Vi and Vim Stack Exchange
Vi and Vim Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [ex-mode]

Vim's ex mode is similar to the command line mode which is designed for Batch processing.

Vim in Ex mode (also aliases as ex) is useful when:

  • You're in need of editing (multiple) files non-interactively (as part of the script).
  • Your connection is very slow or screen is not updated after your actions.
  • Mappings and abbreviations are disabled.
  • Common keys such as Escape or Control doesn't work.

There is Ex mode (vim -e) and improved Ex mode which allows for more advanced commands than the vi compatible Ex-mode (vim -E).

123 questions
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Does Ex mode have any practical use?

Vim has an Ex mode that can be entered by entering Q, and a command line mode that can be entered with q:. A common complaint amongst new vim users is that they enter these modes accidentally when trying to quit vim. As such, I disable these keys in…
Andrew Ferrier
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What does :open do in Vim?

Vim's documentation has this to say about the :open command: This command is in Vi, but Vim only simulates it: *:o* *:op* *:open* :[range]o[pen] Works like |:visual|: end…
Random832
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delete lines that match a pattern from a given line to the end of the file

If I have a file with a lot of comments in it and I want to delete all of the comments from say, line 3 to the end of the file, what's the best way to do it? I'm stuck, since what I first tried doesn't seem to do quite what I…
Eric Renouf
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What is the difference between Ex mode and improved Ex mode?

There are two vim Ex modes: the vi compatible Ex-mode (vim -e -s), vim improved Ex mode (vim -E -s). Vim improved Ex mode allows for more advanced commands than the vi compatible Ex-mode, however what are the main differences? Or where I can find…
kenorb
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Reusing search pattern in ex mode

Sometimes I want to try a pattern with / before doing :%s/ …; can I reuse it without having to type it all over? (or use the mouse.)
Toothrot
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Can one jump in ex mode?

Say I entered :e bla/bla/bla.txt and I realize I want to put a ! after the e. Can I get there without using the arrow keys?
Toothrot
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Why does vim ex mode 'print' command insert a space on empty lines?

Take the following example: $ printf "a\n\nb\n" | vim -E -c "%p" -c 'q!' /dev/stdin | hexdump -C 00000000 61 0a 20 0a 62 0a |a. .b.| 00000006 I would not expect that space (0x20) to be present between the two line…
PiQuer
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How to get particular time format inside the text file

I want to paste particular date format (mm--dd-yyyy) using following terminal command in ex command mode: :r !echo $(date +"%d-%m-%Y") Its print the current file name instead of printing date, After that I try another command: :r…
SuperKrish
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Why can I give the ex: line a monitor wedgie?

Does pulling the ex line up like below serve any purpose?
leeand00
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How do I emulate Sed's y command?

For the very first time I find myself in need for the y command Sed has. For those who don't know what y does, here's an example: $ echo x1 x2 x3 | sed 'y/123/234/' x2 x3 x4 Apparently Vim has no way of doing this. Am I wrong?
Enlico
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vim ex mode write to stdout

I am trying to output the contents of a file opened in vim ex mode to stdout. vi -es +'%write !tee' +'q' ./testfile Unfortunately, it does not write anything, although if I open the file in ex mode, like this: vi -e ./testfile and issue the same…
z32a7ul
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Why "normal n" does not work in Ex mode?

For example, if I want to find all bar lines and print them. $ cat file line foo line bar 1 line bar 2 $ cat cmd norm gg /bar p norm n p $ cat cmd | vim -u NONE -es file line bar 1 line bar 1 $ As it outputs, normal n does not move to line bar 2.
vim.ggyG
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How can I go back to the editing file after invoking shell in Ex mode?

I run into a problem while practicing the Ex mode by running sh command, following this tutorial. I cannot go back to the editing file[s]. I can see the .swp dot file by running ls -a. None listed by running jobs fg can neither call it back. …
Lerner Zhang
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Is it possible to do an "inline" insertion of text with ex

So I'm reading the ex spec and came across the following section under Command Line Parsing in ex: Otherwise: a. If the command was a map, unmap, abbreviate, or unabbreviate command, characters up to the first non--V-escaped ,…
TAAPSogeking
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Find definition of ex command

Normally when I try to trace back a setting to where it was set in my vim config (or plugins) I use something like: :verbose set undodir undodir=~/.vimundo Last set from ~/.vimrc line 62 To discover this. How do I find this location for…
Keith Smiley
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