comment multiple lines in vim

Furlinastis · 12-08-2007, 09:21 PM

I am editing xorg.conf and have a few sections that I would like to comment, but typing i then x then <escape> then j then h then i, etc is annoying. Especially when I want to comment sections that are 50 lines in a row but I don't want to delete them as I may want to use them in the future. How would I stick a comment at the beginning of 'x' number of lines in vim?

agentc0re · 12-08-2007, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Furlinastis

I am editing xorg.conf and have a few sections that I would like to comment, but typing i then x then <escape> then j then h then i, etc is annoying. Especially when I want to comment sections that are 50 lines in a row but I don't want to delete them as I may want to use them in the future. How would I stick a comment at the beginning of 'x' number of lines in vim?

LOL i just did a quick google search for vi comment multiple lines.
http://www.linuxweblog.com/comment-multiple-lines

Code:

vi comment multipul lines

remember, GIYF

Furlinastis · 12-08-2007, 09:35 PM

Hmm.. That's weird. I searched and I didn't get anything?

Anyway, thanks

raconteur · 12-08-2007, 11:08 PM

:x,y s/^/# /

The colon is command mode, obviously
x and y is a range of line numbers you want to affect
s is a sed substitution, the caret (^) means the beginning of the line
The sharp (#) is the comment character, again obviously
I put a space after the comment, but it isn't necessary, substitute any string that suits you.

dive · 12-09-2007, 06:16 AM

Another way to do do this is to visually select the lines you want to comment with shift-v and up and down arrows, then type

:s/^/# /

Easier for blocks of fewer lines.

NB: When you press : vim will add '<,'> to the command line so the final command is:

:'<,'>s/^/# /

bioe007 · 12-09-2007, 06:36 PM

you don't have to type all this tons of stuff, just bind the substitution in your ~/.vimrc

Code:

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"       bindings
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
    ",v brings up my .vimrc
map ,v :sp $HOME/.vimrc<CR><C-W>_

    ",V reloads it -- making all changes active (have to save first)
map <silent> ,V :source $HOME/.vimrc<CR>:filetype detect<CR>:exe ":echo 'vimrc reloaded'"<CR>

    " comments
    " bash
noremap <silent> ,# :call CommentLineToEnd('# ')<CR>+
    " or c
noremap <silent> ,* :call CommentLinePincer('/* ', ' */')<CR>+
noremap <silent> ,/ :call CommentLineToEnd('// ')<CR>+
    " or vimrc
noremap <silent> ," :call CommentLineToEnd('" ')<CR>+

    " Make shift-insert work like in Xterm
map <S-Insert> <MiddleMouse>
map! <S-Insert> <MiddleMouse>

so for me, I can select lines and `,#` for bash, or whatever for c/c++

you should check out: http://www.vim.org/tips/index.php

there is tons of useful stuff there.

BCarey · 12-09-2007, 07:03 PM

...and to see the line numbers (for x and y) type ":set nu"

Brian

dive · 12-10-2007, 06:54 AM

Or just bind F2 to 'set number!' which toggles on/off.

osor · 12-11-2007, 12:50 PM

If you want to get more fancy, you could use external text filters such as boxes or indent. Usually this is for things like C source files instead of xorg.conf files.

For example, if you type out this code:

Code:

This is the program header that explains some stuff about the program
itself and may have a long copyright clause in addition. Blah, blah,
blah. Blah, blah, blah, blah.

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

This software is dedicated to my dear, sweet mother.

#include <stdio.h>
int main() { printf("Real code begins on line 20.\n"); return 0;}

And this type into ex:

Code:

:1,18!boxes

The result looks all pretty like so:

Code:

/*************************************************************************/
/* This is the program header that explains some stuff about the program */
/* itself and may have a long copyright clause in addition. Blah, blah,  */
/* blah. Blah, blah, blah, blah.                                         */
/*                                                                       */
/* This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify  */
/* it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by  */
/* the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or     */
/* (at your option) any later version.                                   */
/*                                                                       */
/* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,       */
/* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of        */
/* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the         */
/* GNU General Public License for more details.                          */
/*                                                                       */
/* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License     */
/* along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>. */
/*                                                                       */
/* This software is dedicated to my dear, sweet mother.                  */
/*************************************************************************/

#include <stdio.h>
int main() { printf("Real code begins on line 20.\n"); return 0;}

If you happen to be using vim (and not plain vi/ex), you could use something like this script in stead/addition.

raconteur · 12-11-2007, 01:01 PM

Tee hee... when I posted in this thread, I knew it would grow quickly.

I love vi, my .exrc is pretty huge (I won't give the exact amount of lines, or post all of the aliases and functions, that would just feed the fire

) ... there are as many ways to do <insert action here> as there are people to do them.