VIM cheatsheet - multi files

vim_cheatsheet_multi_files.md

VIM Cheatsheet - Working with multiple files / Programming

Buffers

:e {file}                  - edit {file} in a new buffer
:fin[d] {file}             - search and open {file}
:b[uffer] {id}             - move to buffer using {id}
:bn[ext], :bp[rev]         - go to the next/previous buffer
:bf[irst], :bl[ast]        - go to first/last buffer
:bd[elete]                 - delete a buffer (close a file)
:1,10bdelete               - delete buffers from ID 1 to 10
:ls or :buffers            - show all buffers
:sb{id}                    - open buffer{id} as a horizontal split
:vert sb{id}               - open buffer{id} as a vertical split
:badd {file}               - add {file} to the buffer list
:ball                      - open all buffers in horizonal splits
:vert ball                 - open all buffers in vertical splits
:%bd[elete]                - delete all buffers
:bufdo {cmd}               - execute {cmd} in each buffer in the list. eg: apply macro 'a' to each buffer :bufdo normal @a
CTRL-^                     - switch to the alternate buffer. (indicated in buffer list with symbol #)
{id}CTRL-^                 - switch to a specific buffer with {id}.

Arguments

:ar[gs]                    - display the arglist
:arga[dd]                  - add file to the arglist
:argd[elete]               - to remove file from the arglist
:argdo update              - save all changes to arglist
:argdo undo                - undo changes to your arglist
:argdo                     - execute a command on every file in the arglist
:n[ext]                    - edit next file in the arglist
:N[ext] or :prev           - edit previous file in the arglist
:fir[st]                   - edit first file in the arglist
:la[st]                    - edit last file in the arglist

Windows

:sp[lit] {file}            - open {file} in a new buffer and split window
:vs[plit] {file}           - open {file} in a new buffer and vertically split window
:on[ly]!                   - close all windows except current
CTRL-w o                   - close all windows except current
CTRL-w s                   - split active window horizontally
CTRL-w v                   - split active window vertically
CTRL-w w                   - switch windows
CTRL-w p                   - switch to previous window
CTRL-w q                   - quit a window
CTRL-w j or CTRL-w <Dn>    - switch to windows below
CTRL-w k or CTRL-w <Up>    - switch to window above
CTRL-w h or CTRL-w <Left>  - switch to window left
CTRL-w l or CTRL-w <Right> - switch to window right
CTRL-w r                   - rotate the windows clockwise
CTRL-w R                   - rotate the windows counter-clockwise
CTRL-w x                   - exchange windows, horizontal
CTRL-w X                   - exchange windows, vertical
CTRL-w _                   - maximize window height of current split
CTRL-w |                   - maximize window width of current split
CTRL-w =                   - normalize all split sizes
CTRL-w T                   - break out current window into new tab
{buffer_id}CTRL-w ^        - split windows with the buffer of {ID}
:windo {cmd}               - execute {cmd} for all windows
:windo difft[his]          - start diff mode in all open windows
:windo diffo[ff]           - stop diff mode for all open windows
:sf {file}                 - split window and :find {file}
:vert sf {file}            - split window vertically and :find {file}

Tabs

:tabe[dit] {file}          - open existing {file} in new tab
:tabe[dit] %               - move the active window into its own tab
:tabn {file}               - open {file} in a new tab
:tabs                      - list tabs
gt or :tabn[ext]           - move to the next tab
gT or :tabp[rev]           - move to the previous tab
#gt                        - move to tab number #
:tabmove #                 - move current tab to #th position (indexed from 0)
                             if no position provided, moves to last position
:tabc[lose]                - close the current tab and all its windows
:tabo[nly]                 - close all tabs except for the current one
:tabd[o] {cmd}             - execute {cmd} in each tab page

Jumps

CTRL-o, CTRL-i             - go to the previous (older), next (is near o) cursor position
:jumps                     - to display jump list
:clearjumps                - clear the jump list
gf                         - go to file in cursor

Change list

:changes                   - Show change list
g;                         - jump to the next change
g,                         - jump to the previous change

Quickfix list

# commands that populate Quickfix list
:vim[grep] /pattern {file} - search using Vim's native functionality
:gr[ep]                    - search via exteran program specified by grepprg setting
:helpgr[ep]                - search help text files
:mak[e]                    - call the program specified by the makeprg setting (default is make)
:cex[pr] {expression}      - use {expression} to populate to list. Clear the fix list via :cex []

# examples
:vim /foo/g %              - search in current active buffer only
:vim /foo/g fo.txt ab.txt  - search fo.txt and ab.txt for foo
:vim /foo/g *.txt          - search *.txt for foo
:vim /foo/g **/*           - search recursive current directory and below
:vim /foo/g **/*.txt       - search recursive current directory and below in all *.txt file(s)
:vim /foo/g ##             - search files in arglist

# commands to use Quickfix list
:cw[indow]                 - open the quickfix window if it's not empty
:cope[n]                   - open quickfix window
:ccl[ose]                  - close quifxix window
:cn[ext], :cp[rev]         - jump to next/previous error
:cc{id}                    - jump to the {id} in the quickfix window
:cnf[ile], :cpf[file]      - jump to first error in the next/previous file
:cab[ove], :cbe[ow]        - jump to the error above/below the current line
:col[der], :cnew[er]       - go to the older/newer quickfix list
:chi[story]                - Show the list of quickfix lists
:cfir[st], :cla[st]        - go to first/last location
:cdo {cmd}                 - execute {cmd} in each valid entry in the quickfix list
:cfdo {cmd}                - execute {cmd} in each file in the quickfix list

Go to variable definition

*                          - search for the exact word under the cursor
g*                         - same as *, but allows for partial matches
gd                         - go to local variable
gD                         - go to global variable definition