dannyman.toldme.com

TIP: Vim can add and subtract!

I have been using Vim for years, and have any number of times (say, when dealing with DNS configuration) had to edit many lines, changing integers by a constant value, and it was always a hassle to repeatedly switch modes and type in a new number. “There must be some macro or other special mojo,” I thought, “and sometime, I will figure this out.”

Well, there is special mojo, and the figuring it out is so dead simple I kick myself for not knowing this years ago:

Vim Tip 287: Cool trick to change numbers

• You can increment a number with control A
• You can decrement a number with control X
• If the cursor is not already on a number, either of these will advance the cursor to the next number
• This does the math for multi-column numbers!

Yes, I rated that tip as “life changing”!