til/vim/using-global-command.md

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The global command :g[lobal] is very powerful. It is used to execute a command matching a pattern. The syntax is

:[range]g/pattern/cmd

The default range is whole file. If you want to change the range here is a reference table for substitution.

Range Description Example
28 line 28 :28s/bad/good/g
1 first line :1s/bad/good/g
$ last line :$s/bad/good/g
% all lines in a file (same as 1,$) :%s/bad/good/g
6,28 lines 6 to 28 inclusive :6,28s/bad/good/g
11,$ lines 11 to end of the file :11,$s/bad/good/g
.,$ current line to end of the file :.,$s/bad/good/g
.+1,$ line after current line to end :.+1,$s/bad/good/g
.,+4 current to current+5 line, inclusive) :.,.+4s/bad/good/g
?a?,/b between patterns a and b, inclusive) :?a?,/b/s/bad/good

Example global commands:

  • :g/error/d - delete all lines containing string error
  • g!/important/d - delete all lines not containing string important
  • 4,10t15 - copy all lines between 4 and 10 to line 15
  • 4,10m15 - move all lines between 4 and 10 to line 15
  • :5,18g/^foo/normal 0df= - run normal command 0df= on the lines between 5 and 18 which starts with string foo