Vim Challenge 01

This example explains how to run Normal mode commands in the Command-line mode. Particularly, how to back out from the Insert mode into the Normal mode.

Vim Challenge

To edit the content of line 2-5 into the same format as that of line 1 in the configuration file below.

Before edit:

	{src = "https://github.com/vague2k/vague.nvim"},   -- line 1
  "https://github.com/stevearc/oil.nvim",            -- line 2
  "https://github.com/echasnovski/mini.pick",        -- line 3
  "https://github.com/neovim/nvim-lspconfig",        -- line 4
  "https://github.com/chomosuke/typst-preview.nvim", -- line 5

After edit:

	{ src = "https://github.com/vague2k/vague.nvim" },           -- line 1
	{ src = "https://github.com/stevearc/oil.nvim" },            -- line 2
	{ src = "https://github.com/echasnovski/mini.pick" },        -- line 3
	{ src = "https://github.com/neovim/nvim-lspconfig" },        -- line 4
	{ src = "https://github.com/chomosuke/typst-preview.nvim" }, -- line 5

Solution 1

The Substitute Command :s/\(.*\),/{src = \1},/

Solution 2

The Command-line Mode :'<'>norm _i{src = ^[f,i}

I saw Sylvan Franklin achieved the same result by running a command :'<'>norm _i{src = ^[f,i} after the visual selection of line 2-5, but the same trick did not work on my Windows machine. Any ideas why the difference?

The command :'<'>norm _i{src = ^[f,i} failed on your Windows machine because of how the special Escape character, represented as ^[, is typed into the command line.

Let's break down the command and then explain the difference.

Explanation of the Command

:'<'>norm _i{src = ^[f,i}

This is a powerful way to automate Normal mode keystrokes across multiple lines. Here's what each part does:

• :'<'>: This is the range that Vim/Neovim automatically inserts when you are in Visual mode and press :. It means "for every line in the visual selection."
• norm: This is the normal command. It executes the keystrokes that follow as if you were typing them in Normal mode on each line of the specified range.
• _: In Normal mode, this command moves the cursor to the first non-whitespace character of the line.
• i{src = : The i enters Insert mode, and then the literal text {src = is typed.
• ^[: This is the crucial part. This is not a caret ^ followed by a bracket [. It is a single control character that represents the Escape key. Its purpose here is to exit Insert mode and return to Normal mode so the next command (f,) can be executed.
• f,: Back in Normal mode, this command moves the cursor forward to the next comma (,) on the line.
• i}: The i enters Insert mode again, this time placing the cursor just before the comma. The } character is then inserted.

The sequence effectively says: "For each selected line, go to the beginning, insert {src = , press Escape, find the comma, and insert } right before it."

The Reason for the Difference on Windows

The problem lies in how you physically type the ^[ (Escape) character into the command line.

• On Linux and macOS: You typically press Ctrl + V, and then press Esc. The Ctrl+V command tells the terminal to "insert the next character literally," which allows you to input the actual escape character

• On Windows: The Ctrl + V combination is almost universally reserved for the "Paste" command. When you press it, Neovim (or the underlying terminal) intercepts it as a paste command, not as the "insert literal" command

The correct key combination to insert a literal character in Vim/Neovim on Windows is usually Ctrl + Q

How to Fix It

To make the command work on your Windows machine, you would visually select the lines and then type the command, but when you get to the part where you need the ^[ character, you should:

1. Press Ctrl + Q
2. Then press the Esc key

This will correctly insert the ^[ character into your command line, and the rest of the command will execute as intended.