CODEWITHSUNDEEP
vim
Poor Standard
Poor Standard

Reputation: 135

vim: paste block next to block

I got this

        ______0______
       /             \
    __7__           __3__
   /     \         /     \
  0       4       9       8
 / \     / \     / \     / \
7   7   0   4   6   0   3   2

      ______another______
     /                   \
  __block__           __just__
 /         \         /        \
aside      the     first      one

I'd like that

        ______0______                  ______another______
       /             \                /                   \
    __7__           __3__          __block__           __just__
   /     \         /     \        /         \         /        \
  0       4       9       8      aside      the     first      one
 / \     / \     / \     / \    
7   7   0   4   6   0   3   2

Is there kind of "mutliline block" copy/cut and paste in vim ?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 606

Answers (1)

romainl
romainl

Reputation: 196556

There is no magical way to achieve that but it is doable with :help visual-block and some planning.

First, the naive approach, with visual-block mode:

  1. Put the cursor on the first column of the line containing another.

  2. Press <C-v> to enter visual-block mode, then jjjj to expand the block downward, and $ to expand it to the end of each line.

  3. Cut it with d.

  4. Move the cursor to the end of the line containing 0 and press p to put what you just cut.

    The horror:

            ______0______      ______another______
       /                  /                   \       \
    __7__           _  __block__           __just__   _3__
   /     \         /  /         \         /        \      \
  0       4       9  aside      the     first      one     8
 / \     / \     / \     / \
7   7   0   4   6   0   3   2

The problem is that putting "block text" (by lack of a better word) is done "in place", without adding padding or assuming anything about the user's intent.

In order to put that "block text" at the right position, you need to add some padding yourself:

  1. Put the cursor on the first column of the line containing another.

  2. Press <C-v> to enter visual-block mode, then jjjj to expand the block downward, and $ to expand it to the end of each line.

  3. Cut it with d.

  4. Move the cursor to the end of the line containing 0, append as many spaces as necessary with A<Space><Space><Space>, and press p to put what you just cut.

    Much better:

            ______0______                ______another______
       /             \              /                   \
    __7__           __3__        __block__           __just__
   /     \         /     \      /         \         /        \
  0       4       9       8    aside      the     first      one
 / \     / \     / \     / \
7   7   0   4   6   0   3   2

NOTE: :help 'virtualedit' can be of use, too, but it can necessitate special care so I prefer the simplicity of adding padding manually.

Upvotes: 3

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