Script for Debugging in Vim

Table of contents
  1. Script for Debugging in Vim
    1. Script
    2. Folding method
    3. Playground

Script

  • variable scopes

    There are 9 different variable scopes in Vim. You can recognize them from their prepended letter:

    Scope Description
    g: global variable
    {nothing} global variable
    b: buffer-local variable
    w: window-local variable
    t: tab-local variable
    s: sourced Vimscript variable
    l: function local variable
    a: function formal parameter variable
    v: built-in Vim variable

Folding method

  • toggle between two folding methods

    • filename: vimrc 
      " vim -N -u vimrc
" vim -N -u path/to/your/vimrc
"
" `:so vimrc`
" `:so %`
function! ToggleFoldMethod()
" The 'foldmethod' option tells Vim what method to use when folding text.
" https://vim.fandom.com/wiki/Folding
" https://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/fold.html#zf
"
" There are two main methods of folding text: 'manual' and 'indent'.
" • Manual
"   - The 'manual' method is the simplest, and is the default.
"   - It uses markers in the text to define the start and end of each fold.
"     - `zf` to create
"     - `zd` to delete
"     - `zR` to open all folds
"     - `zM` to close all folds
"     - `zE` to delete all folds
" • Indent
"   - The 'indent' method is more sophisticated, and is often more convenient.
"   - It uses the indentation of the text to define the start and end of each fold.
let l:foldmethod = &foldmethod
echom "fold method was " . l:foldmethod
if l:foldmethod == 'manual'
  set foldmethod=indent
  echom "fold method is now indent"
else
  set foldmethod=manual
  echom "fold method is now manual"
endif
  
" VIM FOLDING CHEATSHEET
" `zj` moves the cursor to the next fold.
" `zk` moves the cursor to the previous fold.
" `zo` opens a fold at the cursor.
" `zO` opens all folds at the cursor.
" `zm` increases the foldlevel by one.
" `zM` closes all open folds.
" `zr` decreases the foldlevel by one.
" `zR` decreases the foldlevel to zero -- all folds will be open.
" `zd` deletes the fold at the cursor.
" `zE` deletes all folds.
" `[z` move to start of open fold.
" `]z` move to end of open fold.
endfunc
" `:set foldmethod?`
    • helpful resources

      for more in-depth information, check out:

Playground

  • date format / register / url regex / if condition
    • filename: playground.vimrc
    " vim -e playground.vimrc
" vim -N -u playground.vimrc
" vim -N -u path/to/your/vimrc
"

" we can enter Ex mode from Normal mode by
" pressing `Shift-Q`. This switches to Ex mode
" and displays a prompt at the bottom of the
" screen where we can enter commands:
"
" alternatively, we can start Vim in Ex mode
" by using the -e or -E options when
" launching Vim from the command line:
" $> vim -e

" a function to format the date in the same way I use to do on Workflowy
" https://vim.fandom.com/wiki/Insert_current_date_or_time
" https://stackoverflow.com/questions/56052/best-way-to-insert-timestamp-in-vim
function! MyDate()
  let l:date = strftime('%Ya%mm%dd %Hh%Mm%Ss')
  return l:date
endfunction
echo MyDate()

" let l:selection = @* " read it from clipboard
" let l:selection = @@ " read it from yank register
" let @y = 'hello'
function! GetRegValue()
  " let l:selection = @y " read it from the register 'y'
  let l:selection = getreg('y') " read it from the register 'y'
  return l:selection
endfunction
echom GetRegValue()

" REGEX
" For more information, see:
" :h matchstr()
" :h /\c
" :h /\zs
" :h /\{-
let test = 'a href="http://www.google.com">www.google.com</a;'
let url = matchstr(test, '\ca href=\([''"]\)\zs.\{-}\ze\1')
echo url
if empty(url)
  throw "no url recognized into ``".test."''"
endif
" IF condition
echo '12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012' =~ '^[0-9a-z]\{8}-[0-9a-z]\{4}-[0-9a-z]\{4}-[0-9a-z]\{4}-[0-9a-z]\{12}'
echo '2024a' =~ '^[0-9a-z]\{8}-[0-9a-z]\{4}-[0-9a-z]\{4}-[0-9a-z]\{4}-[0-9a-z]\{12}'
  • counting the number of occurrences of each word in the selection 
    " This function will count the number of occurrences of each word in the selection
" vim -N -u path/to/your/vimrc
" vim -N -u test.vimrc
function SGrep0()
  " if the execute comes from visual mode, it will yank the selection in register t
  normal! gv"ty
  " let l:selection = @* " read it from clipboard
  " let l:selection = @@ " read it from yank register
  let l:selection = @t " read it from the register 't'
  let l:splitted = split(l:selection, " ")
  " let l:splitted = map(l:splitted[:], 'substitute(v:val, "\s", "", "g")')
  let l:splitted = map(l:splitted[:], 'trim(v:val)')
  let l:splitted = filter(l:splitted, 'v:val != ""')
  let l:counter = {}
  for l:tag in l:splitted
    let l:pos = search(l:tag, 'W')
    while l:pos != 0
      let l:counter[l:tag] = get(l:counter, l:tag, 0) + 1
      let l:pos = search(l:tag, 'W')
    endwhile
  endfor
  redir @z
  for [key, value] in items(l:counter)
    echom key . " " . value
  endfor
  redir END
  echom "coped it into `\"z`, paste it by pressing `\"zp` in normal mode"
endfunction
nnoremap <c-k>s0 :call SGrep0()<CR>
vnoremap <c-k>s0 :call SGrep0()<CR>
  • setting markers using search via vim script
    • filename: playground.vimrc 
    " This function creates a marker for each pattern in the list
" `vim -N -u path/to/your/vimrc`
" `vim -N -u playground.vimrc`
"
function! GenerateVimwikiMarkerTemplateA()
  let l:markers = [
    \ ['a', '^\#\# Meetings$'],
    \ ['b', '^\#\# Messages$'],
    \ ['c', '^\#\# Emails$'],
    \ ['d', '^\#\# Notes$'],
    \ ['e', '^\#\# Energy Level and Mood Tracker$'],
  \]
  for l:marker in l:markers
    let l:letter = l:marker[0]
    let l:pattern = l:marker[1]
    let l:pos = search(l:pattern, 'W')
    " https://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/motion.html#%3amark
    execute ':' . l:pos . 'mark ' . l:letter
  endfor
  echom "markers created: 'a' for Meetings, 'b' for Messages, 'c' for Emails, 'd' for Notes, 'e' for Mood Tracker"
endfunction

nnoremap <c-k><c-m> :call GenerateVimwikiMarkerTemplateA()<CR>
inoremap <c-k><c-m> <esc>:call GenerateVimwikiMarkerTemplateA()<CR>a

" REFERENCES:
" • Looping through Vimscript: iterate over an array or dictionary
"  - https://learnvimscriptthehardway.stevelosh.com/chapters/36.html
"  - https://learnvimscriptthehardway.stevelosh.com/chapters/37.html
"  - https://renenyffenegger.ch/notes/development/vim/script/vimscript/arrays-and-hashes/iterate_over_array
" • search() function
"  - How can I tell if a search was successful in vimscript?
"   - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/27660221/how-can-i-tell-if-a-search-was-successful-in-vimscript
"  - How can I make a search in vimscript let n and N look for more?
"   - https://vi.stackexchange.com/questions/3655/how-can-i-make-a-search-in-vimscript-let-n-and-n-look-for-more
"  - VIM check for search pattern match in vim script
"   - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39930288/vim-check-for-search-pattern-match-in-vim-script
" • set mark
"  - Vim documentation: motion
"   - https://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/motion.html#%3amark
"  - set marker (tag) in vim command
"   - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10034645/set-marker-tag-in-vim-command
" • Using markers for folding
"  - Writing a custom fold expression
"   - http://vimcasts.org/transcripts/38/en/
"  - How can I automatically fold a file when start and end markers are the same?
"   - https://superuser.com/questions/557502/how-can-i-automatically-fold-a-file-when-start-and-end-markers-are-the-same
"  - vim: set fix jump marker in a source comment of the current file
"   - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/50985045/vim-set-fix-jump-marker-in-a-source-comment-of-the-current-file
"
" ALTERNATIVE SCRIPT:
" GO TO:
" - either `/ctrl-r 0` or `:execute '/' . @0`
"   - `/ctrl-r"` or `:execute '/' . @"`
"   - `:@"` or `:@0`
"     - `:execute '/.\+Mettings$'`
"     - `:execute '/.\+Messages$'`
"     - `:execute '/.\+Emails$'`
"     - `:execute '/.\+Notes$'`
"   - `:[range]ma[rk] {a-zA-Z'}`
"     - `https://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/motion.html#%3amark`
"     - `'a`: Mettings
"     - `'b`: Messages
"     - `'c`: Emails
"     - `'d`: Notes
"     - `let @a = search('^\#\# Meetings$')`
  • getting the current visual selection under cursor
    • filename: ideas.2024a11m14d.15h04.vimrc 

      " This function is a simple example of how to get the current visual selection
" `vim -N -u path/to/your/vimrc`
" `vim -N -u ideas.2024a11m14d.15h04.vimrc lorem-ipsum.txt`
"
function! s:get_visual_selection()
  " Why is this not a built-in Vim script function?!
  let [line_start, column_start] = getpos("'<")[1:2]
  let [line_end, column_end] = getpos("'>")[1:2]
  let lines = getline(line_start, line_end)
  if len(lines) == 0
      return ''
  endif
  let lines[-1] = lines[-1][: column_end - (&selection == 'inclusive' ? 1 : 2)]
  let lines[0] = lines[0][column_start - 1:]
  return join(lines, "\n")
endfunction
    
" This function is a simple example of how to get the current word under the cursor or the visual selection
function! s:get_word_under_cursor_or_visual_selection()
  let l:selection = s:get_visual_selection()
  if l:selection == ''
    " `:echo expand('<cWORD>')`
    " `:help expand()`
    let l:selection = expand('<cWORD>')
  endif
  return l:selection
endfunction
    
" This function prints the current word under the cursor or the visual selection
function! PrintWordUnderCursorOrVisualSelection()
  echom s:get_word_under_cursor_or_visual_selection()
endfunction
    
nnoremap <c-k>s1 :call PrintWordUnderCursorOrVisualSelection()<CR>
vnoremap <c-k>s1 :call PrintWordUnderCursorOrVisualSelection()<CR>
    
" REFERENCE:
" Fri, Nov 22, 2024 - 2024a11m22d 
" - How to get visually selected text in VimScript
"   - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1533565/how-to-get-visually-selected-text-in-vimscript
" - Vimscript: how to detect selection of a text object in visual mode?
"   - https://vi.stackexchange.com/questions/36692/vimscript-how-to-detect-selection-of-a-text-object-in-visual-mode
" - Get current visually selected text
"   - https://vi.stackexchange.com/questions/19007/get-current-visually-selected-text
" - Vim: Get the Text from Visual Selection
"   - https://www.meetgor.com/vim-get-visual-text/
    • filename: lorem-ipsum.txt
      What is Lorem Ipsum?
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
    
@fup @wip
Why do we use it?
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using 'Content here, content here', making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for 'lorem ipsum' will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).
    
@bm
Where does it come from?
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum" (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..", comes from a line in section 1.10.32.
The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum" by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form, accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.
    
@bm
Where can I get some?
There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alteration in some form, by injected humour, or randomised words which don't look even slightly believable. If you are going to use a passage of Lorem Ipsum, you need to be sure there isn't anything embarrassing hidden in the middle of text. All the Lorem Ipsum generators on the Internet tend to repeat predefined chunks as necessary, making this the first true generator on the Internet. It uses a dictionary of over 200 Latin words, combined with a handful of model sentence structures, to generate Lorem Ipsum which looks reasonable. The generated Lorem Ipsum is therefore always free from repetition, injected humour, or non-characteristic words etc.
    
Reference:
- https://www.lipsum.com/
    • helpful resources

      for more in-depth information, check out:

  • filename: ideas.2000a00m00d.00h00.vimrc