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Proposed tip Please edit this page to improve it, or add your comments below (do not use the discussion page).

Please use new tips to discuss whether this page should be a permanent tip, or whether it should be merged to an existing tip.
created April 29, 2008 · complexity basic · author Benshi · version 7.0

This tip was tested under Debian with Vim 7.1 (console version).

To easily swap between different registers it is convenient to map a key to move the registers in a "circular list". The following mapping illustrates the idea:

map s :let @x=@" \| let @"=@a \| let @a=@b \| let @b=@x <Return>

Now you can cycle between the registers "", "a, "b by pressing s.

  • :let @a=@b copies register "b to register "a.
  • | separates Ex commands; \ escapes the pipe for the map command.

This is also useful if you want to copy between the xclipboard and the unnamed standard register of Vim:

map s :let @a=@" \| let @"=@+ \| let @+=@a <Return>

To see what it's changing, you could modify the command like this:

map s :let @x=@" \| let @"=@a \| let @a=@b \| let @b=@x \| reg "ab <Return>

References

Comments

 TO DO 

  • It would be nice to start the tip by describing what we're trying to achieve.
  • Perhaps replace <Return> with the <CR> which most other tips use.
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