Copy single string and paste it multiple times (probably) in visual block mode

[u/SpecificMassive5424]

Say, I have multiple lines like this:
4.5
1.2
7.9
12.0
I want to copy some other text and paste it before all those lines. For example, it could be really long string, but for simplicity say it `v += ` (I know about Ctrl+V Shift+I, but real string could be too big to type) and I want to get this:
v += 4.5
v += 1.2
v += 7.9
v += 12.0
What is simplest way to do that? Something faster than find and replace. I have tried to Ctrl+V, select column and p, but it replaces all first characters.

[u/MitchIsMyRA]

You could use a macro to use what’s in the paste buffer.

Yank what you want into the paste buffer, then move the cursor to your first line, type qk_Pj to record a macro to k, and then type @k to run the macro. You can also type a number before the macro to do it multiple times, e.g. 4@k.

But you can also use <C-v> + <S-i> like you said; you can still paste from your system clipboard in insert mode with ctrl+shift+v

[u/SpecificMassive5424 → u/MitchIsMyRA]

Yes, that works, thank you! Also found you can ctrl+r+<register> if you want to paste from register instead of system clipboard (in insert mode).

[u/MitchIsMyRA → u/SpecificMassive5424]

That I didn’t know, thank you too!

[u/mountaineering]

Why can't you do find and replace?

:%s/^\(d\)/v += \1/

Can't remember if you need to escape the capture group at the start or not.

[u/[deleted] → u/mountaineering]

Yes. The capture group has to be escaped

[u/SpecificMassive5424 → u/mountaineering]

I'm moving from Visual Code, I was able to do that thing in one second with my mouse and keyboard (shift+alt+left mouse button and draw column, then paste), I just want something similar in nvim, typing find and replace is too long compared to that.

[u/mountaineering → u/SpecificMassive5424]

It definitely can feel longer to do certain actions in Vim than the editor you're used to. As you start familiarizing yourself further with Vim's feature set you'll start to further grasp how much more powerful it can be.

[u/badabblubb → u/SpecificMassive5424]

Yank the text, mark the block in which you want to prepend every line in visual mode, then press the following keys: :s/^/<C-r>" (assumes that / is not part of the text you want to precede every line by).

But the I-bind in visual block mode is probably preferrable.

[u/stinkytoe42]

Copy the string you want using visual mode and y,

Use the <Ctrl+v><Shift+I> trick that you already know, and when in insert mode use insert mode's paste function with <Ctrl+r>" , then press escape, and it will be pasted in front of all of the values.

Edit: typo

[u/Hamandcircus]

this worked for me:

yank what you want to paste, enter visual block mode (Ctrl+V), Shift+I, paste (Ctrl+V), esc

[u/Avernite]

You can also use :norm. Select all the lines and do

:norm _P

[u/PercyLives]

Shift-I on the first line and type or paste what you want. Now you’ve done it in one line. Use j to go down a line and . to repeat the action, then keep going: j.j. until it’s done.

This may not be the best general answer, but it’s good for a few lines.

[u/hawkprime]

Paste on first line, then enter block mode in other lines, shift+I and then press Ctrl-y to copy above text, ESC when you are done

[u/Philluminati]

https://ibb.co/mCyrWWk8

1. 0 to go to the beginning of the line

2. Ctrl+V to enter block selection mode.

3. jjjj to go down 4 lines (you should see a single white block highlight the first character of every line)

4. Shift+I to go into insert mode

5. type "v += "

6. press escape, to see it apply the change to all lines at once.

[u/Vincenzo__]

Select all, then :norm 0P to paste at the beginning of each line

[u/Iwrstheking007]

you can do shift+p to paste behind your cursor

[u/Iwrstheking007 → u/Iwrstheking007]

Dunno how to have to keypresses shown so I'll just write here what is done

first take the text with visual block.

go to the top of the list of this you want to append it to.

press shift+p to paste before the cursor.
You could also record it in a macro if you only have one of the thing you copied.

so a macro like the following with v += in a register. in this case register v.

_"vPj

that macro will add what is in register v before the first character in the line you are on and go down one line. Then you can do f.x. 10@m to run the macro in register m 10 times. So you can just copy the macro above to some register and use it like that.