# Vim documentation: visual

main help file

    *visual.txt*    For Vim version 6.0at.  Last change: 2001 Jul 07

    		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL    by Bram Moolenaar

    Visual mode				*Visual* *Visual-mode* *visual-mode*

    Visual mode is a flexible and easy way to select a piece of text for an
    operator.  It is the only way to select a block of text.

    This is introduced in section |04.4| of the user manual.

    1. Using Visual mode			|visual-use|
    2. Starting and stopping Visual mode	|visual-start|
    3. Changing the Visual area		|visual-change|
    4. Operating on the Visual area		|visual-operators|
    5. Blockwise operators			|blockwise-operators|
    6. Repeating				|visual-repeat|
    7. Examples				|visual-examples|
    8. Select mode				|Select-mode|

    {Vi has no Visual mode, the name "visual" is used for Normal mode, to
    distinguish it from Ex mode}
    {not available when the |+visual| feature was disabled when compiling}

    ==============================================================================

    1. Using Visual mode					*visual-use*

    Using Visual mode consists of three parts:
    1. Mark the start of the text with "v", "V" or CTRL-V.
       The character under the cursor will be used as the start.
    2. Move to the end of the text.
       The text from the start of the Visual mode up to and including the
       character under the cursor is highlighted.
    3. Type an operator command.
       The highlighted characters will be operated upon.

    The 'highlight' option can be used to set the display mode to use for
    highlighting in Visual mode.
    The 'virtualedit' option can be used to allow positioning the cursor to
    positions where there is no actual character.

    The highlighted text includes the character under the cursor.  On terminals
    where it is possible to make the cursor invisible the cursor position is
    also highlighted.  On terminals where this is not possible the cursor is
    displayed normally.  If your cursor cannot be made invisible and you want Vim
    to highlight the character under the cursor anyway, you could set the 't_cv'
    and 't_ci' options to something harmless, for example:
    	:set t_cv=^[^[ t_ci=^[^[

    With "v" the text before the start position and after the end position will
    not be highlighted.  However, All uppercase and non-alpha operators, except
    "~", will work on whole lines anyway.  See the list of operators below.

    							*visual-block*
    With CTRL-V (blockwise Visual mode) the highlighted text will be a rectangle
    between start position and the cursor.  However, some operators work on whole
    lines anyway (see the list below).  The change and substitute operators will
    delete the highlighted text and then start insertion at the top left
    position.

    ==============================================================================

    2. Starting and stopping Visual mode			*visual-start*

    						*v* *characterwise-visual*
    v			start Visual mode per character.

    						*V* *linewise-visual*
    V			start Visual mode linewise.

    						*CTRL-V* *blockwise-visual*
    CTRL-V			start Visual mode blockwise.  Note: Under Windows
    			CTRL-V could be mapped to paste text, it doesn't work
    			to start Visual mode then, see |CTRL-V-alternative|.

    If you use <Esc>, click the left mouse button or use any command that
    does a jump to another buffer while in Visual mode, the highlighting stops
    and no text is affected.  Also when you hit "v" in characterwise Visual mode,
    "CTRL-V" in blockwise Visual mode or "V" in linewise Visual mode.  If you hit
    CTRL-Z the highlighting stops and the editor is suspended or a new shell is
    started |CTRL-Z|.

    	      new mode after typing:		*v_v* *v_CTRL-V* *v_V*
    old mode	     "v"	      "CTRL-V"		     "V"

    Normal		    Visual	   blockwise Visual	  linewise Visual
    Visual		    Normal	   blockwise Visual	  linewise Visual
    blockwise Visual    Visual	   Normal		  linewise Visual
    linewise Visual     Visual	   blockwise Visual	  Normal

    							*gv* *v_gv*
    gv			Start Visual mode with the same area as the previous
    			area and the same mode.  In Visual mode the current and
    			the previous Visual area are exchanged.

    							*<LeftMouse>*
    <LeftMouse>		Set the current cursor position.  If Visual mode is
    			active it is stopped.  Only when 'mouse' option is
    			contains 'n' or 'a'.  If the position is within 'so'
    			lines from the last line on the screen the text is
    			scrolled up.  If the position is within 'so' lines from
    			the first line on the screen the text is scrolled
    			down.

    							*<RightMouse>*
    <RightMouse>		Start Visual mode if it is not active.  The text from
    			the cursor position to the position of the click is
    			highlighted.  If Visual mode was already active move
    			the start or end of the highlighted text, which ever
    			is closest, to the position of the click.  Only when
    			'mouse' option contains 'n' or 'a'.

    			Note: when 'mousemodel' is set to "popup",
    			<S-LeftMouse> has to be used instead of <RightMouse>.

    							*<LeftRelease>*
    <LeftRelease>		This works like a <LeftMouse>, if it is not a
    			the same position as <LeftMouse>.  In an xterm you
    			won't see the selected area until the button is
    			released, unless there is access to the display where
    			the xterm is running (via the DISPLAY environment
    			variable or the -display argument).  Only when 'mouse'
    			option contains 'n' or 'a'.

    If Visual mode is not active and the "v", "V" or CTRL-V is preceded with a
    count, the size of the previously highlighted area is used for a start.  You
    can then move the end of the highlighted area and give an operator.  The type
    of the old area is used (character, line or blockwise).
    - Linewise Visual mode: The number of lines is multiplied with the count.
    - Blockwise Visual mode: The number of lines and columns is multiplied with
      the count.
    - Normal Visual mode within one line: The number of characters is multiplied
      with the count.
    - Normal Visual mode with several lines: The number of lines is multiplied
      with the count, in the last line the same number of characters is used as
      in the last line in the previously highlighted area.
    The start of the text is the Cursor position.  If the "$" command was used as
    one of the last commands to extend the highlighted text, the area will be
    extended to the rightmost column of the longest line.

    If you want to highlight exactly the same area as the last time, you can use
    "gv" |gv| |v_gv|.

    							*v_CTRL-C*
    CTRL-C			In Visual mode: Stop Visual mode.  When insert mode is
    			pending (the mode message shows
    			"-- (insert) VISUAL --"), it is also stopped.

    ==============================================================================

    3. Changing the Visual area				*visual-change*

    							*v_o*
    o			Go to Other end of highlighted text: The current
    			cursor position becomes the start of the highlighted
    			text and the cursor is moved to the other end of the
    			highlighted text.  The highlighted area remains the
    			same.

    							*v_O*
    O			Go to Other end of highlighted text.  This is like
    			"o", but in Visual block mode the cursor moves to the
    			other corner in the same line.  When the corner is at
    			a character that occupies more than one position on
    			the screen (e.g., a <Tab>), the highlighted text may
    			change.

    							*v_$*
    When the "$" command is used with blockwise Visual mode, the right end of the
    highlighted text will be determined by the longest highlighted line.  This
    stops when a motion command is used that does not move straight up or down.

    For moving the end of the block many commands can be used, but you cannot
    use Ex commands, commands that make changes or abandon the file.  Commands
    (starting with) ".pPiIaAO&", CTRL-^, "Z", CTRL-], CTRL-T, CTRL-R, CTRL-I
    and CTRL-O cause a beep and Visual mode continues.

    When switching to another window on the same buffer, the cursor position in
    that window is adjusted, so that the same Visual area is still selected.  This
    is especially useful to view the start of the Visual area in one window, and
    the end in another.  You can then use <RightMouse> (or <S-LeftMouse> when
    'mousemodel' is "popup") to move either end of the Visual area.

    ==============================================================================

    4. Operating on the Visual area				*visual-operators*

    The operators that can be used are:
    	~	switch case					|v_~|
    	d	delete						|v_d|
    	c	change (4)					|v_c|
    	y	yank						|v_y|
    	>	shift right (4)					|v_>|
    	<	shift left (4)					|v_<|
    	!	filter through external command (1)		|v_!|
    	=	filter through 'equalprg' option command (1)	|v_=|
    	gq	format lines to 'textwidth' length (1)		|v_gq|

    The objects that can be used are:
    	aw	a word (with white space)			|v_aw|
    	iw	inner word					|v_iw|
    	aW	a WORD (with white space)			|v_aW|
    	iW	inner WORD					|v_iW|
    	as	a sentence (with white space)			|v_as|
    	is	inner sentence					|v_is|
    	ap	a paragraph (with white space)			|v_ap|
    	ip	inner paragraph					|v_ip|
    	ab	a () block (with braces)			|v_ab|
    	ib	inner () block					|v_ib|
    	aB	a {} block (with brackets)			|v_aB|
    	iB	inner {} block					|v_iB|

    Additionally the following commands can be used:
    	:	start ex command for highlighted lines (1)	|v_:|
    	r	change (4)					|v_r|
    	s	change						|v_s|
    	C	change (2)(4)					|v_C|
    	S	change (2)					|v_S|
    	R	change (2)					|v_R|
    	x	delete						|v_x|
    	D	delete (3)					|v_D|
    	X	delete (2)					|v_X|
    	Y	yank (2)					|v_Y|
    	p	put						|v_p|
    	J	join (1)					|v_J|
    	U	make uppercase					|v_U|
    	u	make lowercase					|v_u|
    	^]	find tag					|v_CTRL-]|
    	I	block insert					|v_b_I|
    	A	block append					|v_b_A|

    (1): Always whole lines, see |:visual_example|.
    (2): Whole lines when not using CTRL-V.
    (3): Whole lines when not using CTRL-V, delete until the end of the line when
         using CTRL-V.
    (4): When using CTRL-V operates on the block only.

    Note that the ":vmap" command can be used to specifically map keys in Visual
    mode.  For example, if you would like the "/" command not to extend the Visual
    area, but instead take the highlighted text and search for that:
    	:vmap / y/<C-R>"<CR>
    (In the <> notation |<>|, when typing it you should type it literally; you
    need to remove the 'B' and '<' flags from 'cpoptions')

    If you want to give a register name using the """ command, do this just before
    typing the operator character: "v{move-around}"xd".

    If you want to give a count to the command, do this just before typing the
    operator character: "v{move-around}3>" (move lines 3 indents to the right).

    							*{move-around}*
    The {move-around} is any sequence of movement commands.  Note the difference
    with {motion}, which is only ONE movement command.

    ==============================================================================

    5. Blockwise operators					*blockwise-operators*

    {not available when compiled without the |+visualextra| feature}

    Visual-block Insert						*v_b_I*
    With a blockwise selection, I{string}<ESC> will insert {string} at the start
    of block on every line of the block, provided that the line extends into the
    block.  TABs are split to retain visual columns.
    See |v_b_I_example|.

    Visual-block Append						*v_b_A*
    With a blockwise selection, A{string}<ESC> will append {string} to the end of
    block on every line of the block. There is some differing behavior where the
    block RHS is not straight, due to different line lengths:

    1. Block was created with <C-v>$
        In this case the string is appended to the end of each line.
    2. Block was created with <C-v>{move-around}
        In this case the string is appended to the end of the block on each
        line which extends into the block, and whitespace is inserted to pad to
        the end-of-block column.
    See |v_b_A_example|.

    Visual-block change						*v_b_c*
    All selected text in the block will be replaced by the same text string.  When
    using "c" the selected text is deleted and Insert mode started.  You can then
    enter text (without a line break).  When you hit <Esc>, the same string is
    inserted in all previously selected lines.

    Visual-block Change						*v_b_C*
    Like using "c", but the selection is extended until the end of the line for
    all lines.

    								*v_b_<*

    Visual-block Shift						*v_b_>*
    The block is shifted by 'shiftwidth'. The RHS of the block is irrelevant. The
    LHS of the block determines the point from which to apply a right shift, and
    padding includes TABs optimally according to 'ts' and 'et'. The LHS of the
    block determines the point upto which to shift left.
        Note: v_< padding is buggy if the Visual Block starts and ends in the same
        TAB. (Vim 5.4c).
    See |v_b_>_example|.
    See |v_b_<_example|.

    Visual-block Replace						*v_b_r*
    Every screen char in the highlighted region is replaced with the same char, ie
    TABs are split and the virtual whitespace is replaced, maintaining screen
    layout.
    See |v_b_r_example|.

    ==============================================================================

    6. Repeating						*visual-repeat*

    When repeating a Visual mode operator, the operator will be applied to the
    same amount of text as the last time:
    - Linewise Visual mode: The same number of lines.
    - Blockwise Visual mode: The same number of lines and columns.
    - Normal Visual mode within one line: The same number of characters.
    - Normal Visual mode with several lines: The same number of lines, in the
      last line the same number of characters as in the last line the last time.
    The start of the text is the Cursor position.  If the "$" command was used as
    one of the last commands to extend the highlighted text, the repeating will
    be applied up to the rightmost column of the longest line.

    ==============================================================================

    7. Examples						*visual-examples*

    							*:visual_example*
    Currently the ":" command works on whole lines only.  When you select part of
    a line, doing something like ":!date" will replace the whole line.  If you
    want only part of the line to be replaced you will have to make a mapping for
    it.  In a future release ":" may work on partial lines.

    Here is an example, to replace the selected text with the output of "date":
    	:vmap _a <Esc>`>a<CR><Esc>`<i<CR><Esc>!!date<CR>kJJ

    (In the <> notation |<>|, when typing it you should type it literally; you
    need to remove the 'B' and '<' flags from 'cpoptions')

    What this does is:
    <Esc>		stop Visual mode
    `>		go to the end of the Visual area
    a<CR><Esc>	break the line after the Visual area
    `<		jump to the start of the Visual area
    i<CR><Esc>	break the line before the Visual area
    !!date<CR>	filter the Visual text through date
    kJJ		Join the lines back together

    							*visual-search*
    Here is an idea for a mapping that makes it possible to do a search for the
    selected text:
    	:vmap X y/<C-R>"<CR>

    (In the <> notation |<>|, when typing it you should type it literally; you
    need to remove the 'B' and '<' flags from 'cpoptions')

    Note that special characters (like '.' and '*') will cause problems.

    Visual-block Examples					*blockwise-examples*
    With the following text, I will indicate the commands to produce the block and
    the results below. In all cases, the cursor begins on the 'a' in the first
    line if the test text.
    The following modeline settings are assumed :ts=8:sw=4:

    It will be helpful to
    :set hls
    /<TAB>
    where <TAB> ia a real TAB. This helps visualise the operations.

    The test text is:

    abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abc		defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdef  ghi		jklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

    1. fo<C-v>3jISTRING<ESC>					*v_b_I_example*

    abcdefghijklmnSTRINGopqrstuvwxyz
    abc	      STRING  defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdef  ghi   STRING	jklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdefghijklmnSTRINGopqrstuvwxyz

    2. fo<C-v>3j$ASTRING<ESC>					*v_b_A_example*

    abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzSTRING
    abc		defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzSTRING
    abcdef  ghi		jklmnopqrstuvwxyzSTRING
    abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzSTRING

    3. fo<C-v>3j3l<..						*v_b_<_example*

    abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abc	      defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdef  ghi   jklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

    4. fo3j>..							*v_b_>_example*

    abcdefghijklmn		  opqrstuvwxyz
    abc			    defghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdef  ghi			    jklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdefghijklmn		  opqrstuvwxyz

    5. fo5l3jrX							*v_b_r_example*

    abcdefghijklmnXXXXXXuvwxyz
    abc	      XXXXXXhijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdef  ghi   XXXXXX    jklmnopqrstuvwxyz
    abcdefghijklmnXXXXXXuvwxyz

    ==============================================================================

    8. Select mode						*Select* *Select-mode*

    Select mode looks like Visual mode, but the commands accepted are quite
    different.  This resembles the selection mode in Microsoft Windows.
    When the 'showmode' option is set, "-- SELECT --" is shown in the last line.

    Entering Select mode:
    - Using the mouse to select an area, and 'selectmode' contains "mouse".
      'mouse' must also contain a flag for the current mode.
    - Using a non-printable movement command, with the Shift key pressed, and
      'selectmode' contains "key".  For example: <S-Left> and <S-End>.  'keymodel'
      must also contain "startsel".
    - Using "v", "V" or CTRL-V command, and 'selectmode' contains "cmd".
    - Using "gh", "gH" or "g_CTRL-H" command in Normal mode.

    - From Visual mode, press CTRL-G.			*v_CTRL-G*

    Commands in Select mode:
    - Printable characters, <NL> and <CR> cause the selection to be deleted, and
      Vim enters Insert mode.  The typed character is inserted.
    - Non-printable movement commands, with the Shift key pressed, extend the
      selection.  'keymodel' must include "startsel".
    - Non-printable movement commands, with the Shift key NOT pressed, stop Select
      mode.  'keymodel' must include "stopsel".
    - ESC stops Select mode.

    - CTRL-O switches to Visual mode for the duration of one command. *v_CTRL-O*
    - CTRL-G switches to Visual mode.

    Otherwise, typed characters are handled as in Visual mode.

    When using an operator in Select mode, and the selection is linewise, the
    selected lines are operated upon, but like in characterwise selection.  For
    example, when a whole line is deleted, it can later be pasted halfway a line.

    Mappings and menus in Select mode.			*Select-mode-mapping*

    In Select mode the mappings and menus of Visual mode are used.  Before it is
    executed, Vim automatically switches to Visual mode, so that the same
    behavior as in Visual mode is effective.

    After the mapping or menu finishes, the selection is enabled again and Select
    mode entered, unless the selected area was deleted, another buffer became
    the current one or the window layout was changed.

    							*gV* *v_gV*
    gV			Avoid the automatic reselection of the Visual area
    			after a Select mode mapping or menu has finished.
    			Put this just before the end of the mapping or menu.
    			At least it should be after any operations on the
    			selection.

    							*gh*
    gh			Start Select mode, characterwise.  This is like "v",
    			but starts Select mode instead of Visual mode.
    			Mnemonic: "get highlighted".

    							*gH*
    gH			Start Select mode, linewise.  This is like "V",
    			but starts Select mode instead of Visual mode.
    			Mnemonic: "get Highlighted".

    							*g_CTRL-H*
    g CTRL-H		Start Select mode, blockwise.  This is like CTRL-V,
    			but starts Select mode instead of Visual mode.
    			Mnemonic: "get Highlighted".

    top - main help file