Editing Text objects for strings

{{review}}
{{deprecated|This is now part of Vim 7(.1?)}}
{{TipImported
|id=901
|previous=900
|next=902
|created=2005
|complexity=intermediate
|author=joern_h
|version=6.0
|rating=14/5
|category1=Map
|category2=
}}
This function adds support for common operations on string text objects like:
*<code>di"</code> Delete Inner String.
*<code>ca'</code> Change A String.

and so on. Strings have to be on one line. See {{help|text-objects}} for a description of other predefined text objects.

<pre>
function! JHStringObject(cmd,delim,mode)
  if a:mode == 'i'
    let c = 'normal T' . a:delim . a:cmd . 't' . a:delim
  elseif a:mode == 'a'
    let c = 'normal F' . a:delim . a:cmd . 'f' . a:delim
  endif
  execute c
  if a:cmd == 'c'
    normal l
    startinsert
  endif
endfunction
nnoremap di" :call JHStringObject('d','"','i')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap di' :call JHStringObject('d',"'",'i')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap da" :call JHStringObject('d','"','a')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap da' :call JHStringObject('d',"'",'a')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap ci" :call JHStringObject('c','"','i')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap ci' :call JHStringObject('c',"'",'i')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap ca" :call JHStringObject('c','"','a')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap ca' :call JHStringObject('c',"'",'a')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap yi" :call JHStringObject('y','"','i')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap yi' :call JHStringObject('y',"'",'i')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap ya" :call JHStringObject('y','"','a')&lt;CR&gt;
nnoremap ya' :call JHStringObject('y',"'",'a')&lt;CR&gt;
</pre>

==Comments==
I think the tips must begin with a problem definition, not a defintion of the solution. Usually, we look for a tip that is solving a problem we faced. By looking at a snazzy solution, we have no way of telling what context would it apply to us. An example would help.

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Another way to define text objects is using the omap command like this:

<pre>
function! StringObject(delim,mode)
  if a:mode == 'i'
    let c = 'normal T' . a:delim . 'vt' . a:delim
  elseif a:mode == 'a'
    let c = 'normal F' . a:delim . 'vf' . a:delim
  endif
  execute c
endfunction
omap a" :call StringObject('"','a')&lt;cr&gt;
omap i" :call StringObject('"','i')&lt;cr&gt;
omap a' :call StringObject("'",'a')&lt;cr&gt;
omap i' :call StringObject("'",'i')&lt;cr&gt;
</pre>

Using this method allows you to use all the built-in Vim operators on StringObjects without defining four mappings for each operator.

To get equivalent visual mode mappings add &lt;esc&gt; to the start:

<pre>
vmap a" &lt;esc&gt;:call StringObject('"','a')&lt;cr&gt;
vmap i" &lt;esc&gt;:call StringObject('"','i')&lt;cr&gt;
vmap a' &lt;esc&gt;:call StringObject("'",'a')&lt;cr&gt;
vmap i' &lt;esc&gt;:call StringObject("'",'i')&lt;cr&gt;
</pre>

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