Any word completion

Tip 4 Printable Monobook Previous Next

created 2001 · complexity basic · author Jamo.sp · version 5.7

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In insert mode, type the first couple of characters of a word, then press:

• Ctrl-N to insert the next matching word; or
• Ctrl-P to insert the previous matching word.

This is particularly useful when entering the names of variables in a program.

The 'complete' option controls where the keywords are searched (include files, tag files, buffers, and more).

The 'completeopt' option controls how the completion occurs (for example, whether a menu is shown).

See also

• Using abbreviations defining abbreviations for commonly-used text
• 91 Dictionary completions
• 102 Smart mapping for tab completion
• 295 Line/word/file/whatever completion
• 481 Abbreviations only on shortcut
• 498 Completion using a syntax file
• 566 Autocomplete with TAB when typing words
• 765 Complete from filetype syntax file
• 968 Custom keyword completion
• 1228 Improve completion popup menu
• 1386 Make Vim completion popup menu work just like in an IDE
• 1486 Omni completion popup menu
• 1591 Omni completion
• 1608 C++ code completion

References

• :help i_CTRL-N
• :help i_CTRL-P
• :help ins-completion
• :help 'complete'
• :help 'completeopt'
• :help i_CTRL-X_CTRL-P
• :help i_CTRL-X_CTRL-N

Comments

Also see script#182 and script#73

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Completion such as this is also why it is a good idea to have descriptive variable names, so you can easily tell if you have the completion you were after.

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It's completion that made me unable to use Visual Studio's editor (which has some completion, but it's not as good) anymore. I get lots of use out of:

• File completion: <C-X><C-F>
• Line completion: <C-X><C-L>
• Omni completion: <C-X><C-O>

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If you have several words you would like to complete, you can use Ctrl-X Ctrl-P to extend the match. For example, suppose a line exists in your file:

$res = mysql_query($q) or die(mysql_error());

You want to type the line:

$result = mysql_query($q) or die(mysql_error());

Type:

$result = my

Keep pressing Ctrl-P until you get to mysql_query.

Then pressing Ctrl-X Ctrl-P will give:

$result = mysql_query($q

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