Vim: copy text directly to the operating system clipboard

Cut and copy in Vim: introduction

As an introduction to the topic regarding the Cut, Copy and Paste functions in Vim you can read a previous article of mine.

The subject of the current article is, instead, a Vim functionality I discovered while reading this page and which is closely related to the previous topic.

Vim can directly redirect cut and copy operations performed on texts to the system memory register (clipboard).

Therefore, it is not necessary to select the text first, in order to copy it into the clipboard, as is the experience with other writing systems on digital devices.

In short: you simply direct the operation (the same as normally used for the specific command) to the operating system memory (clipboard) (or, to be more precise to the + register).

This feature saves you time when exchanging data from Vim to other applications in the operating system.

Vim: examples of direct sending to system memory (clipboard)

A few examples can make it clear.

• First example: to copy into the clipboard of the operating system a complete paragraph just use the command "+yy.
  • Explanation of the example: record (") in the clipboard (+) a copy the whole paragraph (yy, yank yank) in which the cursor is located.
• Another example: given the following string (including the quotes) “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet” I would like to extract and send to the clipboard the part of text inside the quotes.
  • The solution is "+yi" with the following explanation: register (") in the system memory (+) a copy of the text (y yank) inside (i) the quotes (").
  • The solution, on the other hand, to include quotation marks in the copy is "+ya" which means: record (") in system memory (+) a copy of the text (y yank) around (a around) the quotation marks ("), including the quotation marks themselves.

Pay attention to the double presence of quotation marks both at the beginning and at the end of the string: they have a totally different function.

The first quotation marks are the “trigger” that activate the memory registers; the second quotation marks, instead, are the delimiter of the area copied in the register (we asked, remember, to copy all the text delimited between two quotation marks).

• Derived example: same string but delimited by two parentheses (round brackets) (Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet).
  • Solution "+yi) i.e.: record (") in system memory (+) a copy of the text (y yank) inside (i) the round brackets ()).
  • Solution for copying parentheses as well "+ya) i.e.: register (") in the system memory (+) a copy of the text (y yank) around (a around) the round brackets ()).

Based on the previous examples, it is possible to continue endessly:

• To copy two words to the clipboard you use "+y2w i.e.: record (") in the system memory (+) a copy of the text (y yank) of two words (2w two words). By the way, to copy the same two words to the normal Vim register you would use: y2w.
• To copy a text fragment from the cursor position to the next point (if it exists in the sentence, of course): "+yt. i.e.: record (") in the system memory (+) a copy of the text (y yank) to (ttill) the point (.).
• To copy a sentence (in Vim technical terminology) inside a period, you can place the cursor anywhere within the sentence and type "+yis, that is: record (") in the clipboard (+) a copy of the text (y yank) inside (i) the sentence (s as sentence).

And so on…

Epilogue

In short: all is extremely logical and efficient, in typical “Vim style”.

Vim is a continuous challenge for your mind and your memory but the advantage in terms of writing speed and efficiency compensates any learning effort, as well as being a great memory training.

Thank you for your attention.