Editing Shifting blocks visually

{{TipImported
|id=224
|previous=223
|next=225
|created=2002
|complexity=basic
|author=
|version=6.0
|rating=272/109
|category1=Indenting
|category2=
}}
Programmers often need to adjust indents (the amount of whitespace before the text on a line). This tip shows how it's done.

See [[VimTip83|Indenting source code]] for related information, including settings that affect indentation.

==Basic commands==
In normal mode, type <code>>></code> to indent the current line, or <code><<</code> to unindent. Each command can be used with a count. The operators <code>></code> and <code><</code> do the same for motions, text objects and visual selections. For all commands, pressing <code>.</code> repeats the operation.

For example, typing <code>5>>..</code> shifts five lines to the right, and then repeats the operation twice so that the five lines are shifted three times.

In insert mode, <code>Ctrl-T</code> indents the current line, and <code>Ctrl-D</code> unindents.

When indenting or unindenting, lines are shifted one <code>'shiftwidth'</code> to the right or left.

===Basic examples===
To adjust the indent on three lines:
*Put the cursor anywhere in the first line.
*Press <code>V</code> then <code>jj</code> to visually select the three lines.
*Press <code>></code> to indent (shift text one '<code>shiftwidth</code>' to the right), or press <code><</code> to shift left.
*Press <code>.</code> to repeat the indent, or <code>u</code> to undo if you have shifted too far.
*Type <code>gv</code> if you want to reselect the lines (not needed).

Alternatively, if you know that you want to adjust three lines, you can simply:
*Type <code>3>></code> to shift right or <code>3<<</code> to shift left.
Or:
*Type <code>>2j</code> to shift right or <code><2j</code> to shift left.

As mentioned above, the <code>></code> and <code><</code> commands combine with arbitrary Vim movements and text objects. For example, <code>>}</code> to indent from the cursor to the next blank line, or <code><aB</code> to un-indent the current C-like {...} "block" structure. See [[indent a code block]].

==More commands==
In normal mode, type <code>==</code> to automatically indent the current line according to your [[VimTip83|indentation settings]]. This command can be used with a count. The <code>=</code> command does the same, but for motions, text objects and visual selections.

To reindent an entire buffer, use <code>gg=G</code>.

To reindent many files, the argument list can be used:
<pre>
:args *.c
:argdo normal gg=G
:update
</pre>

Or use the buffer list (caution, every buffer will be affected):
<pre>
:bufdo normal gg=G
:update
</pre>

In insert mode, <code>0&nbsp;Ctrl-D</code> removes all indentation on the current line, and <code>^&nbsp;Ctrl-D</code> does the same, but restores the original level of indentation for this line on the next line. When using <code>'cindent'</code> or file type based indentation, <code>Ctrl-F</code> reindents the current line, like <code>==</code> in normal mode.

The <code>:></code> and <code>:<</code> commands take a range, and additional <code>></code> or <code><</code> can be used. For example, <code>:12,20>>></code> indents lines 12 to 20 inclusive three times (adding three times <code>'shiftwidth'</code> of indentation to the specified lines).

===More examples===
To set the indent on three lines to 12 spaces (or an equivalent mixture of tabs/spaces, depending on '<code>expandtab</code>'):
*Put the cursor anywhere in the first line.
*Press <code>V</code> then <code>jj</code> to visually select the three lines.
*Type <code>:le 12</code> then press Enter (abbreviation for <code>:left 12</code>).

To remove all indents in a selected region, type <code>:le</code> then press Enter.

To apply automatic indentation (this requires suitable indent rules for your file type):
*Type <code>==</code> to indent the current line.
*Type a number then <code>==</code> to indent that many lines, starting from the cursor.
*Press <code>V</code> then move the cursor to select a range of lines, then press <code>=</code> to indent the selection.

==Mappings==
If you select some lines then press <code>></code> to indent the lines, the selection is removed. The indentation can be repeated on the same range using <code>.</code>, but if you still want to retain the visual selection after having pressed <code>></code> or <code><</code>, you can use these mappings
<pre>
vnoremap > >gv
vnoremap < <gv
</pre>

Following is a more elaborate set of mappings (mapping Shift-Tab will probably only work on gvim). In normal mode, press Tab or Shift-Tab to adjust the indent on the current line and position the cursor on the first nonblank character; in insert mode, press Shift-Tab to unindent; in visual mode, press Tab or Shift-Tab to adjust the indent on selected lines.
<pre>
nnoremap <Tab> >>_
nnoremap <S-Tab> <<_
inoremap <S-Tab> <C-D>
vnoremap <Tab> >gv
vnoremap <S-Tab> <gv
</pre>

An alternative for anyone using <code>:behave mswin</code>, is to select lines by holding down Shift and pressing the cursor down or up arrow keys. However, in select mode, if you press <code>></code>, the selected text will be replaced with '<code>></code>'. Instead, you can use Tab to increase the indent, and Shift-Tab to decrease it, with these mappings:
<pre>
vnoremap <Tab> >
vnoremap <S-Tab> <
</pre>

In select mode, visual-mode mappings temporarily set visual mode ({{help|Select-mode-mapping}}).Also, the select mode will be retained. You could use the following alternative if you want to exit from select mode after pressing Tab or Shift-Tab:
<pre>
vnoremap <Tab> >gV
vnoremap <S-Tab> <gV
</pre>

==See also==
*[[VimTip597|597 Indent a code block]] indenting a code block (<code>{...}</code>)

==References==
*{{help|gv}}
*{{help|blockwise-visual}}
*{{help|v_b_I}}
*{{help|id==}}

==Comments==
Where <code>:wall</code> is used, should mention <code>:set hidden</code>. We should have a tip on that so we can just link to it. [[User:JohnBeckett|JohnBeckett]] 04:33, June 28, 2012 (UTC)

in Vi :set ts=4 sw=4 will set the tab space to 4