Function That Substitutes Across Multiple Files

Question

I'm trying to create a function that implements the functionality outlined here: Vim search replace all files in current (project) folder

My current attempt:

nnoremap <C-F> :call ReplaceAcrossAllFiles(
function! ReplaceAcrossAllFiles(search, replace)
  execute "vimgrep /" . a:search . "/gj | copen "
    \ . " | cfdo %s/" a:search . "/" . a:replace . "/gc"
    \ . " | cfdo update"
endfunction

If, for example, I execute ReplaceAcrossAllFiles("hi", "hello") I get E683: File name missing or invalid parameter

EDIT

Thank you @Garcys and @statox for your answers. I now get an error which I believe is related to the quickfix window: E553: No more items. I'm able to suppress this with: silent execute "vimgrep /" . a:search . "/gj **/* | copen". However, as soon as I jump to the first match in another file, the error comes up again, cancelling the rest of the substitution.

ENRIQUE GARCIA · Answer 1 · 2021-03-18T11:20:31.277

4

You are missing something. After looking up the vimgrep documentation (:h vimgrep) you need the file(s).

vimgrep /" . a:search . "/gj **/*

The new script could be like this:

function! ReplaceAcrossAllFiles(search, replace)
  execute "vimgrep /" . a:search . "/gj **/* | copen "
  execute "cfdo %s/" a:search . "/" . a:replace . "/g | cfdo update"
endfunction

Some options should be reviewed.

edited Mar 18 '21 at 11:20

answered Mar 18 '21 at 10:56

ENRIQUE GARCIA

86
3

1

I think you forgot to add the **/* in the new script :) – statox Mar 18 '21 at 11:02
Thank @statox for the error !! – ENRIQUE GARCIA Mar 18 '21 at 11:21

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 18 '21 at 10:52

If you replace execute by echo in your function you'll see that the executed command is

vimgrep /hi/gj | copen  | cfdo %s/ hi/hello/gc | cfdo update

But :h :vimgrep says that the command must be called with a filename :

:vim[grep][!] /{pattern}/[g][j] {file}

That's why vimgrep /hi/gj triggers a missing file name error.

You need to could add **/* as a filename to match all files in your directory like this:

execute "vimgrep /" . a:search . "/gj **/* | copen "

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 01 '21 at 00:29

nnoremap <S-F> :vimgrep //gj **/* <bar> copen<C-B><Right><Right><Right><Right><Right><Right><Right><Right><Right>
nnoremap <C-F> :call ReplaceAcrossAllFiles(
function! ReplaceAcrossAllFiles(search, replace)
  silent! execute "vimgrep /" . a:search . "/gj **/* | copen"
  silent! execute  "cfdo %s/" . a:search . "/" . a:replace . "/gc"
  silent! cfdo update
endfunction

Function That Substitutes Across Multiple Files

3 Answers3