Persist clipboard contents in vi

Question

If I want to copy text from a file in vi to another file, I have to highlight the text, Control-Shift-C it, quit the first file, open the second, and then paste it via Control-Shift-V. It feels like there must be an easier way to do this - that is, keyboard commands only. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

While editing a file you can use :e filename to open another file and :rew to return to the original file like this:

1. open original file vi foo
2. yank text e.g. yy (yank a line)
3. open a second file to edit ESC :e bar
4. put your text p (then save :w)
5. go back to the first file ESC :rew

Answer 2

vim can be set up with X clipboard support. Pass --with-x=yes to configure if your distribution does not bundle vim with X support. By default the X clipboard is available as the * buffer and the X cut board (selection) is available as the " buffer, so selecting a region and typing "+y will yank the selection to the X cut board, and "*y will yank to the X clipboard. Similarly, "*p will paste from the X clipboard and "+p from the X selection.

You can set the default (anonymous) buffer in vim to be the X clipboard by running set clipboard=unnamed. Then you can just y and p from the X clipboard directly.

Answer 3

Sure:

1. Open your file: vi foo
2. In your file, open the second: ESC :open bar
3. Return to the first: ESC :prev
4. To copy the content of the file: ESC :1,$ y
5. To go the next file: ESC :n
6. Paste it: ESC p

Maybe there's a shorter way?