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Vim Key Mapping

Bill Odom (

billodom@gmail.com)

St. Louis UNIX Users Group

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What?

Maps bind a series of keystrokes to a key sequence

Better for defining behavior (vs. abbreviations)

Better for long-term customization (vs. macros)

Can be defined across all of Vims modes

Fundamental to customizing Vim

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Abbreviations are most useful for content expansion, like correcting typos and insertingsnippets/templates.

By long-term customization, I mean things you want to use beyond your current session.

Macros are great, but if you have one you like, convert it to a map and stick it in your .vimrc.

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{cmd} {attr} {lhs} {rhs}map command attributes left-hand side right-hand side

Map Command Structure

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Map Command Structure

" Example map commandmap :echo 'Hello!'

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is an attribute, and is the key being mapped.

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Map Commands

nmap

imapvmap

xmap

smap

omap

cmaplmap

map

map!

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These are the mapping commands that Vim supports, but you probably wont use all of them,and you usually dont want to use them in this form.

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Map Commands

nnoremap

inoremap

vnoremapxnoremap

snoremaponoremap

cnoremap

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These are the ones youll use most of the time.

Ive left out :map and :map! since Vims mode-specific commands are more precise andunderstandable. The :lmap command is missing, too, since its very rarely used. (See :help

language-mapping if youre curious.)

But whats with the nore thats shown up in the middle of the command names?

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Map Commands

nnoremap

inoremap

vnoremapxnoremap

snoremaponoremap

cnoremap

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The usual Vim map commands (without nore in the middle) create maps that allowremapping. That is, any mapped keystrokes on the right-hand side get expanded when themapped key sequence (the left-hand side) is pressed. This is often very useful, but it can be aproblem if it happens unexpectedly.

The nore -- a.k.a. non-remapping or non-recursive -- versions dont allow remapping;keys mentioned on the right-hand side have their default, built-in meaning. I use the non-remapping commands as a safe default, and only use the remapping versions when Ispecifically want the right-hand side of a map to expand other embedded maps. (Well seeexamples of this in the Sample Maps.)

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Map Attributes

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Map will not be echoed on the command line Map is local to the current bufer Right-hand side is result of an expression evaluated each time the map isinvoked

Command fails if the left-hand side is not unique Remapping allowed, but only for maps local to a script Allows use of symbolic key names, even when cpoptions doesnt contain gv

vnoremap

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" Disable paste-on-middle-click

"

inoremap

Sample Maps

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A single is how you disable Vim features you dont want. I dont want to unexpectedlypaste my clipboard into random files because I accidentally pressed my scrollwheel too hard.

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" Center display line after searches

"

nnoremap n nzz

nnoremap N Nzznnoremap * *zz

nnoremap # #zz

nnoremap g* g*zz

nnoremap g# g#z

Sample Maps

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Great for noisy searches when youve lost your cursor -- just look in the middle of the screen.

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" Edit vimrc in new tab

"

nnoremap ,ev :tabedit $MYVIMRC

Sample Maps

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A good example of how tab pages can be used to quickly get in and get out of something youneed to do, but that isnt the main thing youre working on at the moment. I update my .vimrcall the time, but I hate to mess up my current window arrangement just to tweak my editorconfiguration.

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" Delete to end of line, bash-style

"

inoremap D

Sample Maps

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You get used to something in one environment, you want it in another.

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" Control+Up/Down move lines & selections up and down.

" (Based on )

"

" Define maps for Normal and Visual modes, then re-use

" them for Insert and Select modes."

nnoremap :move -2

nnoremap :move +

xnoremap :move '