How to Limit the Search Scope in VI/VIM?

Question

Find and replace scope can be limited like this:

:16,256s/search_term/replacement/gc

I don't want to replace my search term with any other text, I just want to find them. I tried the following, but it didn't help:

:16,256/search_term # Notice that there is no 's' here

Thanks for your time!

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 03 '10 at 14:08

10

From the vim documentation:

You can limit the search command "/" to a certain range of lines by including \%>l items. For example, to match the word "limit" below line 199 and above line 300: >

/\%>199l\%<300llimit

This means: Match below line 199 and before line 300 and find the word limit.

answered Feb 03 '10 at 14:08

jhwist

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okay so I tested it for you /search_pattern\%>16l\%<256l will find the word search_pattern between 16 & 256. The % sign means search all text and the >lessthan – Feb 03 '10 at 14:25
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You can also use `:.,300/foo//gc` and then hit 'q' to stop the match and then 'n' for the next match. Don't know if that's more convenient, though. – jhwist Feb 03 '10 at 14:53
@jhwist +1, that's certainly easier for me to remember! – technomalogical Feb 03 '10 at 18:51
@jhwist Easier to remember, but it doesn't work :) This is the error I'm getting: "E486: Pattern not found: gc" – Srikanth Feb 04 '10 at 10:48
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@vito. Oops, sorry, there is an 's' missing. It's supposed to read `:.,300s/foo//gc` – jhwist Feb 04 '10 at 12:01
@jhwist: what does 's' in `:.,300s` stand for? – Anurag Peshne May 21 '15 at 11:33

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 10 '13 at 15:15

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Adapting @jhwist solution, I find it easier to use markers remember to say 'n' to changes and not to go off the end

 :'a,'bs/extrascost//gc

answered Dec 10 '13 at 15:15

zzapper

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How to Limit the Search Scope in VI/VIM?

2 Answers2