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Tip 141 Printable Monobook Previous Next

created October 18, 2001 · complexity basic · author Mohit Kalra · version 5.7


Below is a tip that the C/C++ Newbies may find interesting and handy to use. The following code will add a function heading and position your cursor just after Description so that one can document as one proceeds with code.

function FileHeading()
  let s:line=line(".")
  call setline(s:line,"/*********************************************")
  call append(s:line,"* Description - ")
  call append(s:line+1,"* Author - Mohit Kalra")
  call append(s:line+2,"* Date - ".strftime("%b %d %Y"))
  call append(s:line+3,"* *******************************************/")
  unlet s:line
endfunction

imap <F4> <Esc>mz:execute FileHeading()<RET>`zjA

Where <Esc> stands for ^V+ESC and <RET> for ^V+ENTER

Comments[]

To get this working type F4 in insert mode.

The `zja is not a typo. Observe that:

  1. mz is actually marking the first line that is inserted because of this macro. That is, it remembers the position of /******
  2. `z actually takes the cursor to that marker.
  3. j will take you one line below that marked line.
  4. A will put you in Append mode at the end of the line where the cursor is.

Effectively, you have a cursor that is in insert mode and is positioned right after "Description" so that you can type it then and there itself.


"I was wondering however if you can insert some block of text as a header for a newly created file?"

Put this in your .vimrc file

:autocmd BufNewFile,BufRead *.java <vim command that you want run>

I use it to read a stored program heading into my programs

:autocmd BufNewFile,BufRead *.C r ~/style/mainh

Not sure if this is of use to you and I apologise since it's not the nicest or most elegant way of doing things, but a way to get text you type automatically inserted into code is by using a combination of command and functions.

here's one I wrote for a friend whose messing around with c# and getting bored of writing!:-

### put the following in you vimrc
command -nargs=+ CSprop :call Prop(<f-args>)

## function to do the business!
function Prop(return,property,name)
 normal o<Esc>
 let currline = line(".")
 call setline(currline, "public " . a:return . " " . a:property)
 normal o<Esc>
 let currline = currline + 1
 call setline(currline, "{")
 normal o<Esc>
 let currline = currline + 1
 call setline(currline, "\tget { return this." . a:name . "; }")
 normal o<Esc>
 let currline = currline + 1
 call setline(currline, "\tset { this." . a:name . " = value; }")
 normal o<Esc>
 let currline = currline + 1
 call setline(currline, "}")
endfunction

...so now, with that loaded in when you type the following command in VIM

:CSprop returnval propval nameval

the following text will be inserted in your script:-

public returnval propval
{
 get { return this.nameval; }
 set { this.nameval = value; }
}

when i use command similar to the one below to add stored header to my new program file, it works. However every time i reopen the file, the header is getting added, which is not i want. What is going wrong here?

:autocmd BufNewFile,BufRead *.C r ~/style/mainh yahoo.com

Remove BufRead


Instead of using <RET> use <CR>

-->imap <F4> <Esc>mz:execute FileHeading()<CR>`zjA

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