Vim: Search in Files Short-cut Key

Question

I use vimgrep (or grep) to search in files inside vim, but I see it's quite inconvenient to have to write that every time I want to make search in vim. Any idea on how to make a suitable short-cut key to search in files?

Regards,
Rafid

Auricula

Answer 1

The following will take you to the command-line, pre-populated with vimgrep if you press F3 in normal mode:

:nmap <F3> :vimgrep<space>

If you always wish to search the current directory, try:

:nmap <F3> :vimgrep // *<left><left><left>

If you want to save even more keypresses, try this to search the current directory for the word under the cursor:

:nmap <F3> :vimgrep /<C-R><C-W>/ *<CR>

Of course, these can be put into your .vimrc file.

Vim's inbuilt help system provides lots of useful information on this subject. See the following sections to explain what I have done:

• :help :nmap
• :help c_CTRL-R_CTRL-W

Metternich

Are you sure the first one is correct? vimgrep expects a file name and this was basically my problem. I know how to make mapping, but the thing is how to put the cursor in the middle. For example, if I want to search for hello in all files, I would write: ":vimgrep /hello/ *". So how is it possible in vim to make a mapping that writes the above command, yet put me between the two slashes? – Auricula

Yes I am sure it is correct, it leaves an incomplete commandline. I couldn't predict which directories you wanted to search, though. Shall add to my answer. – Metternich

Thanks, it works now. I should have thought of the <left> before asking :-) – Auricula

Add a double star to make it recursive :nmap <F3> :vimgrep /<C-R><C-W>/ **<CR> – Lawsuit

Answer 2

An alternative to Johnsyweb's solution:

set grepprg=ack
nnoremap <F2> :grep<space>
nnoremap <F3> :noautocmd vimgrep // **/*<c-f>$Bhhi
nnoremap <S-F3> :noautocmd vimgrep /<C-R>// **/*<return>
xnoremap <F3> :<c-u>let tmp=@y<cr>gv"yy:noautocmd vimgrep /\V<c-r>=substitute(substitute(@y,'\','\\','g'),'/','\/','g')<cr>/ **/*<return>:let @y=tmp<cr>:unlet tmp<cr>

This will map F2 to ack use Perl regexps), F3 to vimgrep with no autocmds triggered (a lot faster), shift-f3 to a vimgrep of the current search pattern, and F3 in visual mode to a vimgrep of the current highlighted text.

Czechoslovak

Good alternative. ack is very neat, too. – Metternich

Thanks for that. What does $Bhhi above mean? – Auricula

@Rafid: Try it (preceded by CTRL+F) on the command line. It's a neat trick for editing the command-line. – Metternich

Thanks for this. It is really nice. I am wondering how long, from the theoretical point of view, it takes one to know all the commands and key combinations of vim! Probably there are tricks that even Vim's creators don't know! – Auricula

Actually, that <ctrl-f> thing is controlled by the 'cedit' setting (:help 'cedit') – Czechoslovak

Answer 3

Not exactly elegant but I use these command-line maps (because I've already consumed all of the function keys with other commands):

cmap vvv vimgrep // **/*.*<Left><Left><Left><Left><Left><Left><Left><Left>
cmap vvs vimgrep // **/*.sas<Left><Left><Left><Left><Left><Left><Left><Left><Left><Left>

Myles

Hello @rshdev, maybe you might like to see :help 'cedit' to avoid all those <left>s (see second mapping from my answer and do not consider syntax highlighting). – Czechoslovak

Thanks @Czechoslovak nice alternative – Myles