vim how enter multiple commands at command prompt

Question

How should I enter the following as a single string at the command prompt in vim

:let v:errmsg = ""  
:silent! /\cend of .*project gutenberg  
:if v:errmsg != ""  
:echo "Not found"  
:endif

This does not work, the message is not printed.

:let v:errmsg = ""|:silent! /\cend of .*project gutenberg|:if v:errmsg != ""|:echo "Not found"|:endif

What's wrong with the message you get when there's no match? — romainl
– romainl, Commented Mar 31, 2013 at 20:24

Christian Brabandt · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-31 21:07:13Z

2

Well, the problem is the normal search you are doing. The range search sees the | as part of its arguments and therefore it cannot be used to enter another command. Therefore, wrap it into an :exe call like this:

let v:errmsg = ""|exe 'sil! /\cend of .*project gutenberg'|if v:errmsg != ""|echo "Not found"|endif

edited Mar 31, 2013 at 21:07

answered Mar 31, 2013 at 19:30

Christian Brabandt

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2 Comments

ZyX Over a year ago

Where have you seen normal here? /… search is range, it works just like :1 to go to the first line.

user985675 Over a year ago

Thank you, that solves the problem. I needed this to include in a key mapping, and I find myself continually frustrated by command sequences that will work entered individually at the prompt, but which fail when transferred to vimrc as a string. But apparently the underlying cause of this problem is the mode that vim is in in each case?

ZyX · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-31 20:29:42Z

0

Range-search may be not the best option in your case. You can use

if !search('\cend of .*project gutenberg') | echo 'Not found' | endif

if you are fine with not updating last search pattern.

answered Mar 31, 2013 at 20:29

ZyX

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1 Comment

user985675 Over a year ago

Thank you, this is a simpler solution, and as it also relocates the prompt if it does find it, which is what I really wanted from the search, it serves my purpose better.

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