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Users of Vim and similars, what exactly makes it useful compared to other text editors? How much time do you suppose you save when working with it? (programming.dev)

submitted 4 months ago by ICastFist@programming.dev to c/ask_experienced_devs@programming.dev

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I'd like actual examples instead of "I work faster", something like "I can move straight to the middle of the file with 7mv" or "I can keep 4 different text snippets in memory and paste each with a number+pt, like 2pt", things that you actually use somewhat frequently instead of what you can do, but probably only did once.

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[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Better: you can record entire editing sentences and replay them. Ever had to make the same change on dozens of lines? Now you can do it in seconds.

I think my first experience with that kind of macro recording/replay was with Dwarf Fortress, of all things.

[–] Balinares@pawb.social 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I had no idea DF had macros but it makes so much sense.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

CTRL R starts recording the inputs, press again to stop. CTRL P plays it. Makes digging magma shafts through several floors, then setting up the pumps, so much easier

[–] Kalothar@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 months ago

I didn’t know this and tried to record on my keyboard a macro, and DF blocked me when I tried to use my keyboards built in macro keys. I guess that makes sense.