting with "#".
- A comment string that occurs only in the first line, not in the following
lines. An example is this list with dashes.
- Three-piece comments that have a start string, an end string, and optional
lines in between. The strings for the start, middle and end are different.
An example is the C-style comment:
/*
* this is a C comment
*/
The 'comments' option is a comma-separated list of parts. Each part defines a
type of comment string. A part consists of:
{flags}:{string}
{string} is the literal text that must appear.
{flags}:
n Nested comment. Nesting with mixed parts is allowed. If 'comments'
is "n:),n:>" a line starting with "> ) >" is a comment.
b Blank (<Space>, <Tab> or <EOL>) required after {string}.
f Only the first line has the comment string. Do not repeat comment on
the next line, but preserve indentation (e.g., a bullet-list).
s Start of three-piece comment
m Middle of a three-piece comment
e End of a three-piece comment
l Left adjust middle with start or end (default). Only recognized when
used together with 's' or 'e'.
r Right adjust middle with start or end. Only recognized when used
together with 's' or 'e'.
x Allows three-piece comments to be ended by just typing the last
character of the end-comment string as the first character on a new
line, when the middle-comment string has already been inserted
automatically. See below for more details.
{digits}
When together with 's' or 'e': add extra indent for the middle part.
This can be used to left-align the middle part with the start or end
and then add an offset.
-{digits}
Like {digits} but reduce the indent. This only works when there is
some indent for the start or end part that can be removed.
When a string has none of the 'f', 's', 'm' or 'e' flags, Vim assumes the
comment string repeats at the start of each line. The flags field may be
empty.
Any blank space in the text before and after the {string} is part of the
{string}, so do not include leading or trailing blanks unless the blanks are a
required part of the comment string.
When one comment leader is part of another, specify the part after the whole.
For example, to include both "-" and "->", use
:set comments=f:->,f:-
A three-piece comment must always be given as start,middle,end, with no other
parts in between. An example of a three-piece comment is
sr:/*,mb:*,ex:*/
for C-comments. To avoid recognizing "*ptr" as a comment, the middle string
includes the 'b' flag. For three-piece comments, Vim checks the text after
the start and middle strings for the end string. If Vim finds the end string,
the comment does not continue on the next line. Three-piece comments must
have a middle string because otherwise Vim can't recognize the middle lines.
Notice the use of the "x" flag in the above three-piece comment definition.
When you hit Return in a C-comment, Vim will insert the middle comment leader
for the new line, eg " * ". To close this comment you just have to type "/"
before typing anything else on the new line. This will replace the
middle-comment leader with the end-comment leader, leaving just " */". There
is no need to hit BackSpace first.
Examples:
"b:*" Includes lines starting with "*", but not if the "*" is
followed by a non-blank. This avoids a pointer dereference
like "*str" to be recognized as a comment.
"n:>" Includes a line starting with ">", ">>", ">>>", etc.
"fb:-" Format a list that starts with "- ".
By default, "b:#" is included. This means that a line that starts with
"#include" is not recognized as a comment line. But a line that starts with
"# define" is recognized. This is a compromise.
Often the alignment can be changed from right alignment to a left alignment
with an additional space. For example, for Javadoc comments, this can be
used (insert a backslash before the space when using ":set"):
s1:/*,mb:*,ex:*/
Note that an offset is included with start, so that the middle part is left
aligned with the start and then an offset of one character added. This makes
it possible to left align the start and middle for this construction:
/**
* comment
*/
{not available when compiled without the |+comments| feature}
*fo-table*
You can use the 'formatoptions' option to influence how Vim formats text.
'formatoptions' is a string that can contain any of the letters below. The
default setting is "tcq". You can separate the option letters with commas for
readability.
letter meaning when present in 'formatoptions'
t Auto-wrap text using textwidth
c Auto-wrap comments using textwidth, inserting the current comment
leader automatically.
r Automatically insert the current comment leader after hitting
<return> in insert mode.
o Automatically insert the current comment leader after hitting 'o' or
'O' in Normal mode.
q Allow formatting of comments with "gq".
Note that formatting will not change blank lines or lines containing
only the comment leader. A new paragraph starts after such a line,
or when the comment leader changes.
2 When formatting text, use the indent of the second line of a paragraph
for the rest of the paragraph, instead of the indent of the first
line. This supports paragraphs in which the first line has a
different indent than the rest. Note that 'autoindent' must be set
too.
v Vi-compatible auto-wrapping in insert mode: Only break a line at a
blank that you have entered during the current insert command. (Note:
this is not 100% Vi compatible. Vi has some "unexpected features" or
bugs in this area. It uses the screen column instead of the line
column.)
b Like 'v', but only auto-wrap if you enter a blank at or before
the wrap margin. If the line was longer than 'textwidth' when you
started the insert, or you do not enter a blank in the insert before
reaching 'textwidth', Vim does not perform auto-wrapping.
l Long lines are not broken in insert mode: When a line was longer than
'textwidth' when the insert command started, Vim does not
automatically format it.
With 't' and 'c' you can specify when Vim performs auto-wrapping:
value action
"" no automatic formatting (you can use "gq" for manual formatting)
"t" automatic formatting of text, but not comments
"c" automatic formatting for comments, but not text (good for C code)
"tc" automatic formatting for text and comments
Note that when 'textwidth' is 0, Vim does no formatting anyway (but does
insert comment leaders according to the 'comments' option).
Note that when 'paste' is on, Vim does no formatting at all.
Note that 'textwidth' can be non-zero even if Vim never performs auto-wrapping;
'textwidth' is still useful for formatting with "gq".
If the 'comments' option includes "/*", "*" and/or "*/", then Vim has some
built in stuff to treat these types of comments a bit more cleverly.
Opening a new line before or after "/*" or "*/" (with 'r' or 'o' present in
'formatoptions') gives the correct start of the line automatically. The same
happens with formatting and auto-wrapping. Opening a line after a line
starting with "/*" or "*" and containing "*/", will cause no comment leader to
be inserted, and the indent of the new line is taken from the line containing
the start of the comment.
E.g.:
/*
* Your typical comment.
*/
The indent on this line is the same as the start of the above
comment.
All of this should be really cool, especially in conjunction with the new
:autocmd command to prepare different settings for different types of file.
Some examples:
for C code (only format comments):
fo=croq
for Mail/news (format all, don't start comment with "o" command):
fo=tcrq
==============================================================================
7. Indenting C programs *C-indenting*
Vim has options for automatically indenting C program files. These options
affect only the indent and do not perform other formatting. For comment
formatting, see |format-comments|.
Note that you can disable the |+smartindent| and |+cindent| features at
compile time.
There are in fact three methods available for indentation:
'autoindent' uses the indent from the previous line.
'smartindent' is like 'autoindent' but also recognizes some C syntax to
increase/reduce the indent where appropriate.
'cindent' Works more cleverly than the other two and is configurable to
different indenting styles.
The rest of this section describes the 'cindent' option.
Note that 'cindent' indenting does not work for every code scenario. Vim
is not a C compiler: it does not recognize all syntax.
These four options control C program indenting:
'cindent' Enables Vim to perform C program indenting automatically.
'cinkeys' Specifies which keys trigger reindenting in insert mode.
'cinoptions' Sets your preferred indent style.
'cinwords' Defines keywords that start an extra indent in the next line.
If 'lisp' is not on and 'equalprg' is empty, the "=" operator indents using
Vim's built-in algorithm rather than calling an external program.
See |autocommand| for how to set the 'cindent' option automatically for C code
files and reset it for others.
*'cinkeys'* *'cink'*
The 'cinkeys' option is a string that controls Vim's indenting in response to
typing certain characters or commands in certain contexts. The default is
"0{,0},:,0#,!^F,o,O,e" which specifies that indenting occurs as follows:
"0{" if you type '{' as the first character in a line
"0}" if you type '}' as the first character in a line
":" if you type ':' anywhere
"0#" if you type '#' as the first character in a line
"!^F" if you type CTRL-F (which is not inserted)
"o" if you type a <CR> anywhere or use the "o" command (not in
insert mode!)
"O" if you use the "O" command (not in insert mode!)
"e" if you type the second 'e' for an "else" at the start of a
line
Characters that can precede each key:
'!' When a '!' precedes the key, Vim will not insert the key but will
instead reindent the current line. This allows you to define a
command key for reindenting the current line. CTRL-F is the default
key for this. Be careful if you define CTRL-I for this because CTRL-I
is the ASCII code for <Tab>.
'*' When a '*' precedes the key, Vim will reindent the line before
inserting the key. If 'cinkeys' contains "*<Return>", Vim reindents
the current line before opening a new line.
'0' When a zero precedes the key (but appears after '!' or '*') Vim will
reindent the line only if the key is the first character you type in
the line.
When neither '!' nor '*' precedes the key, Vim reindents the line after you
type the key. So ';' sets the indentation of a line which includes the ';'.
Special key names:
<> Angle brackets mean spelled-out names of keys. For example: "<Up>",
"<Ins>" (see |key-notation|).
'^' Letters preceded by a caret (^) are control characters. For example:
"^F" is CTRL-F.
'o' Reindent a line when you use the "o" command or when Vim opens a new
line below the current one (e.g., when you type <Return> in insert
mode).
'O' Reindent a line when you use the "O" command.
'e' Reindent a line that starts with "else" when you type the second 'e'.
If you really want to reindent when you type 'o', 'O', 'e', '0', '<', '>', '*'
or '!', use "<o>", "<O>", "<e>", "<0>", "<<>", "<>>", "<*>" or "<!>",
respectively, for those keys.
For an emacs-style indent mode where lines aren't indented every time you
press Return but only if you press Tab, I suggest:
:set cinkeys=0{,0},:,0#,!<Tab>,!^F
You might also want to switch off 'autoindent' then.
Note: If you change the current line's indentation manually, Vim ignores the
cindent settings for that line. This prevents vim from reindenting after you
have changed the indent by typing <BS>, <Tab>, or <Space> in the indent or
used CTRL-T or CTRL-D.
*cinoptions-values*
The 'cinoptions' option sets how Vim performs indentation. In the list below,
"N" represents a number of your choice (the number can be negative). When
there is an 's' after the number, Vim multiplies the number by 'shiftwidth':
"1s" is 'shiftwidth', "2s" is two times 'shiftwidth', etc. You can use a
decimal point, too: "-0.5s" is minus half a 'shiftwidth'. The examples below
assume a 'shiftwidth' of 4.
>N Amount added for "normal" indent. Used after a line that should
increase the indent (lines starting with "if", an opening brace,
etc.). (default 'shiftwidth').
cino= cino=>2 cino=>2s
if (cond) if (cond) if (cond)
{ { {
foo; foo; foo;
} } }
eN Add N to the prevailing indent inside a set of braces if the
opening brace at the End of the line (more precise: is not the
first character in a line). This is useful if you want a
different indent when the '{' is at the start of the line from
when '{' is at the end of the line. (default 0).
cino= cino=e2 cino=e-2
if (cond) { if (cond) { if (cond) {
foo; foo; foo;
} } }
else else else
{ { {
bar; bar; bar;
} } }
nN Add N to the prevailing indent for a statement after an "if",
"while", etc., if it is Not inside a set of braces. This is
useful if you want a different indent when there is no '{'
before the statement from when there is a '{' before it.
(default 0).
cino= cino=n2 cino=n-2
if (cond) if (cond) if (cond)
foo; foo; foo;
else else else
{ { {
bar; bar; bar;
} } }
fN Place the first opening brace of a function or other block in
column N. This applies only for an opening brace that is not
inside other braces and is at the start of the line. What comes
after the brace is put relative to this brace. (default 0).
cino= cino=f.5s cino=f1s
func() func() func()
{ { {
int foo; int foo; int foo;
{N Place opening braces N characters from the prevailing indent.
This applies only for opening braces that are inside other
braces. (default 0).
cino= cino={.5s cino={1s
if (cond) if (cond) if (cond)
{ { {
foo; foo; foo;
}N Place closing braces N characters from the matching opening
brace. (default 0).
cino= cino={2,}-0.5s cino=}2
if (cond) if (cond) if (cond)
{ { {
foo; foo; foo;
} } }
^N Add N to the prevailing indent inside a set of braces if the
opening brace is in column 0. This can specify a different
indent for whole of a function (some may like to set it to a
negative number). (default 0).
cino= cino=^-2 cino=^-s
func() func() func()
{ { {
if (cond) if (cond) if (cond)
{ { {
a = b; a = b; a = b;
} } }
} } }
:N Place case labels N characters from the indent of the switch().
(default 'shiftwidth').
cino= cino=:0
switch (x) switch(x)
{ {
case 1: case 1:
a = b; a = b;
default: default:
} }
=N Place statements occurring after a case label N characters from
the indent of the label. (default 'shiftwidth').
cino= cino==10
case 11: case 11: a = a + 1;
a = a + 1; b = b + 1;
gN Place C++ scope declarations N characters from the indent of the
block they are in. (default 'shiftwidth'). A scope declaration
can be "public:", "protected:" or "private:".
cino= cino=g0
{ {
public: public:
a = b; a = b;
private: private:
} }
hN Place statements occurring after a C++ scope declaration N
characters from the indent of the label. (default
'shiftwidth').
cino= cino=h10
public: public: a = a + 1;
a = a + 1; b = b + 1;
pN Parameter declarations for K&R-style function declarations will
be indented N characters from the margin. (default
'shiftwidth').
cino= cino=p0 cino=p2s
func(a, b) func(a, b) func(a, b)
int a; int a; int a;
char b; char b; char b;
tN Indent a function return type declaration N characters from the
margin. (default 'shiftwidth').
cino= cino=t0 cino=t7
int int int
func() func() func()
+N Indent a continuation line (a line that spills onto the next) N
additional characters. (default 'shiftwidth').
cino= cino=+10
a = b + 9 * a = b + 9 *
c; c;
cN Indent comment lines after the comment opener, when there is no
other text with which to align, N characters from the comment
opener. (default 3). See also |format-comments|.
cino= cino=c5
/* /*
text. text.
*/ */
(N When in unclosed parentheses, indent N characters from the line
with the unclosed parentheses. When N is 0 or the line starts
with '(', line up with the unclosed parentheses. (default
'shiftwidth' * 2).
cino= cino=(0
if (c1 && (c2 || if (c1 && (c2 ||
c3)) c3))
foo; foo;
if (c1 && if (c1 &&
(c2 || c3)) (c2 || c3))
{ {
uN Same as (N, but for one level deeper. (default 'shiftwidth').
cino= cino=u2
if (c123456789 if (c123456789
&& (c22345 && (c22345
|| c3)) || c3))
)N Vim searches for unclosed parentheses at most N lines away.
This limits the time needed to search for parentheses. (default
20 lines).
*N Vim searches for unclosed comments at most N lines away. This
limits the time needed to search for the start of a comment.
(default 30 lines).
The defaults, spelled out in full, are:
cinoptions=>s,e0,n0,f0,{0,}0,^0,:s,=s,ps,ts,c3,+s,(2s,us,)20,*30,gs,hs
Vim puts a line in column 1 if:
- It starts with '#' (preprocessor directives), if 'cinkeys' contains '#'.
- It starts with a label (a keyword followed by ':', other than "case" and
"default").
- Any combination of indentations causes the line to have less than 0
indentation.
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