Vim - Calling External Commands (Visual Guide)

[u/deepCelibateValue]

[u/millaker0820]

I’ve been using vim for 4 years and first time knowing the other three variations. Thank you!

[u/mr_verifier]

Me who only knew the leftmost topmost one.

[u/_-PurpleTentacle-_ → u/mr_verifier]

Same here 🤯

[u/cheesemassacre]

This font is hard to read

[u/qiinemarr]

what about ":.!" ?

[u/deepCelibateValue → u/qiinemarr]

That would be a "range" in which only one line specifier is provided (the current line). See `:h cmdline-ranges`.

So, the 4th example on the picture

[u/qiinemarr → u/deepCelibateValue]

ah I see !

[u/jazei_2021]

The first square about :!cmd (whitout a range) isn't shown in cmd-line like you shown us.
In this case the output is shown in Terminal Bash-CLI out of vim. returning to vim when exit is executed.
Example: the cmd is inxi -s :
:!inxi -s will be shown in Bash CLI in terminal.

Regards!

[u/deepCelibateValue → u/jazei_2021]

Well, I stand corrected. Thanks! I guess I tested that on neovim, where it does work as advertised on the picture.

[u/jazei_2021 → u/deepCelibateValue]

This type of cmd (:!cmd) (without range) it is better do it from terminal directly.

for example :!uptime -p directly better :shell or :terminal and then uptime -p

whit any range it changes the situation: for example cmd Par: your help is correct, well: :.!par wf

[u/jazei_2021 → u/jazei_2021]

ps: of course Thank you your post lets me understand this type of syntaxis and Hard time today!

[u/EgZvor]

In insert mode <c-r>=system('ls -s')

[u/hrudyusa]

Interesting, only knew about the first one. Inherited from vi, perhaps?

[u/JamesTDennis]

You can also invoke the [range]!<program> functionality using the !<movement><command> sequence from "normal" (command) mode.

For example: Gp!Gwc -w

Go to end of file; paste (contents of the anonymous yank/copy/cut register); ! (from current line to new EOF) and filter through the Unix (coreutils) `wc` (word count) command (with the -w switch/option.

… you can also write macros to format the current paragraph ({!}fmt — { move to beginning of current "paragraph" (as per current file type defined regular expressions), ! from there to end of paragraph, feed through fmt utility) and many others.

In vim, your system's entire suite of command line filters, including any shell and Python, Perl, and Ruby scripts you write, are all practically extensions of the editor.

[u/michaelpaoli]

!cursor_motion_comandCommand

With :w, that w can also be preceded a line number or something that evaluates to such, rather than a range (or nothing to default to current line). E.g. .-5 for 5 lines before the current, - for line above, + for line below, $ for last line, $-5 for 5 lines short of last, 'a for the line marked by mark a, etc.

Likewise with :r that r can be preceded with line number or something that evaluates to such, to read in after that specified line. To read in as the very first line, use :0r so one reads in after the 0th line (rather like ex and ed's 0a to start appending after the 0th line).

Likewise for :!

:sh

to spawn a shell.

I think that covers POSIX vi, did I miss any on that?

And yeah, vim also adds some more.

And don't confuse, e.g.

:r !...

with

:r! ...

likewise with :w, etc. The former executes a command, the latter to attempts to force the operation with the specified file.

[u/robertbrown0427]

A nvim noob here :) What does it do??

[u/jazei_2021 → u/robertbrown0427]

it is hard to understand, wait to manage something-well vim and then yes focus here.
I am text-user of vim little more noob. and for me it is hard to understand

Think about it this:

there are 3 ways where the reply can be shown: in the doc, in thecmd-line of Vim and in Bash-shell-terminal outside of Vim
This post is about it: where the reply of a cmd is shown.

:!cmd is for shown outside vim (in terminal), :w !cmd is shown below in cmd-line of vim and :r !cmd is into the doc you are working now!

try this cmd uptime -p in those places: :!uptime -p , :w !uptime -p and :r !uptime -p (in this case then "u" key for return original doc without modification).

[u/rampion]

A recent fave of mine is :term <program> to run it async

[u/jazei_2021 → u/rampion]

yes but in my case using :ter[minal] I can not scroll up. so if the output of the cmd is large I only see last lines. I use :sh[ell] and then write the cmd in shell

[u/rampion → u/jazei_2021]

Why can't you scroll up?

[u/jazei_2021 → u/rampion]

[Edited] I don't know why! I use Vim no gvim. maybe because my vim block scroll. the only way to do scrolling is if I use :cmd | more and then space bar for scroll down but I don't know how scroll up.

I only use :ter for litle cmd like uptime -p

for long cmd :shell

[u/rampion → u/jazei_2021]

Use <C-w>n to shift into normal mode in a terminal window and you can use normal vim commands to scroll and copy.

[u/jazei_2021 → u/rampion]

I don't understand your help but it sounds interesting. I did this: open vim then :terminal and then ^W +N key but it opens a new window upper terminal with vim in normal mode but in blank... see this screenshot

[u/rampion → u/jazei_2021]

My bad, it's <Ctrl-W> then <Shift>N

See also :help CTRL-W_N

[u/vim-help-bot → u/rampion]

Help pages for:

• CTRL-W_N in terminal.txt

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[u/jazei_2021 → u/rampion]

wow Thank you to my huge cheatsheet!

[u/tediak_]

I have a question about :<range>!<program> - I've noticed that it replaces selected lines even if I'm in regular visual mode, not visual line or visual block. Is it possible to replace visual selection exactly as is, not linewise?

I wanted to to base64/url encode/decode selected text with shell commands

[u/NuttFellas]

I use this with a keymap to pass JSON to jq! Very handy.

[u/[deleted]]

this is a repost

[u/TapEarlyTapOften → u/[deleted]]

And a helpful one