Changes: Line/word/file/whatever completion

Latest revision as of 08:00, 17 May 2014

Tip 295 Printable Monobook Previous Next

created 2002 · complexity intermediate · author Nopik · version 6.0

In addition to any word completion you can use Ctrl-X completion mode to complete whole lines, filenames, keywords, and more. While entering text in insert mode, press Ctrl-X (written as <C-X> below), then another key to indicate the type of completion.

<C-X><C-L> complete whole lines
<C-X><C-P> complete words (<C-P> has the same effect; <C-X> is not needed)
<C-X><C-F> complete file names
<C-X>s spelling suggestions (after :setl spell to enable spell checking)

While completion is active, type <C-P> or <C-N> to select the previous or next item.

For more information, see :help ins-completion.

Example[]

For example, suppose the following text is entered:

this is first line
second line is here

With the cursor on the empty third line, and while still in insert mode, pressing <C-X><C-L> will insert a copy of the second line. Select another line with <C-P> or <C-N>.

If "th" is typed at the start of the third line, pressing <C-X><C-L> will insert the first line because it starts with "th".

As an example of word completion, suppose "f" is typed at the start of the third line. Press <C-P> to complete the word using the previous occurrence that starts with "f"—that will insert "first". If you then press <C-X><C-P> the following word will also be inserted (the result will be "first line").

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 |category2=
 }}
-In addition to [[VimTip4|any word completion]] you can use whole <C-x> completion mode. It can complete whole lines (<C-X><C-L>, then <C-P>, <C-N>), filenames (<C-X><C-F>), keywords, words from custom dictionary and many, many others. This mode has many other powerful features, for example when completing word (by <C-X><C-P> or just by <C-P>) you can continue completion with another <C-X><C-P>. For example, after writing such text:
+In addition to [[VimTip4|any word completion]] you can use Ctrl-X completion mode to complete whole lines, filenames, keywords, and more. While entering text in insert mode, press Ctrl-X (written as <C-X> below), then another key to indicate the type of completion.
+*<C-X><C-L> complete whole lines
+*<C-X><C-P> complete words (<C-P> has the same effect; <C-X> is not needed)
+*<C-X><C-F> complete file names
+*<C-X><code>s</code> spelling suggestions (after <code>:setl spell</code> to enable spell checking)
+While completion is active, type <C-P> or <C-N> to select the previous or next item.
+For more information, see {{help|ins-completion}}.
+==Example==
+For example, suppose the following text is entered:
 <pre>
 this is first line
@@ Line 17: / Line 29: @@
 </pre>
+With the cursor on the empty third line, and while still in insert mode, pressing <C-X><C-L> will insert a copy of the second line. Select another line with <C-P> or <C-N>.
-Placing cursor at third line and pressing <C-X><C-L> will double last line - <C-N>, <C-P> in this moment can be used to manipulate completed line. Or, instead of completing whole line you can press 'f' and then complete by <C-P> which will result in the word, "first". After that you can <C-X><C-P> to get "line" word (since this is next word after "first"). Try yourself for other powerful combinations.
+If "th" is typed at the start of the third line, pressing <C-X><C-L> will insert the first line because it starts with "th".
+As an example of word completion, suppose "f" is typed at the start of the third line. Press <C-P> to complete the word using the previous occurrence that starts with "f"—that will insert "first". If you then press <C-X><C-P> the following word will also be inserted (the result will be "first line").
 ==Comments==

Changes: Line/word/file/whatever completion

Latest revision as of 08:00, 17 May 2014

Example[]

Comments[]