In Vim, how do I apply a macro to a set of lines?
VimVim MacrosVim Problem Overview
I have a file with a bunch of lines. I have recorded a macro that performs an operation on a single line. I want to repeat that macro on all of the remaining lines in the file. Is there a quick way to do this?
I tried Ctrl+Q, highlighted a set of lines, and pressed @@, but that didn't seem to do the trick.
Vim Solutions
Solution 1 - Vim
Use the normal command in Ex mode to execute the macro on multiple/all lines:
Execute the macro stored in register a on lines 5 through 10.
:5,10norm! @a
Execute the macro stored in register a on lines 5 through the end of the file.
:5,$norm! @a
Execute the macro stored in register a on all lines.
:%norm! @a
Execute the macro store in register a on all lines matching pattern.
:g/pattern/norm! @a
To execute the macro on visually selected lines, press V and the j or k until the desired region is selected. Then type :norm! @a
and observe the that following input line is shown.
:'<,'>norm! @a
Enter :help normal in vim to read more.
Solution 2 - Vim
Use global to run the macro 'a' on all lines that contain 'pattern'
:g/pattern/normal! @a
For help, check: :help global
.
Solution 3 - Vim
You can also do this:
In normal mode:
[number of times to apply the macro] @ [register]
For example:
1000@q
Apply the macro in register q to the next 1000 lines.
> Update: the accepted answer is a lot better
>
> Update: as @kevinliu pointed out, you likely want to end the macro with a j
to go to the next line.
Solution 4 - Vim
There's also a plugin called RangeMacro, does exactly what you want! For everyone that can't guess by the name, what it does: it repeats a recorded macro for each line in a given range, no matter if by visual selection or by a :40,50 / :+10