Format a code block

Tip 1130 Printable Monobook Previous Next

created February 13, 2006 · complexity basic · author Matt Zyzik · version 6.0

---

Here are some basic formatting commands:

• = is the formatting command.
• vi{ is a text object selection which selects a code block.
• =vi{ combines the two.
• =2vi{ formats the current block and the block around it.
• :noremap ,5 gg=G format entire buffer.

Deleting a C function

Add this map to your vimrc to have one command to delete an entire C function. To use, place your cursor on the first line of the prototype, and then type \df (assuming the default leader key of backslash):

map <silent><leader>df 0d/{<Enter>daB

This works for both traditional and modern C functions, and it should work for C-like languages too, like C++ and Java.

int
func(a,b)
    int a;
    int b;
{
    return a + b;
}

and

int func(int a, int b) {
    return a + b;
}

Comments

I don't think think this mapping will work very well for functions of any complexity. For example, it will fail in the following function:

int
func(a,b)
    int a;
    int b;
{
    if (a)
    {
      return a + b;
    }
}

Additionally, have you considered using text objects or even the % operator to avoid using marks? The following sequence, for example, should work to delete an entire C function, if the cursor is on the first line of the prototype:

1. go to the beginning of the line with 0
2. delete up until the opening brace with d/{
3. delete everything until the matching brace with daB or d%

This could be made into a mapping as you have done:

map <silent><leader>df 0d/{<Enter>daB

You'd certainly need to tweak it if you want to keep the function around for later pasting.

Finally, I have replaced your ',' with a '\' in your description of how to invoke the mapping. Although <leader> could very well be mapped to ',' for you, the default is '\'.

I replaced my original with yours, it's much better. Thanks!

References

• :help text-objects.

Comments

 TO DO 

• The "Deleting a C function" section is a rough merge in from a 200902 tip by anon, with improvements by Fritzophrenic.
  • How about using textobj-function?
• Clean it up; state premise of initial cursor position.
• Change theme of whole tip to be working with code blocks via text objects (an introduction to viB and friends).
• Fix tip at top: the 'v' is redundant.