How to create an alias for a command in Vim?

Question

Vim is my preferred text editor when I program, and thus I always run into a particularly annoying issue.

Frequently, when I quickly need to save the buffer and conti

Answer 1

The best solution involves writing a custom function for handling abbreviations that only take place in the beginning of the command bar.

For this, add the following your vimrc file or anywhere else.

" cabs - less stupidity                                                      {{{
fu! Single_quote(str)
  return "'" . substitute(copy(a:str), "'", "''", 'g') . "'"
endfu
fu! Cabbrev(key, value)
  exe printf('cabbrev <expr> %s (getcmdtype() == ":" && getcmdpos() <= %d) ? %s : %s',
    \ a:key, 1+len(a:key), Single_quote(a:value), Single_quote(a:key))
endfu
"}}}

 

" use this custom function for cabbrevations. This makes sure that they only
" apply in the beginning of a command. Else we might end up with stuff like
"   :%s/\vfoo/\v/\vbar/
" if we happen to move backwards in the pattern.

" For example:
call Cabbrev('W', 'w')

A few useful abbreviations from the source material where I found this stuff:

call Cabbrev('/',   '/\v')
call Cabbrev('?',   '?\v')

call Cabbrev('s/',  's/\v')
call Cabbrev('%s/', '%s/\v')

call Cabbrev('s#',  's#\v')
call Cabbrev('%s#', '%s#\v')

call Cabbrev('s@',  's@\v')
call Cabbrev('%s@', '%s@\v')

call Cabbrev('s!',  's!\v')
call Cabbrev('%s!', '%s!\v')

call Cabbrev('s%',  's%\v')
call Cabbrev('%s%', '%s%\v')

call Cabbrev("'<,'>s/", "'<,'>s/\v")
call Cabbrev("'<,'>s#", "'<,'>s#\v")
call Cabbrev("'<,'>s@", "'<,'>s@\v")
call Cabbrev("'<,'>s!", "'<,'>s!\v")