CODEWITHSUNDEEP
functionvim
blake
blake

Reputation: 119

How to type text into Vim's command-line without executing it?

My context: I frequently take notes in VIM. I'd like a VIM function to type a standard-header into the command line (specifically, a timestamp such as :sav 20180418_) without executing; control would return with VIM still in command-mode (so that user could append remainder of the filename and execute).

My fundamental difficulty: I cannot seem to get a Vim function/macro to enter command-mode, supply text to the command line, then exit while staying in command-mode and not executing the text supplied.

Is this possible?

Thank you.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 274

Answers (1)

builder-7000
builder-7000

Reputation: 7627

You can use expand() function. For example if you are currently editing file 20180418_.txt you can type:

:sav <c-r>=expand("%:r")<cr>

where <c-r>= should be typed as Ctrl+R followed by =. Enter key is <cr>. This will expand the text in the command line into:

:sav 20180418_

Upvotes: 3

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